Preview: Philadelphia At Portland

The Philadelphia 76ers continue their eight-game road trip Saturday when they take on the Portland Trail Blazers at the Rose Garden. Philadelphia fell to 1-2 on its trek with a 96-89 loss at Golden State on Friday. The 76ers trailed by 15 points at halftime and never led in the second half as they lost for the seventh time in eight road contests.

Portland also is coming off a loss as it dropped a 104-87 decision to the Lakers in Los Angeles on Friday. LaMarcus Aldridge scored a team-high 26 points before exiting with a sternal contusion as the Trail Blazers lost their third straight road game overall and fifth consecutive meeting with the Lakers at the Staples Center. Portland had won six of its previous seven overall contests before falling to 4-10 on the road this season.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, The Comcast Network (Philadelphia), Comcast SportsNet Northwest (Portland)

ABOUT THE 76ERS (14-16): Swingman Jason Richardson missed his second straight game Friday with a strained lower back. Center Spencer Hawes scored only two points after contributing a season-high 20 in Wednesday's victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. After having Sunday and Monday off, Philadelphia plays the final four games of its road trip in a five-day span. It takes on the Lakers in Los Angeles on Tuesday and travels to Phoenix the next day. The Sixers then play in Oklahoma City on Friday and San Antonio next Saturday.  Swingman Nick Young scored all 13 of his points Friday in the second half.

ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (14-14): Center J.J. Hickson failed to extend his streak of consecutive double-doubles, finishing with just two points and eight assists. Hickson, who was 0-of-7 from the field, had recorded a double-double in each of his previous nine games. Guard Wesley Matthews missed his third straight contest with a strained left hip. The Trail Blazers will go down as the team that halted Kobe Bryant's streak of consecutive games with at least 30 points, but Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni deserves the credit. D'Antoni kept Bryant on the bench for the fourth quarter after the superstar scored 27 points over the first three periods, leaving him three points shy of 30 for the first time in 11 games.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Trail Blazers F Nicolas Batum was 0-for-5 from beyond the arc, marking the first time in 23 games he failed to make at least one 3-pointer.

2. Philadelphia has lost seven of its last nine contests.

3. Following Saturday's contest, Portland kicks off a four-game road trip at New York on Tuesday.

PREDICTION: Trail Blazers 104, 76ers 93.