The Portland Trail Blazers are set to take on the Denver Nuggets for their 55th game of the 2024-25 season.
The Blazers will look to finish the first half of the season with a win under their belt and snap their mini two-game losing streak.
Prior to the losing streak, the Blazers had won six games in a row. Portland will now look to start a new streak, but it won’t be easy for the Nuggets, who obliterated them in their previous contest on Monday.
The Nuggets will be relatively healthy for this contest; however, they will be without their star point guard Russell Westbrook. Westbrook is ruled out for this contest and beyond due to a hamstring injury.
Westbrook does not have a timeline for returning to action while he recovers from a left hamstring strain.
Westbrook suffered the injury on Jan. 31 in a win over the 76ers. He will miss his seventh consecutive game.
Westbrook appears likely to remain out through the All-Star break.
Nuggets guard Christian Braun will likely remain in the Nuggets’ starting lineup while Westbrook works on his rehab and recovery, and Jalen Pickett could enter the rotation as Jamal Murray’s top backup at point guard.
The Nuggets’ first game back from the All-Star break will be on Thursday, Feb. 20, against the Charlotte Hornets.
Westerbook had been healthy prior to the hamstring issue. The last time he was on the court, he only played 25 minutes and tallied four points, seven assists, and two steals.
In the season, Westbrook is averaging 13.0 points per game, 5.1 rebounds, 6.4 assists, and 1.5 steals while shooting 47.7 percent from the field and 33.1 percent from three in 48 games and 27.7 minutes of action.
Although the Blazers will face the Nuggets without Westbrook on the court, they will still have to face Nikola Jokic, who dropped 40 points on them on Monday.
The Trail Blazers are 14-26 in conference matchups. Portland allows 114.5 points to opponents and has been outscored by 5.5 points per game.
The Blazers will look to finish the first half of the season on the right foot and get a win over their division rivals.
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