Toronto @ Portland preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 1, 2019 ) Portland 117, Toronto 119

The Toronto Raptors look to continue their success against Portland when they visit the Trail Blazers on Wednesday night. Toronto has prevailed in seven of the past eight meetings and arrives in the Pacific Northwest with a 2-1 mark on a five-game road trip.

The Raptors had an emotional reunion with Kawhi Leonard - who led them to the NBA title last season - on Monday and ran out of gas late by scoring 10 fourth-quarter points during a 98-88 loss to the Clippers. "That's a hell of a team to play on a back-to-back short-handed," point guard Fred VanVleet told reporters, referencing the recent losses of point guard Kyle Lowry (thumb) and forward Serge Ibaka (ankle) to injuries. "Just kind of ran ourselves into the mud and give those guys credit, they closed it out." Portland is off to a rough start and Tuesday's 107-99 road loss to the Sacramento Kings was its fifth in the past six games. "I thought we made some careless turnovers trying to make plays that weren't necessarily there," Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts told reporters after his team committed 17 miscues in the disappointing defeat.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, TSN (Toronto), NBCS Northwest (Portland)

ABOUT THE RAPTORS (7-3): Forward Pascal Siakam was voted the NBA's Most Improved Player last season and he has taken another big step forward as the new go-to player after Leonard's exit. Siakam is averaging 26.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists through 10 games after posting figures of 16.9, 6.9 and 3.1, respectively, last season. He scored a season-low 16 points on 6-of-17 shooting against the Clippers and admitted he was tired, saying "I didn't have the energy I'm supposed to have at the end of the game. I missed a lot of shots too."

ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (4-7): Portland's defense in the third quarter was below par in its latest setback as Sacramento connected on 11-of-19 shots in a 35-point stanza to take the lead for good. Star point guard Damian Lillard had 27 points and five assists and he has scored at least 20 points in all 11 games while reaching at least five assists 10 times. Reserve guard Anfernee Simons struggled to five points on 2-of-11 shooting after scoring in double digits in each of the previous five outings.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Trail Blazers' lone win in the past eight meetings with the Raptors occurred last season, 128-122 on Dec. 14.

2. Toronto SF OG Anunoby is doubtful after being poked in the right eye by Leonard during the opening minutes of Monday's game.

3. Portland swingman Rodney Hood (back) will likely miss his third straight game.

PREDICTION: Raptors 103, Trail Blazers 100