Blazers host Thunder on NBC in first of back-to-back (Nov. 10)
Quick Read
The Portland Trail Blazers (6-3) host the Oklahoma City Thunder (8-2) at 8 p.m. Pacific Tuesday at Moda Center, with the game on national TV on NBC.
It is the first of two straight nights against one of the West's top teams, with a rematch at Moda Center on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Portland has lost two in a row and is 1-2 at home, while Oklahoma City has won four straight.
Ja Morant (hamstring), Vit Krejci (ankle) and Shaedon Sharpe (knee) are out for Portland; Robert Williams III is available Tuesday.
By Willamette News Sports Desk
PORTLAND, Ore. - The Trail Blazers get a national stage and a stiff test on Tuesday night. Portland hosts the Oklahoma City Thunder at 8 p.m. Pacific at Moda Center on NBC, the first game of a home back-to-back against the same opponent.
The Blazers (6-3) come in after their first losing stretch of the season. A five-game road winning streak ended Friday with a 124-118 loss at the Lakers, and the Spurs beat Portland 125-103 at Moda Center on Saturday. Portland is 1-2 at home, and the Associated Press preview lists the Blazers eighth in the Western Conference.
Oklahoma City (8-2) is second in the West and has won four straight, including a 114-75 home win over Washington on Saturday, according to the ESPN game page. The Thunder went 64-18 last season; Portland went 42-40.
Injuries
Portland's injury report for Tuesday lists Ja Morant (left hamstring strain), Vit Krejci (left ankle fracture) and Shaedon Sharpe (right meniscus) as out, along with two-way player John Tonje, Blazer's Edge reported. Morant suffered a Grade 2 hamstring strain against Memphis on Oct. 29 and was to be re-evaluated in four weeks, NBA.com reported. Coach Micah Nori said Saturday that Morant "may not be out for as long as we thought" after a doctor in Los Angeles gave a positive outlook, according to RotoWire via CBS Sports, though Nori did not give a new timetable. Scoot Henderson has been starting in Morant's place, RotoWire reported.
Backup center Robert Williams III is available Tuesday after sitting out Saturday's game under the team's practice of holding him out of one game in back-to-backs. Blazer's Edge noted that the same protocol likely keeps him out of Wednesday's rematch, which makes Tuesday the better chance for Portland to have its full frontcourt.
The Thunder are also short-handed. ESPN's injury report lists Chet Holmgren (knee), Jalen Williams (leg) and Cason Wallace (shoulder) as out, with Jaylin Williams (back) and Thomas Sorber (knee) also listed.
What to watch
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads Oklahoma City at 29.9 points per game, and Isaiah Hartenstein averages 10.1 rebounds. For Portland, Deni Avdija leads the team in scoring (22.3) and assists (6.3), and Donovan Clingan averages 10.0 rebounds, per ESPN.
Ball security could decide it. Portland averages 16.3 turnovers a game, and Oklahoma City averages 12.0. The Blazers counter with volume from deep, making 15.1 3-pointers a game to the Thunder's 11.3, and score 119.3 points a game, according to ESPN team statistics.
Why it matters
Tuesday's NBC game puts Portland in front of a national audience against one of the West's best teams. After two straight losses, a split or better in the two-game set would steady the Blazers before they head to Sacramento on Friday and Minnesota for two games next week, per the team schedule on ESPN. Wednesday's rematch tips at 7 p.m. on KUNP 16 and BlazerVision.
Sources
ESPN: Thunder at Trail Blazers game page and AP preview (Nov. 10, 2026)
ESPN: NBA injury report
Blazer's Edge: Blazers' injury report remains largely unchanged ahead of OKC matchup
NBA.com: Ja Morant to miss four weeks with left hamstring strain
CBS Sports / RotoWire: Trail Blazers' Ja Morant making good progress in recovery
ESPN: Portland Trail Blazers schedule
Cover photo: Moda Center, Portland, July 2017, by Michael Barera, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
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