Portland @ San Antonio preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 16, 2019 ) Portland 103, San Antonio 108

The San Antonio Spurs look to start 3-0 for the third time in four seasons when they complete their three-game homestand Monday against the talented Portland Trail Blazers. The Spurs rallied to win a sloppy opener against New York on Wednesday before getting a total of 53 points from LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan in a much sharper effort to knock off Washington 124-122 three days later.

Aldridge is off to a strong start with 49 points in the first two games and needs 14 rebounds to become the 72nd player in NBA history with 8,000 while DeRozan recovered from a rough opener (3-of-10 from the field) to score 26 in Saturday’s triumph. “I tell him all the time, 'I need you to take over at all times, not just when we really, really need it,'” San Antonio point guard Dejounte Murray told reporters of DeRozan. “But he did his thing tonight. None of us were shocked or surprised. That’s DeMar for you.” The Trail Blazers come to town after outlasting Dallas 121-119 on Sunday as CJ McCollum registered 35 points and backcourt mate Damian Lillard scored the go-ahead basket with 26.8 seconds remaining. Lillard has totaled 95 points in his first three contests as Portland dropped its opener at home 108-100 against Denver before beginning its four-game road trip by averaging 121.5 points in wins at Sacramento and Dallas.

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, NBCS Northwest (Portland), FS Southwest (San Antonio)

ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (2-1): McCollum was 13-of-36 from the field and averaged 15.5 points in the first two contests before making 13-of-26 shots in Sunday’s victory while adding six rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals. Center Hassan Whiteside, who was acquired from Miami in the offseason, was held to six points against Dallas but hauled in 14 rebounds and has connected on 17 of his 21 field-goal attempts in the first three games. Guard Rodney Hood also came up big with 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting - 3-of-3 from 3-point range - on Sunday after registering a total of 21 in the first two contests.

ABOUT THE SPURS (2-0): Coach Gregg Popovich has limited the minutes of Murray in the first two games after the 23-year-old missed all of last season due to knee surgery, but he still has averaged 18.5 points and a team-high five assists in 23.5 minutes. Guard Bryn Forbes also is off to a good start in a supporting role, averaging 18 points on 13-of-26 overall shooting and 7-of-15 from beyond the arc while adding nine rebounds. Reserve center Jakob Poeltl stuffed the stat sheet with six points, six rebounds, four assists and three blocks in 15 minutes of action off the bench against Washington.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Portland C Zach Collins suffered a dislocated left shoulder in the third quarter against Dallas and reportedly will undergo an MRI on Monday.

2. The Spurs committed just nine turnovers in Saturday’s win after coughing up the ball 21 times in their season opener.

3. The home team won all four meetings last season as DeRozan averaged 30 points and Lillard 31.

PREDICTION: Trail Blazers 110, Spurs 102