Preview: Trail Blazers Visit Bulls in Thursday Night NBA Matchup CHICAGO (Interstat) — The Portland Trail Blazers and Chicago Bulls, two teams on the fringe of the Western and Eastern Conference playoff pictures, meet Thursday night at United Center. Portland (28-30) arrives after a dominant 92-77 road victory over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday. The Trail Blazers have shown a streaky February, mixing impressive wins with lopsided losses, including a 157-103 defeat to Denver on Feb. 20. The Bulls (24-34) are mired in a six-game losing skid, most recently falling 105-99 to the New York Knicks at home on Sunday. Chicago has lost 10 of its last 11 games overall. A key matchup will feature Portland’s emerging center Donovan Clingan against Chicago’s forward Guerschon Yabusele. Clingan is coming off a powerful performance against Phoenix, posting 23 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks. Over his last 10 games, he has averaged a double-double, showcasing his two-way impact. Yabusele has been a bright spot for the struggling Bulls, recording a double-double (11 points, 13 rebounds) in the loss to New York. He provides versatile frontcourt play for Chicago, which has struggled to find consistent scoring outside of DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine. The teams’ only previous meeting this season was a thriller, with the Bulls edging the Trail Blazers 122-121 in Portland on Nov. 19, 2025. For Portland, staying above .500 on their current road trip is critical as they chase play-in tournament positioning. Jerami Grant and Toumani Camara, who combined for 35 points in the win over Phoenix, provide vital support for Clingan. Chicago, facing a daunting upcoming West Coast road swing, desperately needs a win at home to halt its slide. The Bulls will rely on their defensive effort, led by Yabusele and center Nick Richards, to contain Portland’s interior attack. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST.