Portland @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 12, 2019 ) Portland 125, L.A. Clippers 104

Kawhi Leonard is expected to be back in the lineup when the Los Angeles Clippers host the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday. Leonard sat out the front end of a back-to-back Wednesday against the Milwaukee Bucks and the league backed Los Angeles' decision to hold him out of the nationally televised showdown with reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Leonard was listed on the Clippers' injury report with a knee injury and the NBA stated that he "is not a healthy player under the league's resting policy," but Los Angeles' decision came under major scrutiny. "I’m a fan of basketball as well, not just a coach. I feel for that. I understand that,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said prior to his team's 129-124 loss to the Bucks. "We obviously have to do what’s right by our players. We have to. It’s our duty." Portland has allowed an average of 128 points while dropping its last two games and has given up 108 or more points in six of its seven games. The defense was especially shaky in the fourth quarter of Monday night's 127-118 road loss to Golden State as a makeshift group of Warriors scored 40 points in the final stanza.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT

ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (3-4): Star guard Damian Lillard scored a season-best 39 points for his fourth 30-point effort of the season but didn't find much enjoyment in the aftermath of the loss to Golden State. "They competed from the beginning, they played hard, they moved the ball really well," Lillard said afterward. "They played like a team that wanted to win. We got outplayed start to finish, I would say. We had some moments in the game, but we played like we just thought we were going to march in here and win the game, and they showed why they're in the NBA. That's a tough loss." Shooting guard CJ McCollum is only 19-of-53 shooting over the last three games despite averaging 17.3 points during the span.

ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (5-3): Forward Montrezl Harrell moved into the starting lineup for the first time this season and registered a career-best 34 points and matched his career high of 13 rebounds against the Bucks and he said the absence of Leonard had nothing to do with the result. "That doesn't bother me. Whoever we got on the floor, we have to play to win the game," Harrell told reporters. "We can't really base it on who's not playing or who is sitting out the game. Kawhi is going to sit out games. That's going to happen so we can't put that on him. He has to take care of his body just like every other athlete on this team." Having Leonard back Thursday certainly will help as he has averages of 29.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 2.3 steals in six games.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Lillard averaged 28.5 points as the Trail Blazers went 3-1 against the Clippers last season.

2. Portland C Hassan Whiteside matched his season best of 22 points and collected 11 rebounds against the Warriors for his third double-double of the season.

3. Rivers is one victory away from becoming the 13th NBA coach to reach 900.

PREDICTION: Clippers 120, Trail Blazers 116