Portland Trail Blazers vs Sacramento Kings Picks and Predictions for Friday October 23 2026
Domantas Sabonis grabbed 18 rebounds against the Clippers Wednesday, and Sacramento still got beaten by 25. That’s the kind of box score that makes you wonder what everybody else was doing. The Kings lost 121-96. They couldn’t shoot, turned the ball over too often, and spent the third quarter watching the Clippers put the game away. Now they’ve got Portland coming to town, and the Blazers just beat Phoenix by 41.
I don’t expect Portland to win another game by 41. That’s ridiculous. But I do wonder how Sacramento is going to keep up with the Blazers if the Kings play anything like they did Wednesday. Portland visits Sacramento at the Golden 1 Center on Friday, October 23, 2026. Tipoff is scheduled for 10:00 PM ET. The Trail Blazers are favored by 6.5 points, with the total at 232.5. Portland is around -258 on the moneyline and Sacramento is +210. Check out our free NBA picks for more games.
Portland Trail Blazers Have A Few New Weapons
Portland is 1-0 after beating Phoenix 124-83. The Blazers scored the first 21 points. Not the first 21 of the quarter. The first 21 of the game. Phoenix didn’t get on the scoreboard until Portland had already built a lead most teams would be happy to have at halftime. By the actual halftime break, it was 72-39. The Blazers eventually led by 52, and nobody important needed to spend much time on the floor late.
The defense was every bit as good as the offense. Phoenix shot 36% from the field and made six of 31 threes. Some of that was the Suns missing open looks, but Portland kept making things uncomfortable. Sacramento shot 42.4% against the Clippers and turned the ball over 17 times. If the Kings handle the ball like that Friday, Portland will get plenty of chances to run. I don’t expect another 41-point win, but I do think the Blazers can make Sacramento work for its points.
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Damian Lillard scored 25 against Phoenix and hit six threes. Ja Morant had 14 points and eight assists in his Portland debut. Deni Avdija finished with 18 points and ten rebounds, and Toumani Camara added 18. That’s a lot of scoring options, and the Kings have to account for all of them. Avdija has been dealing with an ankle issue, so his status needs watching. Shaedon Sharpe is out with a meniscus injury, while Branden Carlson and Chris Youngblood are also unavailable. Portland isn’t completely healthy, but the players who were available Wednesday looked pretty comfortable together.
Sacramento Kings Need Somebody Besides LaVine
Sacramento is 0-1 after losing 121-96 to the Clippers. The Kings were down 12 after the first quarter, managed to get within seven at halftime, then scored only 16 in the third. The Clippers scored 32. That ended the suspense. Sacramento never led, and there wasn’t much to like about its opening performance.
The Kings shot 36 of 85 from the floor and made eight of 28 threes. They also gave the ball away 17 times. That’s not going to work against Portland, especially if the Blazers defend like they did against Phoenix. Sacramento needs to get Sabonis involved and make Portland defend inside. The Kings have to get better shots, too. They spent too much of Wednesday settling for jumpers that weren’t falling.
Zach LaVine scored 28 against the Clippers, making ten of 19 shots. Sabonis had 14 points, 18 rebounds and eight assists. Those two did their part. Rookie Darius Acuff Jr. had 12 points but shot 5-for-24, including 0-for-7 from three. That’s a rough first night, although young guards are going to have games like that. Malik Monk has been dealing with an ankle injury, while Dylan Cardwell is out with a calf problem. Sacramento could use Monk’s offense, particularly after what happened against the Clippers.
Portland Trail Blazers vs Sacramento Kings Picks and Predictions
Portland Trail Blazers -6.5 (-110)
I’ll lay the points with Portland. Sacramento has Sabonis, and he’s capable of making life miserable for a team that doesn’t rebound well. LaVine can score, too. But the Kings didn’t get much help from the rest of the lineup Wednesday, and now they’re facing a Portland team with Lillard, Morant and Avdija. The Blazers don’t need another 124-point night to cover this number. Sacramento needs to clean up the turnovers and get better shooting from its supporting cast. Maybe it does. I’m not betting on that turnaround happening in two days. Portland by eight or nine looks reasonable.
Under 232.5 Points (-115)
I’m taking the under 232.5. Portland scored 124 against Phoenix, but the Suns managed only 83. Sacramento scored 96 against the Clippers. That’s two teams coming out of games where the losing offense couldn’t get much going. The Kings should shoot better at home, and Lillard could get hot enough to push Portland into the 120s. That’s the risk. But Sacramento’s offense looked disjointed Wednesday, and Portland just showed it can make opponents uncomfortable. I think the Blazers win without this turning into a track meet. Portland 117, Sacramento 108.
Final Picks: Portland Trail Blazers -6.5 (-110) and Under 232.5 Points (-115)
This preview was completed October 22, 2026. Betting lines, injuries, and starting lineups may change before tipoff.
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