Red-hot Blazers welcome Pelicans to Rose City
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}(SportsNetwork.com) - The Portland Trail Blazers are rolling and look to extend their winning streak to five games when they host the New Orleans Pelicans Monday at the Moda Center.
The Blazers are 7-3 on the season and opened a three-game homestand with Saturday's 97-87 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.
Damian Lillard did most of the heavy lifting with 28 points and handed out 10 assists for his first double-double, while Chris Kaman came off the bench to post 12 points. Wesley Matthews and Robin Lopez had 10 points apiece.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Portland limited Brooklyn to 1-of-19 shooting from beyond the arc and a season-low 87 points. The Trail Blazers are 4-0 when holding opponents to less than 90 points this season.
LaMarcus Aldridge (illness) and Nicolas Batum (knee) did not play and are listed as questionable Monday.
"It's not easy," Lillard said of playing without Aldridge and Batum. "Especially two of our starters, our best player, it makes everything tougher. But guys are ready for the challenge."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Blazers are 6-1 at home this season and will also host Chicago.
New Orleans will play the next four games on the road and have won two straight and four of its last five games.
In Friday's 139-91 rout of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Jrue Holiday scored 24 points and handed out nine assists, and Anthony Davis followed with 22 points. Austin Rivers (17), Ryan Anderson (16), Tyreke Evans (16), Luke Babbitt (12) and Eric Gordon (11) rounded out the double-digit scorers.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Pelicans shot a sizzling 66.7 percent and made 15-of-20 3-pointers. They also scored 33 points off 24 Minnesota turnovers.
"We played well, shared the ball," said Pelicans coach Monty Williams. "I thought we kept our rhythm with that big lead. I think the ball movement was awesome."
Williams' squad set franchise records for points in a game, points in a half, margin of victory and field goal percentage (66.7). They also tied the franchise mark with 15 3-pointers made.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}With a 5-3 record on the season, the Pelicans are two games over .500 for the first time since the 2011-12 season (2-0).
New Orleans lost three of four meetings with Portland last season and is 3-8 in the previous 11 games in this series. The Pelicans are winless in their last six trips to the Rose City.