Game Thread GAME# 17: BLAZERS @ ROCKETS - JANUARY 28, 2021 - THURSDAY, 4:30, TNT

[Darkwebs]

2020-21 REGULAR SEASON RECORD
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
9 - 7
(4-2 Road)
HOUSTON ROCKETS
7 - 9
(4-4 Home)

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---------PROBABLE STARTERS---------

PG

DAMIAN LILLARD VS JOHN WALL

SG

RODNEY HOOD VS VICTOR OLADIPO

SF

DERRICK JONES Jr. VS JAE'SEAN TATE

PF

CARMELO ANTHONY VS P.J. TUCKER

C

ENES KANTER VS CHRISTIAN WOOD

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------- JERSEYS -------

---

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WHEN: 4:30 PM (PST), THURSDAY, 1/28/2021

WHERE: TOYOTA CENTER, HOUSTON, TX

TV BROADCAST:

RADIO BROADCAST:

​

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--------------BENCH--------------
- PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS -

SIMONS , BLEVINS

ELLEBY , TRENT Jr.

LITTLE , GILES


- HOUSTON ROCKETS-

GORDON , McLEMORE , JONES

PORTER Jr. , NWABA , THOMAS

BROWN , MARTIN Jr. , HOUSE Jr.

KURUCS , COUSINS


INJURIES
TRAIL BLAZERS
Rodney Hood (thigh contusion): QUESTIONABLE
Derrick Jones Jr. (quad contusion): QUESTIONABLE
Robert Covington (concussion): QUESTIONABLE
C.J. McCollum (left foot fracture): OUT
Jusuf Nurkic (right wrist fracture): OUT
Zach Collins (left ankle stress fracture): OUT
ROCKETS
Christian Wood (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
Brodric Thomas (right ankle sprain): QUESTIONABLE
Danuel House (health and safety protocols): QUESTIONABLE
Dante Exum (calf): OUT




HEAD COACHES

- VS –

TERRY STOTTS --- STEPHEN SILAS

OFFICIAL ROCKETS' GAME NOTES
OFFICIAL BLAZERS' GAME NOTES ​

• HEAD-TO-HEAD HISTORY:
ALL TIME: Rockets lead, 111-90
PORTLAND HOME: Trail Blazers lead, 55-46
HOUSTON HOME: Rockets lead, 65-35

​

 

[Darkwebs]

Beginning a brutal 6-game road trip here.
It's been nearly a few weeks since the Blazers have been on national TV.
So it would be nice if we win this.

And is it just me or does it seem like we are always playing teams without some of our best players?

 

[SlyPokerDog]

And is it just me or does it seem like we are always playing teams without some of our best players?

According to some on this forum we have no best players.

 

[blazerkor]

I'm hoping RoCo can go in this one, not just because he makes a huge difference on the defensive end but also because that will mean his concussion symptoms have cleared up and having those sucks. I think if we have RoCo and Hoodie available to play, with a Dame that will be pissed that he let that game get away from him, this might be the most winnable game on a road trip that really shouldn't be as bad as the two wins I predicted.

If RoCo is healthy we should be able to get Houston, Chicago, Charlotte and the same Knicks team we just beat. Don't get me wrong I did predict two wins so I am obviously open to the idea that we blow games that we should win like we did tonight against OKC but if we play like we can and RoCo is playing, we can take these four teams.

 

[wizenheimer]

I was tempted to vote 0 wins because that would push Portland closer to some significant changes

 

[OneSport3]

This is gonna be painful for Charles Barkley to have to watch and see his $100K vanish before his eyes.

 

[THE HCP]

I wonder if this will affect/effect the outcome of the game for us?

 

[Shaboid]

I wonder if this will affect/effect the outcome of the game for us?
View attachment 36359

If you are ever unsure if you should use effect or affect just write "impact". You'll never be wrong and you won't sound like an idiot. Well, not for that reason at lest.

 

[TBpup]

Can there be a side Poll with what opposing player is going to get a season or career high against this defense?

 

[illmatic99]

with the defense we played last night against a team with maybe ONE above average offensive player on the roster, hard to see us winning too many on this trip.

terry stotts cannot coach defense. period.

 

[kjironman1]

Do i see 4 starters and 2 rotational players out with injuries right now?
Is this just an excuse or is it a real issue?
Is this Stotts's fault?
Who gets the credit if they go into Houston and win this game?

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

I think Hood, Jones and Covington will all be playing.

 

[THE HCP]

If you are ever unsure if you should use effect or affect just write "impact". You'll never be wrong and you won't sound like an idiot. Well, not for that reason at lest.

Outstanding advice. That is my new word.

 

[THE HCP]

I believe the combination of the lack of defense, and us having a ton of talent missing from our lineup will have a tremendous IMPACT on how this road trip will play out. Knowing this ahead of time, I will not get all worked up and pissed because as a human with a functioning brain, I should have seen said IMPACT coming.

 

[TBpup]

Do i see 4 starters and 2 rotational players out with injuries right now?
Is this just an excuse or is it a real issue?
Is this Stotts's fault?
Who gets the credit if they go into Houston and win this game?

Dame....because likely he will have willed the rest to the win. He will still be the best player on the floor on either side.

 

[kjironman1]

Dame....because likely he will have willed the rest to the win. He will still be the best player on the floor on either side.

Well i have to admit there were those that blamed him for the loss yesterday.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

START TIME CHANGED FOR TRAIL BLAZERS GAME ON JANUARY 28

Portland at Houston will now begin at 4:30 p.m. Pacific Time


PORTLAND, Ore. (January 26, 2021)–The Portland Trail Blazers game at Houston on Thursday, January 28 will now start at 4:30 p.m. Pacific Time, the NBA announced today.


The game will remain televised by TNT and aired on flagship station NBCSNW Rip City Radio AM-620 and the Deschutes Brewery Trail Blazers Radio Network.

 

[BonesJones]

Do i see 4 starters and 2 rotational players out with injuries right now?
Is this just an excuse or is it a real issue?
Is this Stotts's fault?
Who gets the credit if they go into Houston and win this game?

Considering they had all these issues when those guys were healthy, and most of their issues arent personnel driven, no, having players out is not the cause, and shouldnt be used as an excuse.

The constant? Stotts.

 

[BonesJones]

Healthy Blazers have 27th ranked defense.
Blazers get hurt, have 29th ranked defense.

"Its the injuries!"

 

[BlazerBeav]

Well i have to admit there were those that blamed him for the loss yesterday.

Well he was 6-20 until hitting two shots in the last five seconds - and right now, we can't survive 6-20 from Dame.

 

[kjironman1]

Healthy Blazers have 27th ranked defense.
Blazers get hurt, have 29th ranked defense.

"Its the injuries!"

Healthy Blazers had a week of training camp and a brutal first two weeks of the season.
Injured Blazers have had a long home stretch and an easier schedule.
Hold onto your seat because holding on to that 29th best defensive spot might be a challenge.

 

[kjironman1]

Well he was 6-20 until hitting two shots in the last five seconds - and right now, we can't survive 6-20 from Dame.

I agree but he also was 4 games straight of 30+ points. I can give him one bad game out of every five. I'm good with that.

 

[BonesJones]

Healthy Blazers had a week of training camp and a brutal first two weeks of the season.
Injured Blazers have had a long home stretch and an easier schedule.
Hold onto your seat because holding on to that 29th best defensive spot might be a challenge.

Every team had a week of training camp and playing 4 playoff teams out the gate doesnt make you a bad defense.

Blazers just had a ton of time off and played an easy OKC team and had maybe their worst defensive game of the year.

 

[BonesJones]

Well he was 6-20 until hitting two shots in the last five seconds - and right now, we can't survive 6-20 from Dame.

Anfernee more than made up for his lost production. Offense wasnt the issue yesterday.

 

[kjironman1]

Every team had a week of training camp and playing 4 playoff teams out the gate doesnt make you a bad defense.

Blazers just had a ton of time off and played an easy OKC team and had maybe their worst defensive game of the year.

Like i said. Holding onto the 29th best defensive spot might be a challenge at this point. They look to be going for outscoring their opponent but then that isn't really working either now is it?

 

[BonesJones]

Like i said. Holding onto the 29th best defensive spot might be a challenge at this point. They look to be going for outscoring their opponent but then that isn't really working either now is it?

What do you think the issues are defensively?

 

[THE HCP]

Healthy Blazers have 27th ranked defense.
Blazers get hurt, have 29th ranked defense.

"Its the injuries!"

But at least now going into these games from here on, you know we are horrible on defense. With the worst coach in the league AND missing 2-4 of our best players. There should be no expectation for use to win right? Not realistically anyway. So no reason to moan and complain and bitch, EVERY game about the SAME things.
If you rolled up in your '84 Toyota Corolla and wanted to test my A7..... you'd be wasting your time getting all worked up that you actually thought you had a chance to compete with me. It just isn't happening.

 

[BlazerBeav]

Look, I'm not a huge fan of Audi either, but comparing them to the current edition of the Oklahoma City Thunder is a bit mean.

 

[Tince]

The constant? Stotts.

Lillard, Stotts, and Olshey are the constants.

 

[BonesJones]

But at least now going into these games from here on, you know we are horrible on defense. With the worst coach in the league AND missing 2-4 of our best players. There should be no expectation for use to win right? Not realistically anyway. So no reason to moan and complain and bitch, EVERY game about the SAME things.
If you rolled up in your '84 Toyota Corolla and wanted to test my A7..... you'd be wasting your time getting all worked up that you actually thought you had a chance to compete with me. It just isn't happening.

View attachment 36369

View attachment 36370

Moan and complain? I'm barely in here. Where else would you catch me moaning and complaining? My postgame show?

OKC was missing 2 of their top 4 as well. They're an A7? If anything, the Blazers were the A7 last night and OKC was the '84 Carolla. And we got outraced. Sounds like we need a new mechanic!