The Portland Trail Blazers will look to carry momentum forward from a rare win when they host the struggling San Antonio Spurs on Thursday in the first meeting of the season between the bottom two teams in the Western Conference.
Thursday’s game is the first of a back-to-back for the teams in Portland.
The Trail Blazers did just about everything well in a 130-113 home win over Sacramento on Tuesday to snap a two-game losing streak and produce a season-high point total. Anfernee Simons scored 29 points and rookie reserve Duop Reath added 25 points and nine rebounds, both career highs, in the victory.
Portland coach Chauncey Billups has asked Reath to be more aggressive, and he got his wish on Tuesday.
Malcolm Brogdon hit for 19 points, Jabari Walker had 17 points off the bench and rookie backup Scoot Henderson racked up 17 points and a career-best 11 assists for the Trail Blazers, who have dropped eight of their past 10 outings but have won twice since Dec. 19.
Portland played without Deandre Ayton (knee) and Shaedon Sharpe (adductor) on Tuesday. The Trail Blazers shared the load, forging a 65-17 advantage in bench points.
The Spurs head to the Pacific Northwest after a 130-118 loss to Utah at home on Tuesday. It was San Antonio’s fifth consecutive defeat and its 23rd setback in the past 24 games.
Keldon Johnson led the Spurs with 26 points off the bench in the loss to Utah. Devin Vassell added 22, Jeremy Sochan scored 19, Julian Champagnie contributed 16 and rookie Victor Wembanyama tallied 15 points, seven rebounds and five blocked shots in his return to the court after missing a game with an ankle injury.
San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich has had about enough of his team losing and demanded that it play with more consistency.
Popovich has already announced that Wembanyama will not play both games of the back-to-back as he works back to full strength.
