Sacramento Kings at Portland Trail Blazers on Friday, January 15 looks like a mismatch on paper. Our ratings give the Trail Blazers about a 84% chance, and the Kings would need an unusual night to change that.
Why the gap is wide
The Win Meter reads the Trail Blazers 84%, with a projected score of Sacramento Kings 108, Portland Trail Blazers 118. The rating gap is 189 points in favor of the Trail Blazers, and home court and rest add about 100 rating points for the Trail Blazers on top of that.
A reading this high has real meaning, but upsets of this size happen. Nearly one game in 6 like it goes the other way.
Recent form
The Kings are 0-2 this season and 1-4 in their last 5 games, with an average margin of -8.8. The Trail Blazers are 2-0 this season and 2-3 in their last 5 games, with an average margin of -0.6.
The Kings were beaten 121-96 on the road by LAC not long ago.
The Trail Blazers' best recent win was 124-83 at home against PHX.
The Trail Blazers were beaten 114-93 at home by SAS not long ago.
Injuries to watch
Out: Dylan Cardwell (SAC), expected back Nov 2, 2026, Maxime Raynaud (SAC), expected back Nov 2, 2026, Ben Simmons (SAC), expected back Oct 1, 2027, and Shaedon Sharpe (POR), expected back Mar 2, 2027.
Day to day or questionable: Chris Youngblood (POR) and Branden Carlson (POR). Their status can change before tip-off.
The season series
In our records of recent meetings, the Trail Blazers lead 7-2, with the Trail Blazers outscoring the Kings by an average of 1.6 points per game. The last meeting was POR 128, SAC 120.