Game Thread GAME# 31: PELICANS @ BLAZERS - DECEMBER 23, 2019 - MONDAY, 7:00 PM, NBATV & NBCSNW

[Darkwebs]

2019-20 REGULAR SEASON RECORD
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS
7 - 23
(3-12 Road)
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
14 - 16
(8-6 Home)

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

PG

JRUE HOLIDAY VS DAMIAN LILLARD

SG

J.J. REDICK VS C.J. McCOLLUM

PF

KENRICH WLLIAMS VS KENT BAZEMORE

PF

BRANDON INGRAM VS CARMELO ANTHONY

C

DERRICK FAVORS VS HASSAN WHITESIDE

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

---

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WHEN: 7:00 PM (PST), MONDAY, 12/23/2019

WHERE: Moda Center, Portland, OR

TV BROADCAST:

AND

RADIO BROADCAST:

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

---- NEW ORLEANS PELICANS ----

GRAY , JACKSON , BALL

MOORE , ALEXANDER-WALKER , HART

CHEATHAM , MELLI

OKAFOR , HAYES

---- PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS ----

SIMONS , TRENT Jr.

LITTLE , HEZONJA , HOARD

TOLLIVER , LABISSIERE , BROWN


INJURIES
PELICANS
Zion Williamson (Right Knee Scope): OUT
Darius Miller (Right Achilles Surgery): OUT
TRAIL BLAZERS
Carmelo Anthony (left knee contusion): QUESTIONABLE
Mario Hezonja (back spasms): QUESTIONABLE
Rodney Hood (torn Achilles): OUT
Zach Collins (dislocated left shoulder): OUT
Jusuf Nurkic (left leg): OUT



HEAD COACHES

- VS –

ALVIN GENTRY --- TERRY STOTTS



OFFICIAL PELICANS' GAME NOTES
OFFICIAL BLAZERS' GAME NOTES ​

• Monday’s game marks the second of four games between the Trail Blazers and the Pelicans this season. New Orleans leads the season series, 1-0.

• LAST MEETING: The Pelicans defeated the Trail Blazers in New Orleans on Nov. 19, 115-104. CJ McCollum led Portland with 22 points (9-22 FG, 4-10 3-PT), four rebounds, five assists, two steals and one block while Jrue Holiday paced the Pelicans with 22 points (10-18 FG, 1-4 3-PT, 1-1 FT), five rebounds and 10 assists.

• Hassan Whiteside recorded 14 points (5-7 FG, 4-4 FT), 14 rebounds and one block at New Orleans on Nov. 19.

• Carmelo Anthony scored 10 points (4-14 FG, 2-3 3-PT) to go with four rebounds and one block in his Trail Blazers debut at New Orleans on Nov. 19.

• Damian Lillard missed the Nov. 19 meeting with back spasms.

• Brandon Ingram recorded 21 points (8-20 FG, 1-5 3-PT, 4-4 FT), seven rebounds, five assists, two steals and one block against Portland on Nov. 19.

• HEAD-TO-HEAD HISTORY:
ALL TIME: Trail Blazers lead, 33-26
IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 21-8
AT THE PELICANS: Pelicans lead, 18-12

 

[Darkwebs]

Blazers are on a season high 4-game winning streak. Here's a prime chance to get a 5th win in a row against the Pelicans, who have lost 9 of their last 10 games and are the 2nd worst team in the West.

And Portland needs payback for their loss to this team in the early season. But things have changed since then and the Blazers have seemingly found their groove.

Get this win and keep it red, hot, and rolling!

 

[kjironman1]

Would be another good game to go to.

 

[DUB]

Christmas Eve game for me. Get lost with your snowflakes, it's going to be 93F here, so I'm going to the beach. Second year in a row that I'm watching the Trail Blazers on Christmas Eve from the beach, it's almost becoming a tradition.

 

[42N8Bounce]

Time to break out the 'Blazers Over 500' graph!



There's a lot of season left. The Blazers have plenty of time to climb that playoff seeding ladder.

Here's a look at how the Blazers have ramped up their performance over the second half of the season the past few years:



The Blazers have played the second half of the past 4 seasons at a 0.647 clip.

If the Blazers can maintain that trend, that would give them a finish to this season with 48 wins.

I don't see any reason they can't achieve that win total, as long as they can get some players healthy. With a healthy roster, this team can do some damage come playoff time!

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Time to break out the 'Blazers Over 500' graph!

View attachment 29135

There's a lot of season left. The Blazers have plenty of time to climb that playoff seeding ladder.

Here's a look at how the Blazers have ramped up their performance over the second half of the season the past few years:

View attachment 29136

The Blazers have played the second half of the past 4 seasons at a 0.647 clip.

If the Blazers can maintain that trend, that would give them a finish to this season with 46 wins.

I don't see any reason they can't achieve that win total, as long as they can get some players healthy. With a healthy roster, this team can do some damage come playoff time!

This was oddly depressing lol

 

[SharpesTriumph]

I didn't vote in the poll yet, I would think healthy means if Zach and Hood were healthy. Nurk was out before the season and the roster would've likely been steucted differently in the summer if he was healthy.

 

[DDolla]

Just Win Baby!

 

[Strenuus]

Will get excited once we start beating playoff caliber teams consistently.

Until then this is just nothing.

 

[Scalma]

Will get excited once we start beating playoff caliber teams consistently.

Until then this is just nothing.

So when are fans going to realize this is an average team as essentially half of their rotation (including three starters) are out? What team can lose three fifths of their starting lineup (and four rotation players overall) and still have playoff expectations? So any win now is the OPPOSITE of nothing, as the only *realistic* objective right now is to stay afloat (aka in the playoff race) until those players do return.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

So when are fans going to realize this is an average team as essentially half of their rotation (including three starters) are out? What team can lose three fifths of their starting lineup (and four rotation players overall) and still have playoff expectations? So any win now is the OPPOSITE of nothing, as the only *realistic* objective right now is to stay afloat (aka in the playoff race) until those players do return.

Except...one of those players (Hood) won't return, a second (Collins) might not, and the third (Nurk) plays the same position as arguably our most consistent current starter. So there's an open question as to what actual boost this season's team can legitimately expect from any post-injury returnees.

 

[Scalma]

Except...one of those players (Hood) won't return, a second (Collins) might not, and the third (Nurk) plays the same position as arguably our most consistent current starter. So there's an open question as to what actual boost this season's team can legitimately expect from any post-injury returnees.

Collins and Nurk are the two best defenders on the team and rebound the ball. I’d say those two are at the top of Portland’s list of issues. Getting them back also deepens the other big issue; the bench. Hood isn’t irreplaceable but Olshey probably has to go external.

 

[CupWizier]

Except...one of those players (Hood) won't return, a second (Collins) might not, and the third (Nurk) plays the same position as arguably our most consistent current starter. So there's an open question as to what actual boost this season's team can legitimately expect from any post-injury returnees.

There is a better chance than not that Collins will return and having a combo of Nurkic and Whiteside at center should never be considered not a boost. Skal has been seeing more minutes now at the 4 and with Nurkic back that just adds much needed depth at center and the 4. If we are able to pick up a rotational player at sg/sf then that would transform us into a deeper and much better team. It begs the question, why not be enthusiastic?

 

[CupWizier]

Collins and Nurk are the two best defenders on the team and rebound the ball. I’d say those two are at the top of Portland’s list of issues. Getting them back also deepens the other big issue; the bench. Hood isn’t irreplaceable but Olshey probably has to go external.

Even if we don't pick up a Hood replacement, with Collins and Nurkic back that means Melo can get some minutes at sf and Baze can play some back up shooting guard. That all of a sudden makes us a pretty deep team and can go big or small and defensive and offensive minded platoons.

 

[TBpup]

Will get excited once we start beating playoff caliber teams consistently.

Until then this is just nothing.

Not sure it is nothing because they weren't even beating some of these Division III teams before....so it is at least going in the right direction. However, very much agreed that for it to be anything other than losing the opportunity of a much better Draft pick, they will need to translate this into progress against the teams.....they would actually be playing in the Playoffs. Otherwise, it is just another season ending Playoff sweep.

 

[hoopsjock]

Guys, OKC is now above .500 so we have 3 wins against teams with a winning record!

 

[KingSpeed]

Guys, OKC is now above .500 so we have 3 wins against teams with a winning record!

This is an excellent post. More please.

 

[kjironman1]

There is a better chance than not that Collins will return and having a combo of Nurkic and Whiteside at center should never be considered not a boost. Skal has been seeing more minutes now at the 4 and with Nurkic back that just adds much needed depth at center and the 4. If we are able to pick up a rotational player at sg/sf then that would transform us into a deeper and much better team. It begs the question, why not be enthusiastic?

Whiteside will not be with the Blazers after the trade deadline.

 

[twobullz]

Taking my daughter to our first game of the year tonight. I sure hope Melo plays.

 

[BigGameDamian]

Taking my daughter to our first game of the year tonight. I sure hope Melo plays.

Isn't he on load management tonight?

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Taking my daughter to our first game of the year tonight. I sure hope Melo plays.

According to the Radio Melo’s out tonight

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Taking my daughter to our first game of the year tonight. I sure hope Melo plays.

Holdahl said Melo’s available.

 

[KingSpeed]

Whiteside will not be with the Blazers after the trade deadline.

If that is true and we win title, I think Whiteside deserves a ring.

 

[Darkwebs]

 

[Darkwebs]

 

[Strenuus]

If that is true and we win title, I think Whiteside deserves a ring.

We're winning it next year, not this year.

 

[H.C.]

We're winning it next year, not this year.

So Melo is going to be the finals MVP for the 20-21 season?
That's a bold take.

 

[HailBlazers]

Christmas Eve game for me. Get lost with your snowflakes, it's going to be 93F here, so I'm going to the beach. Second year in a row that I'm watching the Trail Blazers on Christmas Eve from the beach, it's almost becoming a tradition.

Mark my words. One day I'm going to cross the lake and join you. Go Blazers!

PS, pics or it didn't happen.

 

[kjironman1]

If that is true and we win title, I think Whiteside deserves a ring.

You will get no argument from me on that. Pretty sure Dame would buy it for him.

 

[BlazerBeav]

Scott Foster. Oh joy.