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Kings-Trail Blazers Preview
Sacramento Kings at Portland Trail Blazers
- The Trailblazers dropped a 99-92 decision in Indiana on Wednesday and finished up their season-high 7-game road trip with a mark of 2-5. Portland has won three straight home games, scoring 100+ points in each of those contests.
- Portland won its first meeting of the season with the Kings, 103-86, in Sacramento. Dating to the beginning of the 2008-09 campaign, the Blazers are 6-1 in their last seven home games vs. the Kings.
- Both LaMarcus Aldridge (18 pts, 10 reb) and J.J. Hickson (14 pts, 12 reb) recorded double-doubles for the Blazers on Wednesday -- the second time this season that both have done so in the same game (also vs. OKC on 11/2). Hickson leads all Portland players with nine double-doubles this season -- the same number he had in 54 games with the Kings and Trailblazers in 2011-12.
- Including 14 points earlier this season, Marcus Thornton has scored in double-digits in five straight games vs. the Blazers, averaging 18.8 ppg in those contests overall.
By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN
(AP) -- The Portland Trail Blazers are already eager to be back at home after a disappointing trip. Facing a winless road opponent is even more ideal.
The Trail Blazers begin a six-game homestand Saturday night when they try to drop the Sacramento Kings to 0-7 on the road.
Portland (8-11) went 2-5 on a trip that ended with Wednesday's 99-92 loss to Indiana. Rookie Damian Lillard led the Trail Blazers with 23 points.
There was room for optimism since the defeat came on the heels of thrilling wins against Cleveland and Charlotte that both went past regulation. Lillard scored 24 points in each of those victories.
"I liked the way our guys finished the road trip, I liked the way we competed, got some of the young guys involved off the bench," coach Terry Stotts said. "So I thought there were things that were good but I don't think any of us were necessarily satisfied being 2-5. You wanted to get one or two more on the road."
Lillard, the No. 6 overall pick in the draft, continues to lead all rookies with 19.3 points per game. He's scored at least 20 in three straight games for the first time since he made a splash by doing so in his first three contests.
"Everything is going kind of smoother than I thought it would," Lillard said. "That's just what it is. I never really said I'm just going to come in and I don't know what's going to happen. I felt I was going to be productive, I just didn't know how productive."
Sacramento (6-12) comes to town enduring its worst road start since going 0-9 to begin 2007-08. The Kings have dropped six of their last seven at the Rose Garden.
Currently, though, they are on a bit of an upswing and can post their first three-game win streak of the season after beating 91-82 over Orlando on Friday. DeMarcus Cousins had 17 points and 14 rebounds while reserve guard Isaiah Thomas added 17 points.
Starting guard Tyreke Evans didn't play for the third time in four games with a sore right knee. Francisco Garcia made his first start of the season in place of Evans.
Evans, who totaled 13 points on 4 of 18 shooting in Sacramento's two losses at Portland last season, is questionable for Saturday's game. His absence could be critical since he could again face off against Lillard.
That matchup proved to be a mismatch the first time these teams met as Lillard outscored Evans 22-10 in a 103-86 road victory Nov. 13. Lillard also had nine assists compared to four for Evans.
Cousins, who has three double-doubles his last four games, missed that contest due to suspension.
Although the Kings successfully used a smaller lineup in the fourth quarter Friday, don't expect to see it against the Blazers.
"The lineup that Orlando used allowed me to do that rotation tonight," coach Keith Smart said. "They didn't look to post up their guards. In tomorrow's game, Portland will post up their twos and threes, so there may not be a situation like that."
It's unclear if Portland forward Nicolas Batum will be available after he sat out part of Friday's practice with a back strain suffered against the Pacers.
Updated December 8, 2012
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