I'm not expecting Damian Lillard to play. I still like Portland in this spot even though the Trail Blazers have lost six in a row and Sacramento has won four in a row.

There are reasons why the Kings are just a road favorite for the fourth time. They lack the maturity and defense to win away from their new state-of-the-art arena. The Kings are 7-11 on the road and do not have a winning spread road mark either.

Portland is in revenge and circle-the-wagons mode. The Trail Blazers lost to the Kings, 126-121, eight days ago in Sacramento. Before that, though, the Trail Blazers had defeated the Kings seven consecutive games.

The Kings have gotten fat off dreck with three of their last five victories coming against the Mavericks, Timberwolves and 76ers. Those three teams are a combined 26-67. Portland's last two games have been against the Raptors and Spurs.

Now the Trail Blazers drop down in class. C.J. McCollum still ensures Portland has plenty of backcourt scoring and swingman Evan Turner is back from injury. The Trail Blazers have lots of fouls to deliver up front to frustrate DeMarcus Cousins.