Portland Trail Blazers vs. Denver Nuggets
Location: At Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Portland
Time: 7:30 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Radio: Rip City Radio 620 AM
Streaming: Click here for more information about streaming options, including PlayStationVue; Hulu + Live TV; YouTube TV; FuboTV; the NBC Sports MyTeams App.
About the Nuggets
The Blazers and Nuggets play twice in the preseason and open the regular season against each other on Oct. 23, the first of four regular-season games between the conference rivals. ... This will be the first NBA game for Michael Porter Jr., the Nuggets' lottery pick (14th overall in the 2018 NBA draft). He missed the 2018-19 season to injury. He was a top recruit and a projected top overall pick before his freshman season at Missouri but slipped down the draft board because of injury concerns. ... All-Star center Nikola Jokic won't play tonight (rest management). Last season, he averaged 25.7 points, 9.7 rebounds and 8.0 assists against the Blazers during the regular season. ... Former Oregon Ducks center Bol Bol, a second-round draft pick of the Nuggets, is not expected to play as he recovers from a foot injury.
About the Trail Blazers
Hassan Whiteside and Zach Collins, who sat out Fan Fest on Sunday, will take the court together for the first time tonight as the projected starters at center and power forward, respectively. ... Rodney Hood is expected to be the Blazers new starting small forward. Last season, in 72 games (49 starts) with the Blazers and Cavaliers, Hood averaged 11.2 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. ... Other new Blazers players who should see the court tonight include Fan Fest MVP Kent Bazemore, forwards Anthony Tolliver and Mario Hezonja, and rookies Nassir Little and Jaylen Hoard. ... Another new addition, veteran center Pau Gasol, is not expected to play tonight. He underwent surgery on his left foot in May. He has said he's hopeful to be ready to play in the Blazers' regular-season opener on Oct. 23.
Injury Report
Nuggets: OUT: Nikola Jokic (rest management), Bol Bol (foot)
Blazers: OUT: Jusuf Nurkic (left leg), Pau Gasol (left foot)
3-on-3 Blazers podcast
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Jared Cowley writes about the Trail Blazers and other topics for KGW.com. He's also the co-host of the 3-on-3 Blazers podcast (listen here). You can reach him on Twitter @jaredcowley.