Portland Trail Blazers at Washington Wizards: Game preview, time, TV channel, how to watch free live stream online

Portland Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic, front, drives to the rim past Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic in the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) AP
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Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said Thursday that CJ McCollum should return to the lineup either Saturday at Washington or Monday at Orlando.

McCollum, who suffered a collapsed lung on Dec. 4, is listed as being out for Saturday’s game in the latest team-issued injury report so that should mean he will return Monday at the Magic.

In fact, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported as much on Friday.

McCollum’s return, along with Anfernee Simons rejoining the team after missing Thursday’s loss at Denver for personal reasons, will add a jolt to the team’s offense.

But he won’t be available at the Wizards, who have been one of the surprise teams in the NBA this season. They, however, will be without Bradley Beal (health and safety protocols).

Washington will also be without coach Wes Unseld Jr., who has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols. The team will be coached by assistant Pat Delany.

The Wizards have won three consecutive games to go back over .500 and into eighth place in the Eastern Conference.

Forward Kyle Kuzma, acquired in the trade that sent Russell Westbrook to the LA Lakers, is second on the team behind Beal in scoring. Kuzma is averaging 15.7 points and 8.7 rebounds.

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS AT WASHINGTON WIZARDS

What: Trail Blazers (16-25) at Wizards (22-20), 4 p.m. Saturday

Where: Capital One Arena, Washington DC.

Radio: Rip City Radio (KPOJ 620 AM).

TV channel: Root Sports Plus (in Portland: Comcast 1253, DirecTV 687-1).

Watch the game live online: You can watch this game live for FREE with fuboTV (free trial). You can also get this game on DirecTV Stream’s “CHOICE” package (promotional offers), if you are out of fuboTV trials, or simply prefer that platform and their pricing plans. If you already have a cable or satellite provider that carries Root Sports and want to watch online, you can watch this game live on Root Sports Live.

ODDS: NA

INJURIES

Blazers: Cody Zeller (right patellar fracture), Norman Powell (health and safety protocols), Damian Lillard (core muscle recovery), CJ McCollum (return to competition reconditioning) and Larry Nance Jr. (right knee; inflammation) are out.

Wizards: Davis Bertans (left foot; mid foot sprain) is questionable; Joel Ayayi (G League - two-way), Bradley Beal (health and safety protocols), Greg Monroe (G League - on assignment), Isaiah Todd (G League - on assignment) and Cassius Winston (G League - two-way) are out.

NEXT UP

The Blazers continue their six-game trip Monday at Orlando and then play Wednesday at Miami.

-- Aaron Fentress | afentress@Oregonian.com | @AaronJFentress (Twitter), @AaronJFentress (Instagram), @AaronFentress (Facebook).

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