New Orleans @ Portland preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 19, 2019 ) Portland 104, New Orleans 115

The Portland Trail Blazers try to extend their season-high winning streak to five games when they host the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday. Portland's 5-12 start to the season is a distant memory as it has gone 9-4 since after Saturday's 113-106 victory over Minnesota featured top performances from Hassan Whiteside and Kent Bazemore, while Damian Lillard did his thing.

“I think we’ve played well," Lillard told reporters after scoring 29 points Saturday, raising his team-high average to 26.9. "We’ve had moments in every game this year where we’ve played well and then we’ll have a terrible quarter and then we’ll play well, then a terrible quarter and I think right now, we’re just playing much more consistent. We’re putting full games together.” New Orleans couldn't gain any traction after halting a 13-game losing streak with a 107-99 victory at Minnesota on Wednesday, falling at Golden State 106-102 on Friday. The Pelicans defeated Portland 115-104 on Nov. 19 in the first of four meetings this season with Jrue Holiday recording 22 points and 10 assists, and helping spoil Carmelo Anthony's first game with the Trail Blazers. Anthony is questionable to play Monday after leaving Friday's 118-103 victory over Orlando and missing Saturday's game with a left knee contusion.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, NBATV, FS New Orleans, NBCS Northwest

ABOUT THE PELICANS (7-23): New Orleans erased a 20-point deficit but couldn't finish off Golden State despite 25 points apiece from Holiday and Brandon Ingram. The club anxiously awaits the debut of No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson, who continues to make progress in his rehab from right knee surgery but no timetable has been set. "I don't know if there's a one, two, three, four (steps) towards when he gets back out there," coach Alvin Gentry told reporters. "We are going to be overly cautious, I know that. He's making normal progress in a situation like this. It's just not going to be anything that we are going to rush."

ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (14-16): Whiteside recorded 16 points, 22 rebounds and seven blocks - giving him a league-most 73 - against Minnesota and is not lacking in confidence. "I feel like I'm the best rim protector in the league," Whiteside told the media. "Even last year, through all the naysayers or whatever, you look who protected the rim in field goal percentage, it was still me at the end of the day. So I feel like I'm the best rim protector (and) it's not even close." Bazemore (8.3 points) scored a season-high 19 points Saturday with coach Terry Stotts telling reporters: "Kent’s been playing some very good basketball. I think since he’s been in the starting line up he’s been very effective for us and at both ends, defensively I think he’s been a little more comfortable finding his way. ..."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Portland G CJ McCollum has averaged 29.3 points in his last four games, raising his season number to 22.4.

2. Pelicans G JJ Redick (15.9 points per game) was seventh in the league entering Sunday in 3-point shooting at 46.2 percent.

3. Lillard, who missed the first meeting with back spasms, averages 24.3 points in 23 contests versus New Orleans.

PREDICTION: Trail Blazers 118, Pelicans 104