Basketball - The Friday Flash

When: &nbsp;Monday at 10 p.m. ET
Where: &nbsp;Moda Center at the Rose Quarter&nbsp;--&nbsp;Portland,&nbsp;Oregon
TV: &nbsp;NBATV
Online streaming: &nbsp; fuboTV &nbsp;(Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
Follow: &nbsp; CBS Sports App
Ticket Cost: &nbsp;$45.00

Who's Playing

Charlotte @ Portland

Current Records: Charlotte 9-24; Portland 17-16

What to Know

The Portland Trail Blazers will be returning home after a six-game road trip. After a few days' rest for both teams, they and the Charlotte Hornets will meet up at 10 p.m. ET Dec. 26 at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. Charlotte should still be riding high after a victory, while the Trail Blazers will be looking to get back in the win column.

Portland ended up a good deal behind the Denver Nuggets when they played this past Friday, losing 120-107. Shooting guard Anfernee Simons just could not get things rolling his way, playing for 38 minutes with 6-for-22 shooting.

Meanwhile, the Hornets were expected to lose against the Los Angeles Lakers this past Friday, but instead they received a nice stocking stuffer. Charlotte ultimately received the gift of a 134-130 win from a begrudging Los Angeles squad. The score was all tied up at the break 67-67, but they were the better team in the second half. Among those leading the charge for them was power forward P.J. Washington, who had 24 points in addition to five rebounds.

Portland is the favorite in this one, with an expected 6-point margin of victory. They have failed bettors playing the spread in their past three games, so buyers beware.

Portland's defeat took them down to 17-16 while Charlotte's win pulled them up to 9-24. Allowing an average of 118.09 points per game, Charlotte 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 matchup.