Portland @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 10, 2019 ) New York 87, Portland 115

The Portland Trail Blazers look to record their seventh consecutive victory over New York when they visit the Knicks on Wednesday. The Trail Blazers rolled to a 115-87 home victory over the Knicks on Dec. 10 and the 28-point margin of victory is Portland's largest of the season.

The Trail Blazers have been racked with inconsistency and lost four straight games as they embark on a five-game road trip with their next home game not until Jan. 11. Portland led by 19 points after the first quarter on Monday night before being outplayed in the fourth quarter and dropping a 122-116 decision to the visiting Phoenix Suns. New York is playing its lone home contest of a seven-game stretch and the span started off with back-to-back victories at Brooklyn and Washington as the club improved to 5-6 since interim coach Mike Miller took over for the fired David Fizdale. "A little bit into the season, we're learning how to play off each other a little bit better," power forward Julius Randle told reporters. "Playing a little faster. I'm reading it better, getting to spots better, recognizing how they're playing me, playing at a better pace. Coaches are doing a better job of getting me in spots where I can be efficient."

TIME: 7:30 p.m. ET. TV: NBA TV, NBCS Northwest, MSG

ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (14-20): Portland had defeated Phoenix 11 consecutive times prior to Monday's collapse and the outcome was disappointing to shooting guard CJ McCollum. "I think we had some lapses offensively," McCollum said afterward. "And defensively, we left guys wide open, didn't get rebounds, gave up second-chance opportunities or when we scored, they came back down the next play. So, there's some great things we did and some things we did poorly." Star guard Damian Lillard scored 33 points and McCollum tallied 25 but former Knicks star Carmelo Anthony had just 10 on 4-of-16 shooting.

ABOUT THE KNICKS (9-24): Randle has been on a roll with three straight 30-point outings after he produced 30 to go with a season-best 16 rebounds in Saturday's 107-100 win over the Washington Wizards. The 25-year-old had reached the 30-point mark just once before putting up a season-best 35 against the Wizards on Dec. 23, scoring 33 against the Nets last Thursday and experiencing another strong outing against Washington. "He has been fantastic," Miller told reporters of Randle. "He's doing so many different things. But the scoring is all timely. It's when you need a basket. He's got such a confidence about him. He's making all the plays and he's really conscious of doing the other things. He's really impacting me."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Lillard tied his season high of eight 3-pointers while scoring 31 points in the first meeting this season.

2. New York G Damyean Dotson (back) and F Kevin Knox (illness) are questionable and PG Dennis Smith Jr. (oblique) hopes to return after a two-game absence.

3. Portland F Skal Labissiere (knee) sat out against the Suns and didn't travel for the five-game road trip.

PREDICTION: Trail Blazers 105, Knicks 99