HEAT AT TRAIL BLAZERS
WHEN/WHERE: 10 p.m., Moda Center, Portland
TV/RADIO: Sun Sports/AM 790, FM 104.3 and AM 710 (Spanish)
SERIES: Trail Blazers lead 33-16. Heat and Trail Blazers split, 1-1, last season. Heat is 3-1 in Portland in his last four visits.
LINE: Opened at Portland by 1. Trail Blazers now favored by 5.
OFFICIALS:
Rodney Mott, 71...Brian Forte, 45...Derek Richardson, 63
RECORDS/STANDINGS: Heat (22-7)/Second in the East, 1.5 game back of the Pacers; First in the Southeast, 6.0 games ahead of the Hawks///Trail Blazers (24-5)/Tied for first in the West/Oklahoma City, Tied for first in Northwest Division with Oklahoma City.
TRENDS/HEAT: 8-5 on the road; 8-2 in last 10; Lost on Friday 108-103 at Sacramento; 7-1 against West; 2-0 against Northwest Division
TRENDS/TRAIL BLAZERS: 12-2 at home; 8-2 in last 10; Won two in a row; 12-0 against East; first game against team in the Southeast Division
INJURY REPORT/HEAT: Greg Oden out (knee rehab), LeBron James (strained right groin muscle) questionable, Chris Andersen questionable (back tightness), Ray Allen (general soreness) probable, Dwyane Wade (knee rest) probable.
INJURY REPORT/TRAIL BLAZERS: CJ McCollum (fractured left foot) out.
OF NOTE: The Heat's overtime loss to the Kings came at a price. LeBron James strained his right groin and tweaked his left ankle. He also suffered a minor injury to his left hand. Still, I'd be surprised if James sat against the Trail Blazers. He has become good friends with Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard and James always likes to play against the league's top young talents...Dwyane Wade is expected to play after resting Friday...The Heat's 19-game winning streak against teams in the Western Conference ended on Friday...Five of the last seven meetings between the Trail Blazers and Heat have been decided by nine points or fewer...Head coach Erik Spoelstra attended Portland’s Jesuit High School and played basketball at the University of Portland...The Trail Blazers have scored at least 100 points in 16 straight games, the longest streak in the NBA since Toronto went 20 straight games from Jan. 6-Feb. 20, 2010...The movement to the betting line isn't necessarily and indication that James will not play. The team looked sluggish against the Kings, which would suggest Miami has lost interest with this road trip.
Comments