Avdija, Trail Blazers take on the Rockets
Portland Trail Blazers (30-33, 10th in the Western Conference) vs. Houston Rockets (38-23, fourth in the Western Conference)
Houston; Friday, 8 p.m. EST
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Rockets -6.5; over/under is 220.5
BOTTOM LINE: Western Conference foes Houston and Portland face off on Friday.
The Rockets have gone 21-17 against Western Conference teams. Houston is fourth in the Western Conference with 51.9 points per game in the paint led by Alperen Sengun averaging 13.7.
The Trail Blazers have gone 23-18 against Western Conference opponents. Portland ranks second in the Western Conference with 14.1 offensive rebounds per game led by Donovan Clingan averaging 4.6.
The Rockets average 11.5 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.7 fewer makes per game than the Trail Blazers allow (13.2). The Trail Blazers average 5.8 more points per game (115.3) than the Rockets allow their opponents to score (109.5).
The two teams square off for the fourth time this season. The Trail Blazers defeated the Rockets 111-105 in their last meeting on Jan. 10. Toumani Camara led the Trail Blazers with 25 points, and Kevin Durant led the Rockets with 30 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Durant is scoring 26.2 points per game with 5.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists for the Rockets. Sengun is averaging 18.7 points and 7.8 rebounds while shooting 51.3% over the past 10 games.
Deni Avdija is averaging 24.4 points, seven rebounds and 6.6 assists for the Trail Blazers. Jrue Holiday is averaging 3.1 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Rockets: 6-4, averaging 112.2 points, 46.5 rebounds, 24.7 assists, 8.0 steals and 6.2 blocks per game while shooting 49.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.7 points per game.
Trail Blazers: 5-5, averaging 113.2 points, 45.5 rebounds, 26.1 assists, 8.0 steals and 7.0 blocks per game while shooting 45.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.8 points.
INJURIES: Rockets: Jae’Sean Tate: out (knee), Dorian Finney-Smith: day to day (ankle), Fred VanVleet: out for season (acl), Steven Adams: out for season (ankle).
Trail Blazers: Kris Murray: day to day (illness), Deni Avdija: day to day (back), Shaedon Sharpe: out (calf), Damian Lillard: out for season (achilles).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.