The Charlotte Hornets will be without rookie point guard LaMelo Ball (broken wrist) and forward Gordon Hayward (foot sprain) for Sunday night’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers.
This is the type of game that the Blazers must win, even while playing without Damian Lillard (hamstring) for a third time this season.
After losing five of seven games with four blowout defeats against winning teams, the Blazers earned a 107-106 win Friday a San Antonio (27-28) and now face the struggling and injured Hornets (27-28), who are on a four-game losing streak.
The Blazers’ rugged final stretch of the season increases in difficulty yet again starting Tuesday at home with the Los Angeles Clippers (39-19) followed by Wednesday against Denver (36-20), then two versus surging Memphis (29-26), which has won five consecutive games, before shifting to a six-game trip.