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- Hornets guard Eric Gordon will miss tonight’s game with a sprained right hand. The move comes after just 30 minutes before tip-off and after open locker room access. Coach Monty Williams didn’t talk about any injuries prior to the game during his media session. Gordon is averaging 16.4 points per game.
- With a win tonight against Portland, the Hornets will end the pre-All Star portion of the season with a winning record since Christmas. It also would give New Orleans four wins in the past five games as it heads to the break. “I think we’re a team that’s moving in the right direction. Growing,” Williams said. “I don’t want to say different because that would get rid of all the stuff we went through in October and November and all that stuff is important when you have a young team. As long as we continue to grow and move in the right direction, I’ll feel good about this process.”
- Expected Hornets starters: (F) Al-Farouq Aminu; (F) Anthony Davis; (C) Robin Lopez; (G) Austin Rivers; (G) Greivis Vasquez
- Portland rookie guard Damian Lillard erupted for 33 points in the Blazers’ 117-104 loss to Miami on Tuesday. The total got him back on track after scoring only 4 points against Orlando on Sunday.
- The Trail Blazers will end a six-game East Coast road trip with tonight’s game in New Orleans. They’re 1-4 so far and coach Terry Stotts said getting a win against the Hornets will be important for his team, which is in a tie record-wise with Houston for the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference. “We want to salvage our road trip and we’re concerned about the Hornets tonight,” Stotts said. “We want to play with a lot of energy and go into the second half of the season ready to play.”
- Expected Trail Blazers starters: (F) LaMarcus Aldridge; (F) Nicolas Batum; (C) J.J. Hickson; (G) Lillard; (G) Wesley Matthews
– Bradley Handwerger
