There seems to be a lot going on right now in Rip City, though not much of it is especially pleasant.
Portland has won just once on the road this season and after starting the year almost unbeatable at home, they have now dropped their last three at Moda Center and six of their last seven games overall. And in the meantime, Damian Lillard has been sidelined by an abdomen injury that has dogged him for the last few seasons. His replacement in the starting lineup, Anfernee Simons, made it a little more than one quarter into Lillard’s absence before rolling his right ankle, an injury that has kept the 6-3 guard out of the lineup ever since.