Shaedon Sharpe to start for Portland Trail Blazers vs. Houston Rockets: Live updates, time, TV channel, how to watch free live stream online

Portland Trail Blazers rookie Shaedon Sharpe will start Friday night against Houston at the Moda Center in place of Damian Lillard, coach Chauncey Billups announced before the game.

Lillard is out with a grade one calf strain that caused him to leave Wednesday’s loss to Miami in the third quarter. He will be reevaluated in one to two weeks.

Anfernee Simons will start at point guard, Lillard’s position, and Sharpe will start at shooting guard with Josh Hart staying at small forward.

Sharpe, the No. 7 pick in the 2022 NBA draft, will enter the game averaging 8.4 points in 16 minutes per game. He is shooting 46.9% from the field and is 6 of 12 on threes.

Be sure to check back during the game for live updates:

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS VS. HOUSTON ROCKETS

What: Trail Blazers (4-1) vs. Rockets (1-4), 7 p.m., Friday.

Where: Moda Center.

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 (Oregon Lottery/DraftKings)

Moneyline: POR -180 | HOU +155

Spread: POR -4 | Over/Under: 223

INJURIES

Blazers: G Damian Lillard (right calf strain), G Gary Payton II (core muscle recovery), C Olivier Sarr (right wrist sprain) and G/F Trendon Watford (right hip flexor strain) are out.

Rockets: Kevin Porter Jr. (right quad contusion) and Alperen Sengun (illness) are probable. Bruno Fernando (left knee Soreness) and TyTy Washington Jr. (left knee sprain) are out.

NEXT UP

The Blazers will have four days off starting Saturday before hosting Memphis at 7 p.m., Wednesday at the Moda Center.

— Aaron Fentress | afentress@Oregonian.com | @AaronJFentress (Twitter), @AaronJFentress (Instagram), @AaronFentress (Facebook). Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts