The Portland Trail Blazers travel to New Orleans to take on the Pelicans on Thursday, December 11, at 8:00 p.m. ET at the Smoothie King Center. Portland enters with a 9-15 record and a two-game losing streak, while New Orleans sits at 3-22, having lost seven straight.
Portland will be without key contributors Scoot Henderson (left hamstring tear), Damian Lillard (left Achilles management), Jrue Holiday (right calf strain), Matisse Thybulle (left thumb ligament), Blake Wesley (right foot fracture), and Donovan Clingan (left lower leg contusion). Robert Williams III and Hansen Yang are listed as questionable.
Despite the absences, Deni Avdija leads Portland at 25.8 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, with Shaedon Sharpe adding 21.1 points and Jerami Grant contributing 19.5 points per contest. Toumani Camara (12.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg) will be relied upon for frontcourt support.
New Orleans will miss Dejounte Murray (right Achilles rupture), Zion Williamson (right adductor strain), and Trey Alexander and Hunter Dickinson on G League two-way assignments. Jordan Poole is questionable with a left quad strain.
Trey Murphy III leads the Pelicans in scoring with 21.0 points per game, followed by Zion Williamson at 22.1 points when available, and Jordan Poole averaging 17.3 points. Herbert Jones (9.9 ppg) and Saddiq Bey (14.3 ppg) provide secondary scoring, while Derik Queen (12.9 ppg, 6.4 rpg) anchors the frontcourt.
The Trail Blazers defeated the Pelicans 125-117 on November 12, giving Portland an edge in their early-season matchup. With both teams dealing with injuries, rotations will be key as Portland leans on Avdija, Sharpe, and Grant, while New Orleans looks to Murphy and Poole to carry the offensive load.
Portland averages 117.4 points and 24.6 assists per game, shooting 44.2% from the field and 33.0% from three. New Orleans posts 113.0 points and 24.4 assists per game, hitting 45.8% of field goals and 34.7% from beyond the arc.
