Game Preview
As the San Antonio Spurs (12-12) visit the struggling Portland Trail Blazers (8-16) on Friday night, the tale of two contrasting seasons continues. While the Spurs have managed to hover around .500, the Trail Blazers find themselves mired in a four-game skid and well below that mark.
Portland's offensive woes have been a glaring issue, averaging just over 106 points per game on the season while shooting an underwhelming 43.9% from the field. Their three-point shooting has been a shade above 33.5%, numbers that have contributed to their disappointing 33.3% win percentage. The Trail Blazers have allowed a concerning 116 points per contest, further exacerbating their struggles.
In stark contrast, San Antonio has found more offensive rhythm, scoring nearly 112 points per game on 45.5% shooting from the floor and a respectable 34.3% from beyond the arc. Their 80.6% free throw percentage is among the league's best. While not elite, the Spurs have held opponents to just over 113 points per game, giving them a slight scoring differential advantage.
Recent Trends
Portland's woes have only intensified recently, going 1-4 in their last five outings while allowing a staggering 123.6 points per game. Their shooting numbers have dipped further, hitting just 48.3% from the field and 35.4% on three-pointers during this stretch. Rebounding has also been a concern, grabbing just 38.2 boards per contest.
San Antonio, meanwhile, has found more success lately, winning 6 of their last 10 games behind a balanced 114.7 points per game on 44.9% shooting. Their three-point shooting has lagged at 33.1%, but they've made up for it by crashing the boards for 45.1 rebounds and dishing out nearly 29 assists per game.
As these teams meet, the Trail Blazers will need to find answers quickly to reverse their downward spiral. The Spurs, while not dominant, have shown more consistency and could extend Portland's misery if the home team can't shore up their leaky defense and rediscover their shooting touch.