Game Thread GAME# 28: BLAZERS @ PELICANS - FEBRUARY 17, 2021 - WEDNESDAY, 6:00, NBCSNW

[Darkwebs]

2020-21 REGULAR SEASON RECORD
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
17 - 10
(9-5 Road)
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS
12 - 15
(7-5 Home)


_____________________________
---------PROBABLE STARTERS---------

PG

DAMIAN LILLARD VS LONZO BALL

SG

GARY TRENT Jr. VS ERIC BLEDSOE

SF

DERRICK JONES Jr. VS BRANDON INGRAM

PF

ROBERT COVINGTON VS ZION WILLIAMSON

C

ENES KANTER VS STEVEN ADAMS

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

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WHEN: 6:00 PM (PST), WEDNESDAY, 2/17/2021

WHERE: SMOOTHIE KING CENTER, NEW ORLEANS, LA

TV BROADCAST:

RADIO BROADCAST:

​

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--------------RESERVES--------------
- PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS -

SIMONS , BLEVINS

ELLEBY , LITTLE , HOOD

ANTHONY


- NEW ORLEANS PELICANS-

LEWIS , ALEXANDER-WALKER

REDICK , THORNWELL , HART

MARSHALL, , GABRIEL , MELLI

MAGNEY , HERNANGOMEZ , HAYES



INJURIES
TRAIL BLAZERS
Rodney Hood (left foot soreness): QUESTIONABLE
Harry Giles (left calf strain): OUT
C.J. McCollum (left foot fracture): OUT
Jusuf Nurkic (right wrist fracture): OUT
Zach Collins (left ankle stress fracture): OUT
PELICANS
Steven Adams (lower back): QUESTIONABLE




HEAD COACHES

- VS –

TERRY STOTTS --- STAN VAN GUNDY

OFFICIAL PELICANS' GAME NOTES
OFFICIAL BLAZERS' GAME NOTES ​

• Portland's Feb. 17 game against New Orleans is the first meeting between the Trail Blazers and Pelicans during the 2020-21 season. The remaining two matchups will come during the Second Half of the season.

• LAST SEASON: The Pelicans swept the season series with the Trail Blazers in 2019-20, 4-0. Portland and New Orleans have taken turns sweeping the other each of the past two seasons.

• Damian Lillard averaged 19.0 points (32.4% FG, 93.3% FT), 4.0 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.00 steals in two games against the Pelicans last season.

• Carmelo Anthony averaged 17.8 points (42.2% FG, 27.8% 3-PT, 100% FT), 4.8 rebounds and 1.0 assists in four games against New Orleans last season.

• In three games against the Trail Blazers last season, Brandon Ingram averaged 18.7 points (41.3% FG, 42.9% 3-PT, 85.7% FT), 7.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.30 steals.

• HEAD-TO-HEAD HISTORY:
ALL TIME: Thunder lead, 33-29
PORTLAND HOME: Trail Blazers lead, 21-10
NEW ORLEANS HOME: Pelicans lead, 19-12

​

 

[Darkwebs]

Both teams here are on the 2nd night of a back-to-back, but for the Blazers, this is the 5th game in 7 nights in 4 different cities.

Portland has now hit 5 straight victories, the longest streak of the season, and the longest since 2 seasons ago (the one where they went to the West Finals).

Blazers need to pull out all their tricks, and go for win number 6!

 

[Darkwebs]

The Blazers need to attach this label to Lillard's jersey

Spoiler

 

[Chris Craig]

The Blazers need to attach this label to Lillard's jersey

Spoiler

Premature celebration may cause ignition

 

[tlongII]

This one will be really tough. Pels are playing well.

 

[kjironman1]

Something tells me Dame will sit this one out. If he is in any pain I'm good with that. Give him this game and two days off before the next game.
See what the young guys can do.

 

[Cugel]

Yep pels are finding it now. Tough game, impossible to stop Zion and he never misses at the rim. He's a freight train that is always on time. And he comes off in interviews as the nicest kid in the world too.

 

[blazerkor]

Something tells me Dame will sit this one out. If he is in any pain I'm good with that. Give him this game and two days off before the next game.
See what the young guys can do.

This is a game where we will need Dame. What makes you think he's in pain any more than what this kind of schedule would do to anyone?

 

[Pinwheel1]

Something tells me Dame will sit this one out. If he is in any pain I'm good with that. Give him this game and two days off before the next game.
See what the young guys can do.

If he is hurting I would rest him for sure. They would lose for sure, but I am not sure they will win with him tomorrow. I know we often play well on a back-to-back, but this one does not feel right to me.

 

[THE HCP]

This is a game where we will need Dame. What makes you think he's in pain any more than what this kind of schedule would do to anyone?

He could barely walk off the court tonight. Sit him!

 

[blazerkor]

We're going to win this one. Our guys let up a little tonight and let the Thunder back in the game but that should actually give them more of a sense of urgency in this game. The Pels are also on the second night of a back to back so their conditioning and depth will be tested.

 

[PCmor7]

Tough matchup for the Blazers. The way our games are being officiated, everyone will foul out in the first half and Zion will go to the line 150 times.

 

[Pinwheel1]

We're going to win this one. Our guys let up a little tonight and let the Thunder back in the game but that should actually give them more of a sense of urgency in this game. The Pels are also on the second night of a back to back so their conditioning and depth will be tested.

Ingram is the only starter to play 30 minutes tonight. I just don't think they will be that tired.

 

[blazerkor]

He could barely walk off the court tonight. Sit him!

I'm sure I didn't have quite the vantage point of multiple angles in a production room but I saw him walk off that way and I've seen him walk off like that and play the next night. If he gets treatment tonight and wants to play so we have a shot at keeping this winning streak going, then he should play.

 

[THE HCP]

I’m not worried about our back court, the bigs is where we are going to get smashed. Adam’s and Zion!!! Our backup center is Melo! Our back PF is Nas!

 

[B-Roy]

Pels swept us last year and none of the 4 games were close. This is going to be a problem. Zion needs to be doubled on every possession since no one on our team can handle him 1v1.

 

[illmatic99]

Caught the postgame, and Dame is sneezing and sounds super congested. Not wearing a mask either. He seems to catch colds quite often, but something to keep in mind.

 

[illmatic99]

Pels swept us last year and none of the 4 games were close. This is going to be a problem. Zion needs to be doubled on every possession since no one on our team can handle him 1v1.

Dame's kryptonite (Jrue Holiday) is no longer on that team.

 

[B-Roy]

Dame's kryptonite (Jrue Holiday) is no longer on that team.

True, but their front court absolutely dominated us. Bledsoe is not a bad defender. Think Dame missed a few games as well.

We'll see, I think our frontcourt is still going to get crushed.

 

[maxiep]

How is the Pels record this bad with so much talent?

 

[wizenheimer]

We'll see, I think our frontcourt is still going to get crushed.

Jones vs Ingram
RoCo vs Zion
Kanter vs Adams

maybe, but the Blazers do have two good defenders to run against the young Pels forwards. Kanter vs Adams should be interesting

 

[B-Roy]

Jones vs Ingram
RoCo vs Zion
Kanter vs Adams

maybe, but the Blazers do have two good defenders to run against the young Pels forwards. Kanter vs Adams should be interesting

Zion is going to annihilate RoCo, his skillset plays to RoCo's weaknesses. I hope Jones can annoy Ingram enough. Kanter vs Adams is a fun matchup. We've actually seen it before in a 5 game series....

 

[BlazerBeav]

How is the Pels record this bad with so much talent?

Look at their bench. We have more talent in our current 3-man bench rotation. Assuming Dame is playing, we'll have a decent shot. His postgame interview tonight was even more stone-cold killer vibes than usual.

 

[THE HCP]

How is the Pels record this bad with so much talent?

Because they have NO bench besides Hart.

 

[THE HCP]

Jones vs Ingram
RoCo vs Zion
Kanter vs Adams

maybe, but the Blazers do have two good defenders to run against the young Pels forwards. Kanter vs Adams should be interesting

Bro our front court is going to pick up fouls quick in this game! Quick!

 

[Tince]

Because they have NO bench besides Hart.

NO EXCUSES!

 

[illmatic99]

our zion stopper

 

[B-Roy]

our zion stopper

I did not even recognize Zion. He must have put on over 100 pounds since then.

 

[Scalma]

Don’t really care if they win this one or not. I mean I do, but considering the circumstances, road back to back, etc, I’m definitely not gonna lose sleep if they lose. I would actually consider resting Dame and Melo.

 

[Zach Collins Enthusiast]

This game would be almost impossible to win without a backup Center