Game Thread GAME# 30: TIMBERWOLVES @ BLAZERS - DECEMBER 21, 2019 - SATURDAY, 7:00 PM, NBCSNW

[Darkwebs]

2019-20 REGULAR SEASON RECORD
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
10 - 17
(7-7 Road)
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
13 - 16
(7-6 Home)

______________________________
---------PROBABLE STARTERS---------

PG

JARRETT CULVER VS DAMIAN LILLARD

SG

JOSH OKOGIE VS C.J. McCOLLUM

SF

ANDREW WIGGINS VS KENT BAZEMORE

PF

ROBERT COVINGTON VS ANTHONY TOLLIVER

C

KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS VS HASSAN WHITESIDE

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

---

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WHEN: 7:00 PM (PST), SATURDAY, 12/21/2019

WHERE: Moda Center, Portland, OR

TV BROADCAST:

RADIO BROADCAST:

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--------------BENCH--------------

-- MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES --

McLAUGHLIN , NAPIER , TEAGUE

NOWELL , GRAHAM , MARTIN

BATES-DIOP , BELL , VONLEH

REID , DIENG

---- PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS ----

SIMONS , TRENT Jr.

LITTLE , HEZONJA , HOARD

LABISSIERE , BROWN


INJURIES
TIMBERWOLVES
Karl-Anthony Towns (sprained left knee): QUESTIONABLE
Jarrett Culver (illness): QUESTIONABLE
Jake Layman (toe): OUT
TRAIL BLAZERS
Carmelo Anthony (left knee contusion): OUT
Mario Hezonja (back spasms): QUESTIONABLE
Rodney Hood (torn Achilles): OUT
Zach Collins (dislocated left shoulder): OUT
Jusuf Nurkic (left leg): OUT



HEAD COACHES

- VS –

RYAN SAUNDERS --- TERRY STOTTS



OFFICIAL TIMBERWOLVES' GAME NOTES
OFFICIAL BLAZERS' GAME NOTES ​

• Saturday’s game will be the first of four meetings between the Trail Blazers and the Timberwolves during the 2019-20 season.

• LAST SEASON: Portland won the season series with the Timberwolves in 2018-19, 3-1.

• Damian Lillard averaged 19.3 points (37.3% FG, 34.6% 3-PT, 81.8% FT), 6.0 rebounds, and 7.0 assists in four games against Minnesota during the 2018-19 season.

• In three games against the Timberwolves last season, CJ McCollum averaged 17.7 points (48.9% FG, 33.3% 3-PT, 80.0% FT), 3.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists.

• Hassan Whiteside averaged 8.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.00 blocks in two games against the Timberwolves with Miami last season.

• In four games against Portland last season, Karl-Anthony Towns averaged 18.3 points (38.5% FG, 38.9% 3-PT, 88.9% FT), 9.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists.

• Andrew Wiggins averaged 20.3 points (41.1% FG, 31.6% 3-PT, 83.3% FT), 4.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists in four games against Portland last season.

• HEAD-TO-HEAD HISTORY:
ALL TIME: Trail Blazers lead, 84-34
IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 48-12
AT THE TIMBERWOLVES: Trail Blazers lead, 36-22

​

 

[Darkwebs]

Portland has a chance to set a new season-high win streak of 4, with a victory here.

Hopefully, Melo and Little are both healthy enough tonight to play. We are running low on bodies. And very low on competent forwards.

Are the Blazers so snake-bitten that even their former players are injured? Last game it was Aminu, and now it's Layman.

Both teams are on the 2nd night of a back-to-back. Both teams have key players with injuries. But that's where the commonalities end. These teams are headed in totally opposite directions. The Wolves are on a 9-game losing streak, while the Blazers have 3 wins in a row. May that trend continue tonight!

 

[Darkwebs]

And we are finally in the 8th spot in the West!

I guess that's either a good or bad thing, depending on your perspective.

 

[KingSpeed]

Wait, the Wolves are 3-10 at home but 7-7 on the road??

 

[Darkwebs]

Wait, the Wolves are 3-10 at home but 7-7 on the road??

Even Minnesota players don't want to play in Minnesota.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

Wasn't this supposed to be the year Minnesota finally became good??

 

[Darkwebs]

Wasn't this supposed to be the year Minnesota finally became good??

Every year since KG left them.

 

[KingSpeed]

Wasn't this supposed to be the year Minnesota finally became good??

Apparently not. Same with Suns. Fool’s gold.

 

[Bruno_Sabino]

Let’s go!

 

[stampedehero]

ODDS IN OUR FAVOR. THE TASTE OF WINNING IS ADDICTIVE.

 

[Hoopguru]

Portland has a chance to set a new season-high win streak of 4, with a victory here.

Hopefully, Melo and Little are both healthy enough tonight to play. We are running low on bodies. And very low on competent forwards.

Are the Blazers so snake-bitten that even their former players are injured? Last game it was Aminu, and now it's Layman.

Both teams are on the 2nd night of a back-to-back. Both teams have key players with injuries. But that's where the commonalities end. These teams are headed in totally opposite directions. The Wolves are on a 9-game losing streak, while the Blazers have 3 wins in a row. May that trend continue tonight!

Think of how many years the Wolves have been laggards and how for the last several years some in here have picked the Wolves to finish ahead of the Blazers?
Portland is lucky to have a team that has stayed competitive and has provided some solid ball and appears to be again ready to surprise once healthy.

 

[hoopsjock]

For the poll question, the Blazers now have two roster spots open since they were granted the Hood Disabled Player Exception.

 

[kjironman1]

For the poll question, the Blazers now have two roster spots open since they were granted the Hood Disabled Player Exception.

I was going to post that also but i just went with SF and maybe they can fill one spot with that at least? 40% chance that way right?

 

[kjironman1]

Well the wife and i decided to go tonight. Have not been to a game since "The Wave".

 

[AldoTrapani]

Jimmy Butler was so right to leave that team. They couldn’t make the playoffs before him and now still without him lmao

 

[blazerfan11]

Wasn't this supposed to be the year Minnesota finally became good??

That was when they had Jimmy Butler. He's gone.
What they should do it trade Karl Anthony Towns for a top-notch scoring guard before Karl Anthony Towns wants out and is traded for spare parts.

 

[blazerfan11]

Well the wife and i decided to go tonight. Have not been to a game since "The Wave".

Which wave was it? They used to do the wave during the Roy era.

 

[kjironman1]

Which wave was it? They used to do the wave during the Roy era.

 

[Darkwebs]

For the poll question, the Blazers now have two roster spots open since they were granted the Hood Disabled Player Exception.

Thanks for the assist, hoopsjock! I've updated the poll to include the ability to choose 2 options. If you've already voted, you have to hit the "Change your vote" button to reselect your choices.

 

[Darkwebs]

 

[Titan]

Dang, seems we can’t catch a break

 

[trailblazer18]

Tolliver is gonna be playing way too much...

 

[Dougnsalem]

I hate to mention this about the poll, but we are kinda slacking on towel wavers now too....

 

[blazerfan11]

Tolliver is gonna be playing way too much...

Tolliver is shooting a 70 % effective field goal percentage in December (on a small amount of shots of 10 total) . 50 percent on 3-pointers (4 of 8). . Many people expected him to come back to his career averages after a poor start so hopefully that's happening now.

Carmelo Anthony is actually shooting a poor 44 percent adjusted/effective in December because his low 2 point shooting of 35 percent. He has shot a very nice 45 percent on threes in December. He was 1 of 6 against Orlando, 1-2 on 3pointers in that game.

 

[BigGameDamian]

 

[Labinot41]

Dame jr is so cute

 

[DDolla]

Just Win Baby!

 

[GhostOfPGA]

If we can out rebound this team, we will win.

 

[kjironman1]

 

[Labinot41]

Towns is out this is a must win, no excuses