The 2025-26 NBA season delivers a quick rematch in the Pacific Division as the Portland Trail Blazers face the Sacramento Kings just two days after their overtime thriller in Portland. The Blazers, coming off a dramatic 134-133 victory, look to sweep the back-to-back set and build momentum amid a middling campaign. The Kings, mired in a rebuild and hit hard by injuries, aim to snap a skid and leverage home-court energy for an upset. With Portland’s balanced attack clashing against Sacramento’s depleted roster, expect a high-scoring affair focused on perimeter play and rebounding battles.
Venue Location
The game will be held at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. This 17,500-seat arena, opened in 2016, is known for its vibrant atmosphere and has been the Kings’ home, often providing a boost in close contests.
Tip-off is scheduled for 10:00 PM ET (7:00 PM PT local time). The game will be broadcast on NBA League Pass, with local feeds on Root Sports for Portland viewers and NBC Sports California for Sacramento fans.
Injury Report
Portland Trail Blazers: Forward Jerami Grant (Questionable – Left Achilles tendon soreness); Guard Scoot Henderson (Questionable – Hamstring); Guard Jrue Holiday (Questionable – Calf); Guard Matisse Thybulle (Out – Undisclosed, injured since Dec 13); Guard Blake Wesley (Out – Undisclosed, since Nov 3). The Blazers’ report emphasizes Grant’s status as a game-time decision, potentially impacting scoring depth, while backups like Henderson add uncertainty to the backcourt.
Sacramento Kings: Center Domantas Sabonis (Out – Left knee partial meniscus tear, re-evaluated in 4-5 weeks); Forward Georges Niang (Out – Foot injury, yet to debut this season). Sabonis’ extended absence is a massive blow to Sacramento’s interior presence and playmaking, forcing reliance on backups like Alex Len and Trey Lyles.
Player Matchups
This rematch spotlights key battles influenced by injuries, emphasizing Portland’s depth against Sacramento’s guard-heavy attack:
Anfernee Simons (POR, G) vs. De’Aaron Fox (SAC, G): Simons (22.4 points, 5.8 assists) exploded for key buckets in the Dec 18 win, but Fox (26.1 points, 6.4 assists) seeks revenge with his speed and scoring, potentially exploiting Portland’s backcourt if Henderson sits.
Jerami Grant (POR, F) vs. Keegan Murray (SAC, F): If Grant plays (questionable, Achilles), his versatility (18.6 points) tests Murray (16.2 points, 35% from three), whose shooting could open the floor for Sacramento without Sabonis.
Deandre Ayton (POR, C) vs. Alex Len (SAC, C): Ayton (14.8 points, 10.2 rebounds) dominates the paint against Len’s fill-in role, especially with Sabonis out—expect Ayton to control rebounds and second-chance points.
Shaedon Sharpe (POR, G) vs. Malik Monk (SAC, G): Sharpe’s athleticism (17.3 points) faces Monk’s bench spark (19.4 points), a matchup that could swing momentum in transition-heavy sequences.
Portland’s size advantage looms large without Sabonis for the Kings.
Team Records
Portland Trail Blazers: 11-16, 11th in the Western Conference (4th in Northwest Division).
Sacramento Kings: 6-21, 15th in the Western Conference (5th in Pacific Division).
Recent Team Forms
Portland snapped a potential slide with a gritty 134-133 overtime victory over the Kings on Dec 18, overcoming a late collapse thanks to Deni Avdija’s free throws. Prior games included a loss to Golden State on Dec 14 and mixed results earlier in December, averaging 118.2 points over their last five but allowing 116.4. The Blazers have shown resilience at home (7-9) but struggle on the road (4-7).
Sacramento continues to falter, dropping their Dec 18 game in overtime to Portland after blowing a lead, marking their fourth loss in five. They suffered a 143-135 defeat to the Lakers on Dec 18 (wait, overlapping? No, separate), a 130-126 win over Memphis on Dec 12, but heavy losses to OKC (146-112 on Dec 5) and others. The Kings average 119.8 points in recent outings but concede 128.2, hampered by injuries and poor defense (3-10 at home).
| Team | Last 5 Games | Streak | Points For/Against (Last 5) | FG% (Season) | 3PT% (Season) |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 2-3 | W1 | 118.2 / 116.4 | 45.6% | 34.8% |
| Sacramento Kings | 1-4 | L4 | 119.8 / 128.2 | 46.1% | 35.2% |
Series History
The Portland Trail Blazers lead the all-time regular-season series 143-90 over 233 games. In playoffs, the teams have met once, with Sacramento holding a 2-1 edge. Recently, Portland has the upper hand, winning the Dec 18, 2025, matchup 134-133 in overtime and four of the last five overall. Games average 221.4 points in the past 10, with the home team winning six times. This is the second of four scheduled meetings this season, following their back-to-back.
Betting Trends
Portland has been reliable against the spread (ATS), going 14-12-1 overall and 7-9 on the road, with a 3-2 ATS mark in their last five. The over has hit in 60% of Blazers games this season, driven by high-scoring wins like the Dec 18 overtime thriller. Sacramento struggles ATS at 8-18-1, including 2-9 at home, and 1-4 in their last five, often failing as underdogs (6-13 ATS). Without Sabonis, the Kings are 2-8 straight up in his absences. Head-to-head, Portland is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings, and the over has cashed in seven of the last 10 due to fast-paced play. League-wide December trends favor overs in 58% of games involving sub-.500 teams like Sacramento.
Game Odds
Portland Trail Blazers – 4.5
Sacramento Kings 238.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, December 19, 2025
