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Match details
Fixture: Houston Rockets vs Portland Trail Blazers
Date & Time: Wednesday, 29 January 2020, 10 PM ET
Venue: Moda Center, Portland, OR
Last game result
Houston Rockets (29-17): 126-117 win vs Utah Jazz (27 Jan, Monday)
Portland Trail Blazers (20-27): 139-129 win vs Indiana Pacers (26 Jan, Sunday)
Houston Rockets preview
The Houston Rockets have won three of their last four games and are coming off a 126-117 away win against the Utah Jazz. Superstar James Harden missed their last two games with an injury but is listed as probable for the game against Portland. The Rockets have an 18-13 record against teams from the Western Conference so far this season. This game will cap off their four-game road trip and will play five of their next seven games at home.
Key player – Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook has been playing at an all-star level this season. He’s averaging 26 points, 7 assists, and 8 rebounds despite shooting a mediocre 23% from beyond the arc while averaging nearly 30 points this month. The unfortunate thing about this surge in performance is the slump of James Harden which is why it hasn’t translated into wins for the Rockets.
Houston Rockets predicted lineup:
Russell Westbrook, Eric Gordon, Ben McLemore, P.J. Tucker, Isaiah Hartenstein
Portland Trail Blazers preview
The Blazers come into this game on the back of a 139-129 victory over the Indiana Pacers. Damian Lillard dropped 50 points while CJ McCollum returned to action by recording 28 points. Portland sits 10th in the western conference, only 2.5 games behind the eighth-place Memphis Grizzlies. The previous meetings between the Rockets and the Blazers ended with a victory to each.
Key players – Damian Lillard
Damian Lillard has been averaging nearly 29 points, 7 assists, and 4 rebounds this season. He’s been playing at a whole different level in the last three games averaging over 50 points per game. A couple of seasons ago, Lillard had a career-high with 73% of his shots being unassisted, while this season that number has risen to 84%. Dame has also been attempting more threes this year and has been shooting with a remarkable efficient rate of 38%. Very few players manage to get better every year and Damian Lillard has certainly done that this season.
Portland Trail Blazers predicted lineup:
Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum, Trevor Ariza, Carmelo Anthony, Hassan Whiteside
Rockets vs Trail Blazers match predictions
Trail Blazers will be looking for their third win in four games especially with Clint Capela and James Harden listed as questionable. Rockets have the second-best offensive rating in the league with the Trail Blazers having one of the worst defensive ratings. Still, the Portland-based side should be confident of victory with Rockets missing two starters from the lineup.
Where to watch Trail Blazers vs Rockets
The game will be broadcast nationwide on ESPN. You can also live stream the game via the NBA League Pass.
Guess the Lakers players!
