The Portland Trail Blazers face an important juncture in their 2017-18 regular season this weekend, disguised as a pair of games with the Sacramento Kings. The opponent is of little import; talent-impoverished Sacramento is expected to contend for the lottery and Portland for the playoffs. But these games come at the tail end of an enormous homestand for the Blazers, with 11 out of 13 contests in friendly territory. This stretch was supposed to set up Portland for a strong season. Instead they entered tonight’s contest with an 8-6 record, needing back-to-back wins to preserve credibility and avoid the clinging malaise of .
Nurkic Wilts as Blazers Fall to Kings
