Blazers look for first home win as Hawks visit

Despite a career-high and franchise-record 60 points from Damian Lillard, the Portland Trail Blazers suffered their fourth consecutive loss on Friday, falling by four to the Brooklyn Nets.

Portland, 0-3 at home for the first time since 1971, looks to right the ship Sunday against Atlanta.

"It's disappointing losing any game but obviously Dame was exceptional," Blazers coach Terry Stotts told reporters after Friday's loss. "He carried us to at least put us in a position to win the game. Dame's a special player. He shoulders a lot of responsibility for us."

The Hawks come in losers of two straight, the most recent a 121-109 home defeat at the hands of Sacramento. It's the first time returning to Portland for Hawks forward Evan Turner, who was traded for Kent Bazemore during the offseason.

Atlanta has been led by second-year guard Trae Young, who is averaging 25.0 points, 8.1 assists and 1.6 steals per game. He had 30 points and 12 assists in the loss to the Kings.

Sunday's game in Portland is the first of a five-game road trip for Atlanta, which also includes stops in Denver and Phoenix along with a pair of games in Los Angeles against the Clippers and Lakers.

"We've got to be focused," Young told reporters. "Focused because we're playing five really good teams that are playing at a high level right now. We've got to be really locked in, really focused and if we do that, we'll give ourselves a chance."

Despite Young's assessment, the Blazers are struggling in the early going. A 3-6 start has largely been a product of injuries in the frontcourt.

With Jusuf Nurkic and Pau Gasol already out indefinitely, the Blazers lost Zach Collins for at least four months after he underwent labrum surgery on his left shoulder last week. Against Brooklyn, center Skal Labissiere injured his ankle, potentially worsening the lack of depth for Portland at the position.

His status for the game against Atlanta is uncertain, as is swingman Rodney Hood's after he left Friday's contest due to back spasms.

The Blazers announced on Saturday that they are calling up two-way rookies Moses Brown and Jaylen Hoard from the Texas Legends G League team. Given the injuries to key players -- particularly in the post -- Brown and Hoard could potentially see minutes on Sunday.

Atlanta's depth on the wing is being tested with injuries to Turner, Allen Crabbe and Chandler Parsons, all of whom were out on Friday against the Kings. Kevin Chouinard of the Hawks' official site reports that Crabbe might make his return during this five-game road trip.

The Hawks will also be without forward John Collins, who is serving a 25-game suspension by the NBA after testing positive for a growth hormone.

"It definitely hurts the team," Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce told reporters last week. "We're down one of our best players, a major part of what we are doing. There's no other way around it. We're going to miss John. He's a big part of what we're doing."

--Field Level Media