The Portland Trail Blazers return from All-Star break tonight, hosting the Denver Nuggets at Moda Center.<\/p>\n
Portland has triumphed in its last three home matchups against Denver. Like the Blazers, the Nuggets\u2019 recent play has been marked by inconsistency. Six of Denver\u2019s last seven losses have come by single-digit margins.<\/p>\n
Denver Nuggets (35-21 at Portland Trail Blazers (27-29) Fri. Feb 20 – 7:00pm Pacific<\/p>\n
How to watch via antenna or cable: See your options on the<\/a> Rip City Television Network<\/a><\/p>\n How to stream: BlazerVision in Oregon and Washington; League Pass everywhere else<\/p>\n How to listen: Trail Blazers Audio Network<\/a><\/p>\n SB Nation Affiliate: Denver Stiffs<\/a><\/p>\n Trail Blazers Injuries: Damian Lillard, Shaedon Sharpe Out. Kris Murray, Matisse Thybulle Questionable.<\/p>\n Timberwolves injuries: Tamar Bates, Aaron Gordon, Peyton Watson Out.<\/p>\n Kit: The Blazers will take the floor in its natty black City Edition<\/a> jerseys. Denver will wear its white Association Edition unis.<\/p>\n Trail Blazers: W vs PHI, L at MIN, W at UTA<\/p>\n Nuggets: L vs CLE, W vs MEM, L at LAC<\/p>\n Trail Blazers:<\/a> Points, Avdija (25.5 per game). Rebounds, Clingan (11.5). Assists, Avdija (6.6). Steals, Thybulle (2.5). Blocks, Williams (1.4). Trail Blazers:<\/a> Offensive rating: 113.5 (20th place) Defensive rating: 115.5 (19th place) Coming Attractions: The Blazers travel to Phoenix Sunday, play Minnesota at home Tuesday before beginning a five-game road trip at Chicago Thursday.<\/p>\n Led by Deni Avdija, the 11 players<\/a> aged 25 years or younger on the Blazers\u2019 roster lead the league in two statistical categories. They have scored 4,958 points this season. That\u2019s 76.1 percent of the team\u2019s total scoring.<\/p>\n If the Blazers are to make any kind of late season push, the team will need to improve its league-worst three point shooting percentage.<\/a> (V\u00edt Krej\u010d\u00ed please come out firing!) Bitter irony\/pot of gold at the end of the rainbow: Portland also now has the reigning NBA three point champion<\/a> in street clothes on its bench.<\/p>\n Were Pedro Martinez <\/a>a Blazer, he might just call Nikola Joki\u0107 the Blazers\u2019 daddy. The Nuggets big man has shot .582 against Portland over his career. He leads the Nuggets in most statistical categories and is making a strong case for a fourth NBA MVP award.<\/p>\n Shams Charania reports<\/a> Blazers guard Sidy Cissoko\u2019s hard-nosed play has earned him a two-year contract. Our own Conor Bergin broke the news<\/a> that the team waived Rayan Rupert to create a roster spot for Cissoko.<\/p>\n
Timberwolves:<\/a> Points, Joki\u0107 (28.5 per game). Rebounds, Joki\u0107 (12.4). Assists, Joki\u0107 (10.6). Steals, Joki\u0107 (1.3). Blocks, Watson (1.2).<\/p>\n
Nuggets:<\/a> Offensive rating: 120.7 (1st place) Defensive rating: 116.7 (24th place)<\/p>\n