Brooklyn Nets (21-9, first in the Eastern Conference) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (13-19, 11th in the Western Conference)
Portland, Oregon; Thursday, 10 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Kevin Durant leads Brooklyn into a matchup against Portland. He's first in the the league averaging 29.7 points per game.
The Trail Blazers have gone 11-7 at home. Portland is 9-14 against opponents with a winning record.
The Nets are 11-3 on the road. Brooklyn is fourth in the Eastern Conference with 45.5 rebounds per game led by Durant averaging 7.9.
TOP PERFORMERS: Damian Lillard is shooting 40.5% and averaging 23.8 points for the Trail Blazers. Norman Powell is averaging 20.0 points over the last 10 games for Portland.
Patty Mills is shooting 43.0% from beyond the arc with 3.2 made 3-pointers per game for the Nets, while averaging 13.6 points. Durant is shooting 47.7% and averaging 32.4 points over the past 10 games for Brooklyn.
LAST 10 GAMES: Trail Blazers: 2-8, averaging 103.2 points, 41.4 rebounds, 20.9 assists, 7.4 steals and 5.3 blocks per game while shooting 43.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.2 points per game.
Nets: 7-3, averaging 110.2 points, 47.1 rebounds, 25.4 assists, 6.5 steals and 5.3 blocks per game while shooting 45.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.2 points.
INJURIES: Trail Blazers: Cody Zeller: out (knee), CJ McCollum: out (lung), Nassir Little: out (illness).
Nets: Paul Millsap: out (health and safety protocols), Jevon Carter: out (health and safety protocols), James Johnson: out (health and safety protocols), DeAndre' Bembry: out (health and safety protocols), Joe Harris: out (ankle), Kevin Durant: out (health and safety protocols), Kyrie Irving: out (health and safety protocols), James Harden: out (health protocols), Bruce Brown: out (health protocols), Nicolas Claxton: day to day (wrist), LaMarcus Aldridge: out (health and safety protocols), Day'Ron Sharpe: out (health and safety protocols).
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