Basketball - The Friday Flash

When: &nbsp;Saturday at 10 p.m. ET
Where: &nbsp;Moda Center at the Rose Quarter&nbsp;--&nbsp;Portland,&nbsp;Oregon
TV: &nbsp;Bally Sports - North
Online streaming: &nbsp; fuboTV &nbsp;(Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
Follow: &nbsp; CBS Sports App
Ticket Cost: &nbsp;$13.00

Who's Playing

Minnesota @ Portland

Current Records: Minnesota 13-12; Portland 13-12

What to Know

The Portland Trail Blazers haven't won a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves since March 13 of last year, but they'll be looking to end the drought Saturday. The Trail Blazers have the luxury of staying home another game and will welcome Minnesota at 10 p.m. ET Dec. 10 at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. Minnesota should still be riding high after a victory, while Portland will be looking to right the ship.

Portland lost 121-120 to the Denver Nuggets on Thursday on a last-minute jumper from Denver's point guard Jamal Murray as the clock expired. Shooting guard Anfernee Simons wasn't much of a difference maker for Portland; Simons picked up four fouls and turned the ball over four times en route to a 3-for-12, 6-point finish.

Meanwhile, the Timberwolves beat the Utah Jazz 118-108 on Friday. Minnesota relied on the efforts of point guard D'Angelo Russell, who shot 6-for-9 from beyond the arc and finished with 30 points, and small forward Kyle Anderson, who posted a double-double on 15 points and 12 assists along with seven boards. Anderson had some trouble finding his footing against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, so this was a step in the right direction.

Portland is the favorite in this one, with an expected 5.5-point margin of victory. They are currently three-for-three against the spread in their most recent games, a trend bettors might want to take into account.

Portland's loss took them down to 13-12 while Minnesota's win pulled them up to 13-12. Allowing an average of 115.76 points per game, Minnesota hasn't exactly asserted themselves on the defensive end. We'll see if they can patch up the holes in their defense before their upcoming contest.