On Thursday night, the 3-5 Portland Trail Blazers will see Lob City Southwest up close and personal for the first time when they travel to Frost Bank Center to take on 12-time All-Star point guard Chris Paul, All-Defensive First Team Center Victor Wembanyama and the rest of the 3-5 San Antonio Spurs.

The action begins at 5:00 p.m. PT and can be watched locally via KATU. Fans of the audio experience can also tune in via Rip City Sports Radio 620. Elsewhere, the game can be viewed on NBA League Pass.

According to SportsLine.com, the Spurs are 4-point favorites to defeat the Trail Blazers.

Anfernee Simons and Jerami Grant have carried Portland’s offense for most of this year. Deandre Ayton wasn’t the “DominAyton” force he envisioned himself to be in his first year in Portland, 2023-24, but he’s still solid. For the team to have any chance, he needs to at least increase his scoring rate against Wembanyama, a leggy superstar waiting to happen. He’s averaging 14.4 points on .505/.444/.625 shooting splits and 11.5 rebounds – solid numbers, yes, but probably not enough against the two-pronged Frenchman. Make sure he doesn’t succeed.

Simons, on the other hand, should be able to take advantage of 39-year-old Paul’s aging legs. Once a great defender, the ‘top god’ isn’t quite himself at both ends of the pitch and has definitely lost a step or two. Simons, on the other hand, looked better than ever playing for the Trail Blazers this year. He scored 24 points and led Portland to a surprising 118-100 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday. Look for his streak to continue against an older, slower defender.

The Spurs will still be without their second-leading scorer from last year, shooting guard/small forward Devin Vassell, as he continues to recover from offseason foot surgery. He is reportedly hoping to face another rebuilding West team, the 1-6 Utah Jazz, on Saturday to return to the court for the first time this season.

Read more: Spurs star set for season debut as Portland game looms

According to the NBA’s latest injury report, forward Jeremy Sochan will also be in the mix as he recovers from right third metatarsal stress reaction surgery that he underwent earlier this week. Guard Tre Jones is on the shelf with a sprained right ankle. Spurs two-players David Duke Jr., Harrison Ingram and Riley Minix are all part of San Antonio’s NBAGL squad, the creatively named Austin Spurs.

The Trail Blazers’ nominal shooting guard, Shaedon Sharpe, could make his regular season debut for the team this year. He was merely upgraded to questionable to keep fit. The 1.90 meter tall winger was struggling with a torn labrum in his left shoulder.

Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers’ two-time All-Defensive winger Matisse Thybulle will miss his ninth straight game with the club as he rehabs his right knee injury. Two-way players Bryce McGowens, Justin Minaya and Taze Moore are all with Portland’s G League affiliate Rip City Remix.

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