October 22, 2026 at 6:19 AM UTC

Pregame Analysis

Blazers' Retooled Backcourt Gets Its Road Test in Sacramento

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Portland's new-look guard group, led by Damian Lillard and Ja Morant, should be enough to edge the Kings.

The most important storyline in this game is the Portland backcourt. Ja Morant is expected to start next to Damian Lillard, with Toumani Camara, Deni Avdija and Donovan Clingan rounding out the first unit. It is the lineup new coach Micah Nori has chosen, and Sacramento will have to defend two lead guards who can both pressure the rim and create for others.

Lillard's return is the bigger development. He is off the injury report after missing all of last season while recovering from a torn Achilles, so he is back in the Portland rotation for the first time in a long while. Having him beside Morant, with Avdija and Camara on the wings and Clingan anchoring the middle, gives the Blazers a more clearly defined starting group than a crowded guard room might suggest.

That crowd is also a source of depth. Nori's decision to bring Jrue Holiday off the bench as the sixth man means Portland can keep an experienced guard on the floor when the starters rest. That matters because other options are thin. Shaedon Sharpe is out with a knee injury, and Chris Youngblood's ankle leaves him a game-time call. Branden Carlson is out with a concussion, which trims the big-man rotation behind Clingan. If Clingan runs into foul trouble, Portland will have fewer choices up front.

Even so, Portland's top-end talent and guard depth should carry more weight. The Blazers have enough ball handlers to survive a slow stretch, and Holiday gives them stability in the second unit. The risk is that a new starting group may need time to find its rhythm on the road, so Sacramento can stay close. I expect Portland to pull away late.

Prediction: Trail Blazers 117, Kings 110.

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