San Antonio @ Portland preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 10, 2017 ) San Antonio 98, Portland 99

The San Antonio Spurs continue to slowly work All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard back into the mix and seem to have found their form again after going through the minor rotation upheaval. The Spurs will try to pick up their third straight win when they visit the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday.

Leonard, who missed the first 27 games while recovering from quad tendinopathy, has yet to play more than 17 minutes and watched San Antonio lose in his first two games back before sitting out the second half of a back-to-back during a win on Saturday and finally playing in a win on Monday. Leonard was limited to seven points on 3-of-7 shooting over 16 minutes in the 109-91 triumph over the Clippers and will continue to be on a minutes restriction for the foreseeable future. The Trail Blazers are coming off a winning road trip but head home with a sour taste after falling 108-107 at Minnesota on Monday to snap a three-game winning streak. "I think we should have been 4-1, but the reality is 3-2, so not a bad trip," shooting guard CJ McCollum told reporters. "Tighten some things up and try to take advantage of some home games."

TV: 10 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (San Antonio), NBCS Northwest (Portland)

ABOUT THE SPURS (21-10): Leonard isn't the only star being brought along slowly from injury, and point guard Tony Parker seems to be finding his stride. Parker, who sat out the first 19 games recovering from a quad injury, is sitting out back-to-backs and is on his own minutes restriction but scored a season-high 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting in 23 minutes on Monday. Parker, 35, also managed seven assists and two steals and hit his first 3-pointer of the campaign while scoring in double figures for the fourth time - all at home.

ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (16-14): Portland was confused as to why it did not attempt a free throw in the second half of Monday's loss, and Damian Lillard questioned the officiating. "At crucial moments, we're making plays and trying to score and guys (are) getting hit," Lillard told reporters. "Guys literally out there grabbing my arms. I got hit in the face one time and it's like in shooting motion. ... On the last play of the game I'm trying to get open and the guy is hugging me from the back, literally hugging me. There's three referees out there and somebody's got to see it." McCollum finished with 20 points in the loss and averaged 22.8 on 52.4 percent shooting on the road trip.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Trail Blazers PF Al-Farouq Aminu is 11-of-21 from 3-point range over the last four games.

2. San Antonio SG Danny Green (groin) sat out the last two games and is day-to-day.

3. The teams split four meetings last season, with Portland winning the final two.

PREDICTION: Spurs 106, Trail Blazers 98