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The Portland Trail Blazers visit the Spectrum Center on Sunday to take on an injury-plagued Charlotte Hornets in a 2020-21 NBA matchup.
The Portland Trail Blazers have lost five of their last eight games and face the fourth-toughest schedule of any team in the remainder of the competition. Meanwhile, the Charlotte Hornets are coming off a 115-130 defeat against the surging Brooklyn Nets in their last outing.
Match Details
Fixture: Portland Trail Blazers vs Charlotte Hornets | NBA Season 2020-21.
Date & Time: Sunday, April 18th, 2021; 7:00 PM ET (Monday, April 19th; 4:30 AM IST).
Venue: Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC.
Charlotte Hornets Preview
Injuries have struck the Charlotte Hornets at the worst possible time. They have six players either injured or questionable for this game. That includes four of their five starters - LaMelo Ball, PJ Washington, Devonte Graham and Gordon Hayward.
Ball and Hayward's contributions have put the Charlotte Hornets in postseason contention. However, they have slipped three positions to occupy the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference at the moment.
The Charlotte Hornets have lost their last four games in a row. Their upcoming fixtures don't get any easier, as they face the New York Knicks and the Chicago Bulls after playing the Portland Trail Blazers.
Key Player - Terry Rozier
Terry Rozier has been sensational this season, adding thunderous dunks and game-winning buzzer-beaters in his highlight reel.
Rozier is the only player on the Charlotte Hornets roster who is averaging over 20 points per game; he recently recorded his eighth career double-double.
Terry Rozier has also significantly improved his distance shooting. He is eighth in the season's three-pointer leaderboard, with a tally of 169, doing so while shooting at 40% from the three-point line on over eight attempts per game.
Charlotte Hornets Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Terry Rozier | Shooting Guard - Cody Martin | Small Forward - Miles Bridges | Power Forward - Jalen McDaniels | Center - Vernon Carey Jr.
Portland Trail Blazers Preview
The Portland Trail Blazers risk slipping down the Western Conference standings as they face a tough series of matchups ahead. They face the LA Clippers and the Denver Nuggets after this game, and they need a few more wins to avoid the play-in tournament.
CJ McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic have fared well since their return to the lineup. In 29 games, McCollum is averaging 23.2 points per game while shooting at 40% from the three-point line, doing so on almost ten attempts per game.
Meanwhile, Norman Powell has been exceptional since his arrival from Portland. He was averaging a career-high in points at his previous team and has continued that level of production with the Portland Trail Blazers as well.
In 11 games for his new team, Powell has averaged 17.2 points per game while shooting at 45% from the floor and 38% from the three. Powell hit the game-winner against the San Antonio Spurs in his team's last outing, finishing with 22 points on the night.
Key Player - Damian Lillard
Damian Lillard is putting on a show this season. He is arguably one of the most clutch players in the league, and his late-game heroics have helped the Portland Trail Blazers immensely.
He is averaging the third-highest points per game at 28.7, right behind Stephen Curry (30.7 PPG) and Bradley Beal (31 PPG).
Lillard believes he deserves the MVP award this season, as his exploits have taken the Portland Trail Blazers to a playoff spot despite the absence of McCollum, Collins and Nurkic for large swathes of the season. He said in this regard:
"I'm deserving of it, that's just the truth".
Portland Trail Blazers Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Damian Lillard | Shooting Guard - CJ McCollum | Small Forward - Norman Powell | Power Forward - Robert Covington | Center - Jusuf Nurkic.
Trail Blazers vs Hornets Match Prediction
The Portland Trail Blazers are the overwhelming favorites to win this game, considering their superior roster.
Meanwhile, the Charlotte Hornets have several players missing and may not be able to compete against the Trail Blazers. Terry Rozier is the only reliable scoring threat the Hornets can brag of, and the Portland defense will look to lock him up as much as possible.
Where to watch the Portland Trail Blazers vs Charlotte Hornets game?
The Portland Trail Blazers vs Charlotte Hornets game will be locally televised on Bally Sports Southeast-Charlotte (SE-CHA) and NBC Sports Northwest. The game can also be streamed live with an NBA League Pass.
Also Read: Player in focus: Kevin Durant and his journey so far with the Brooklyn Nets | NBA Season 2020-21.
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