PREVIEW: Sacramento hosts Portland on January 19, 2026, in a Western Conference matchup where momentum tells competing stories. The Kings have strung together four consecutive victories , suddenly clicking after a season-long struggle, while the Trail Blazers have won nine of their last 12 games and will look to stay hot despite the travel fatigue of a back-to-back. Portland enters with elite offensive rebounding efficiency (30.5%, ranked 2nd) and high free throw volume (ranked 4th), yet they rank 30th in three-point shooting efficiency and 30th in turnover management . Sacramento counters with the league's most frequent mid-range attacking style but struggles defensively, allowing opponents quality three-point attempts and ranking 29th against shots at the rim. Portland holds the superior record at 20-22 (9th in the West) compared to Sacramento's 12-30 mark (14th), yet both teams arrive playing their best basketball. In their last five meetings, Portland has dominated the rivalry, winning four of five while both squads averaged identical scoring at 112.4 points per game. Injury concerns loom for both sides, with Sacramento missing Isaiah Stevens and listing Keon Ellis as questionable, while Portland will be without Scoot Henderson and Matisse Thybulle with several others game-time decisions . What unfolds on Sunday will determine whether Sacramento's recent surge represents real progress or merely a valley in a disappointing season, with Portland seeking to prove their hot stretch isn't a mirage against a resurgent opponent at home.