Cleveland faces Portland, looks to halt 7-game slide

Posted May 05, 2021 7:00 am

By The Associated Press

Portland Trail Blazers (36-29, seventh in the Western Conference) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (21-44, 14th in the Eastern Conference)

Cleveland; Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Cleveland enters the matchup against Portland after losing seven games in a row.

The Cavaliers are 12-20 on their home court. Cleveland ranks sixth in the league with 51.9 points in the paint led by Collin Sexton averaging 12.6.

The Trail Blazers have gone 20-13 away from home. Portland ranks sixth in the NBA in 3-point percentage, shooting 38.3% as a team from deep this season. Anfernee Simons paces the team shooting 43.2% from 3-point range.

The two teams square off for the second time this season. The Trail Blazers defeated the Cavaliers 129-110 in their last matchup on Feb. 12. Gary Trent Jr. led Portland with 26 points, and Sexton paced Cleveland scoring 25 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Sexton is scoring 24.5 points per game and averaging 3.2 rebounds for the Cavaliers. Jarrett Allen is averaging 13.3 points and 9.9 rebounds while shooting 66.3% over the last 10 games for Cleveland.

CJ McCollum is second on the Trail Blazers averaging 23.1 points while adding 4.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. Carmelo Anthony is shooting 50.7% and averaging 15.2 points over the last 10 games for Portland.

LAST 10 GAMES: Cavaliers: 1-9, averaging 105.2 points, 41.7 rebounds, 26.6 assists, 6.2 steals and 3.2 blocks per game while shooting 46.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.8 points on 50.0% shooting.

Trail Blazers: 4-6, averaging 119.3 points, 46.6 rebounds, 23.5 assists, 6.9 steals and four blocks per game while shooting 46.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115 points on 47.2% shooting.

INJURIES: Cavaliers: Isaiah Hartenstein: out (concussion), Dylan Windler: out for season (knee), Taurean Prince: out for season (ankle), Larry Nance Jr.: out (thumb), Lamar Stevens: out (concussion), Darius Garland: out (ankle), Matthew Dellavedova: out for season (neck).

Trail Blazers: Norman Powell: day to day (knee), Damian Lillard: day to day (foot), Zach Collins: out for season (ankle).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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