PORTLAND, WASHINGTON MEET AS FRANCHISES ON DIVERGENT PATHS WASHINGTON (Interstat) — The Portland Trail Blazers, hovering at .500 and pushing for playoff position, visit the struggling Washington Wizards on Tuesday night at Capital One Arena in a matchup of teams with sharply contrasting midseason trajectories. Portland (23-23) arrives after a 127-110 home win over Miami last Thursday, but followed it with a 110-98 loss to Toronto on Friday. The Trail Blazers have shown resilience, winning seven of their last 11 games. Their success has been fueled by the interior dominance of center Donovan Clingan. The second-year big man is averaging a double-double in January, including a 21-point, 17-rebound performance in a win at Sacramento on Jan. 18 and a 13-point, 16-rebound outing in the recent loss to the Raptors. Washington (10-34) owns the NBA’s second-worst record and has lost nine of its last 10 games. The Wizards fell 119-115 at Charlotte on Saturday despite 24 points from rookie Alex Sarr and a 15-point, 11-rebound double-double from forward Justin Champagnie. Champagnie has been a bright spot, recording double-doubles in two of his last four games. The teams’ seasons are reflected in the betting line, with Portland installed as a 7.5-point road favorite. The over/under is set at 233.5 points. For the Trail Blazers, backcourt production beyond Clingan’s paint presence will be key. Shaedon Sharpe scored 21 points in the loss to Toronto, while veteran guard Jrue Holiday added 21 points and seven assists. The Wizards, allowing 119.3 points per game, rank last in the league in defensive rating. Containing Clingan and Portland’s perimeter attack presents a significant challenge for a team that has consistently struggled to get stops. Tuesday’s contest opens a three-game road trip for Portland, which visits the New York Knicks on Friday. Washington continues a tough stretch, hosting the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday and the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST.