These two will meet for the first time since each other’s season-opener. The Portland Trail Blazers hope to have a repeat victory, especially with the Sacramento Kings stumbling a lot recently.

Catch the game tomorrow at 11:00 AM, Manila time.

HOME: Sacramento Kings (32-25, 17-12 HOME)

Projected starting five:

  • De’Aaron Fox
  • Kevin Huerter
  • Keegan Murray
  • Harrison Barnes
  • Domantas Sabonis

The Kings are in the middle of the franchise’s best season in a long while, inching closer and closer to ending that 17-year playoff drought. Unfortunately, though, their current stretch isn’t indicative of that exciting feat. They are 6-7 in their last 13 contests, scoring 118.2 PPG but allowing 118.5.

Also a concern is their loss to the Blazers in the season-opener back in October, where they successfully shackled Damian Lillard to 5-for-18 shooting yet still fell, 115-108. That’s also on top of De’Aaron Fox having 33 points and seven assists, and Kevin Huerter going for 23 points with six treys.

Then again, that was almost five months ago. The current bump in the path isn’t pretty, but Sactown is third in the West for a reason. We can expect them to be more disciplined than the last game, especially Domantas Sabonis (18.8 PPG, 12.3 RPG, 6.9 APG), who’s back into playing as been an elite and versatile big man. He’s sure to showcase all that tomorrow.

 The Kings are only 2-5 ATS in their last seven games.

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AWAY: Portland Trail Blazers (28-30, 12-16 AWAY)

Projected starting five:

  • Damian Lillard
  • Anfernee Simons
  • Cam Reddish
  • Jerami Grant
  • Drew Eubanks

The Blazers come in having dropped five of their last seven outings. Though they pour in 118.5 PPG in that stretch, they allow opponents to score 126.5 points and shoot 52.8% – true to their 27th-ranked defensive rating.

The good thing, however, is Damian Lillard is still there kicking ass, ready to put on a show every game. The 32-year-old is posting career-highs in points (31.4 PPG) and threes (4.2) made per contest, as well as shooting (46.7%). He was abysmal in the previous clash with the Kings, but we can easily see him bounce back tomorrow and have one of those nights.

Anfernee Simons (21.4 PPG) and Jerami Grant (20.8 PPG) each had 20-plus points in that season-opening win, and as Lillard’s main scoring support, they are sure to gun for the same production. Do note, however, that Grant will be in his first game back after sitting out two outings with a concussion. Finally, Drew Eubanks will once again take Jusuf Nurkic’s place, who’s still sidelined by a calf injury.

The Blazers are 1-4-1 ATS in their last six games.

PREDICTION:

Handicap: The Kings (-5) get the win and cover the spread

Over/Under: I see the Blazers’ poor defense in full effect and the Kings taking advantage. The total hits the over (239.5)

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