Game Thread GAME# 35: KINGS @ BLAZERS - MARCH 4, 2021 - THURSDAY, 7:00, NBCSNW

[Darkwebs]

2020-21 REGULAR SEASON RECORD
SACRAMENTO KINGS
14 - 21
(6-9 Road)
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
20 - 14
(10-6 Home)

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

PG

De'AARON FOX VS DAMIAN LILLARD

SG

BUDDY HIELD VS GARY TRENT Jr.

SF

HARRISON BARNES VS DERRICK JONES Jr.

PF

MARVIN BAGLEY III VS ROBERT COVINGTON

C

RICHAUN HOLMES VS ENES KANTER

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

---

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WHEN: 7:00 PM (PST), THURSDAY, 3/4/2021

WHERE: Moda Center, Portland, OR

TV BROADCAST:

RADIO BROADCAST:

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

-------- SACRAMENTO KINGS --------

JOSEPH , GUY

RAMSEY , JEFFRIES

JAMES , WOODARD II , PARKER

PELLE , BJELICA , WHITESIDE

---- PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS ----

SIMONS , BLEVINS

ELLEBY , LITTLE , HOOD

ANTHONY , GILES



INJURIES
KINGS
Jabari Parker (health and safety protocols): QUESTIONABLE
Hassan Whiteside (health and safety protocols): QUESTIONABLE
Tyrese Haliburton (sore left calf): OUT
Chimezie Metu (right wrist fracture): OUT
TRAIL BLAZERS
Harry Giles (left calf strain): QUESTIONABLE
C.J. McCollum (left foot fracture): OUT
Jusuf Nurkic (right wrist fracture): OUT
Zach Collins (left ankle stress fracture): OUT



HEAD COACHES

- VS –

LUKE WALTON --- TERRY STOTTS



OFFICIAL KINGS' GAME NOTES
OFFICIAL BLAZERS' GAME NOTES ​

• Portland's March 4 game against Sacramento will be the third and final meeting between the Trail Blazers and Kings during the 2020-21 season. Portland leads the season series, 2-0.

• LAST MEETING: The Trail Blazers took down the Kings, 132-126 on Jan. 13 in Sacramento. Damian Lillard led Portland with 40 points (11-23 FG, 6-15 3-PT, 12-12 FT), 13 assists and three steals, while De'Aaron Fox led Sacramento with 29 points (9-18 FG, 5-8 3-PT, 6-8 FT), six rebounds, six assists and one steal.

• Gary Trent Jr. added 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field (4-5 FT), to go with one rebound, four assists and two steals at Sacramento on Jan. 13.

• Buddy Hield finished with 26 points (9-21 FG, 8-18 3-PT), six rebounds, five assists and one steal against the Trail Blazers on Jan. 13. His eight 3PM tied a season-high.

• The Trail Blazers made 23 three-pointers on Jan. 13, which at that point tied a franchise record. The Kings made 19 three-pointers, which is still a season-high.

• HEAD-TO-HEAD HISTORY:
ALL TIME: Trail Blazers lead, 137-81
PORTLAND HOME: Trail Blazers lead, 88-19
SACRAMENTO HOME: Kings lead, 62-49

 

[Darkwebs]

Both teams are on the 2nd night of a back-to-back. The Blazers have the advantage of not traveling, though.

Sacramento has lost 10 of their last 12 games, so this game is there for the taking.

This is the final game before the All-Star break, so it'd be extra sweet to get the victory.

Otherwise, we will have to stew over the loss for a week.

 

[Darkwebs]

To me, the Blazers are always must-see TV.

Mainly because of this man.........

 

[kjironman1]

Hope they use the win tonight as a springboard to keep things going for this game. It would be really nice to go into the break on a three game win streak.

 

[kjironman1]

Both teams are on the 2nd night of a back-to-back.

Yeah they beat the Lakers. Obviously they can play well if need be.

 

[blazerkor]

Yeah they beat the Lakers. Obviously they can play well if need be.

This is like a funny comment right? The Lakers rested LeBron tonight, AD is out as we all know and also as we all know that team is not a playoff team without those two... they're probably not as good as Minny without those two. So pulling out a three point win against them might give a young delusional Kings team some confidence going into tomorrow night's game but Dame just laid an egg before tearing out the Warriors soul. I think Dame will have a big game against the Kings and I think we'll go into the all-star break on a three game win streak and seven games above .500. Not everything we could have hoped for at the beginning of the season but with CJ and Nurk out... pretty damn good.

 

[BlazerBeav]

Sacramento played essentially 7 players tonight to eek out their win - hopefully they aren't looking for a fight tomorrow.

 

[KSF-ERIC]

This is like a funny comment right? The Lakers rested LeBron tonight, AD is out as we all know and also as we all know that team is not a playoff team without those two... they're probably not as good as Minny without those two. So pulling out a three point win against them might give a young delusional Kings team some confidence going into tomorrow night's game but Dame just laid an egg before tearing out the Warriors soul. I think Dame will have a big game against the Kings and I think we'll go into the all-star break on a three game win streak and seven games above .500. Not everything we could have hoped for at the beginning of the season but with CJ and Nurk out... pretty damn good.

We’re at .600 if we win tomorrow.

Highlights beside Dame tonight were Kanter scoring And One in triple team and DJJ make a stepback 3.

As for the poll, I think Dame & Harden will be 1st Team. Curry and Doncic 2nd team. CJ and Kyrie 3rd team.

 

[kjironman1]

This is like a funny comment right? The Lakers rested LeBron tonight, AD is out as we all know and also as we all know that team is not a playoff team without those two... they're probably not as good as Minny without those two. So pulling out a three point win against them might give a young delusional Kings team some confidence going into tomorrow night's game but Dame just laid an egg before tearing out the Warriors soul. I think Dame will have a big game against the Kings and I think we'll go into the all-star break on a three game win streak and seven games above .500. Not everything we could have hoped for at the beginning of the season but with CJ and Nurk out... pretty damn good.

Any team can beat any other team in the NBA on any given night. You know this. I don't care if they sat LeBron. They have beat the Nuggets not once, not even twice but Three times. They have beat the Suns, Lakers and Celtics. They have won 14 games at this point and if the Blazers don't come into this game ready to play they will add the Blazers to the list. You can bet on it.
No it's not a "Funny" comment. But sure you can take it as such. The Blazers have beat them twice in Sacramento. You can bet they are willing to come up here and try to get a game before the break. It's their last chance to beat Portland this season.

 

[illmatic99]

Being 6 games above .500 with a negative point differential is a testament to Dame's MVP candidacy. And his clutch gene. That is insane.

 

[kjironman1]

Being 6 games above .500 with a negative point differential is a testament to Dame's MVP candidacy. And his clutch gene. That is insane.

You are probably right on a couple fronts.
I would add that this season is weird and there have been a bunch of blowouts that might add to that point differential issue. I wonder how this is working with other teams that have winning records? Of course the Blazers have overall worse defensive numbers so i stands to reason.

 

[trailblazer18]

Let's go Blazers...and Barnes.

 

[AldoTrapani]

Ok guys I’m 6 for my last 6 calling games. Let’s keep my streak alive

I got blazers winning this one again. They do well against below .500 teams

7 in a row here I come!!

 

[DDolla]

Just Win Baby!

 

[blazerkor]

Any team can beat any other team in the NBA on any given night. You know this. I don't care if they sat LeBron. They have beat the Nuggets not once, not even twice but Three times. They have beat the Suns, Lakers and Celtics. They have won 14 games at this point and if the Blazers don't come into this game ready to play they will add the Blazers to the list. You can bet on it.
No it's not a "Funny" comment. But sure you can take it as such. The Blazers have beat them twice in Sacramento. You can bet they are willing to come up here and try to get a game before the break. It's their last chance to beat Portland this season.

You're right on any give night but it's going to take us playing bad and them playing great. Last time I said that we needed to play great and an opponent needed to play below average for us to win was the Suns game and we lost by 30. I'm not saying we'll win by 30 I just think we'll kick their asses.

The funny part was just that you said they beat the Lakers like it was impressive. It wasn't.

 

[Chris Craig]

Lillard should make the All NBA 1st team, but he will make the 2nd team

 

[blazerkor]

Lillard should make the All NBA 1st team, but he will make the 2nd team

Yeah, I think that he'll again be the top vote getter on the second team. It will be Harden and Curry on the first team and Dame and Doncic on the second team. Anything else would be a huge surprise, regardless of the way the second half goes... unless of course we win like 80% of our games... then Dame could make it.

We’re at .600 if we win tomorrow.

Highlights beside Dame tonight were Kanter scoring And One in triple team and DJJ make a stepback 3.

As for the poll, I think Dame & Harden will be 1st Team. Curry and Doncic 2nd team. CJ and Kyrie 3rd team.

CJ making an all-nba team isn't just almost impossible because he's not that level of player it's because these all-nba teams are almost set from the beginning of the season. We'll see though. Maybe CJ comes back and plays like he was before the injury, sustains that play through the end of the season and the biased media changes their ways.

 

[Strenuus]

We’re at .600 if we win tomorrow.

Highlights beside Dame tonight were Kanter scoring And One in triple team and DJJ make a stepback 3.

As for the poll, I think Dame & Harden will be 1st Team. Curry and Doncic 2nd team. CJ and Kyrie 3rd team.

Doncic will be first team because he's doncic not because his team is good. Same for curry.

 

[blazerkor]

Doncic will be first team because he's doncic not because his team is good. Same for curry.

Bold move, Doncic over Harden. If the records stay the same and since the media already voted that Dame is better during all-star voting, I don't know if I'm with you but it could be true.

 

[Strenuus]

Bold move, Doncic over Harden. If the records stay the same and since the media already voted that Dame is better during all-star voting, I don't know if I'm with you but it could be true.

Seeing how doncic has been anointed I put nothing past the joke that is the NBA.

 

[kjironman1]

The funny part was just that you said they beat the Lakers like it was impressive. It wasn't.

I just think the Lakers even without LeBron and AD are better than people give them credit for. They also are trying to stay afloat while they wade through some injuries.
Maybe that game didn't mean anything to them? Maybe they feel they don't need to take games seriously at this point?

 

[twobullz]

Why is steph a lock over Dame? I don't get it. The score the same, Dame gets more assists , Steph gets more rebounds. Dame has a higher Per. Blazers are ahead of the Warriors? Why is Steph looked at as being better than Dame this season? Why does he deserve first team ALL NBA over Dame? What am I missing?

 

[kjironman1]

Why is steph a lock over Dame? I don't get it. The score the same, Dame gets more assists , Steph gets more rebounds. Dame has a higher Per. Blazers are ahead of the Warriors? Why is Steph looked at as being better than Dame this season? Why does he deserve first team ALL NBA over Dame? What am I missing?

This

 

[ehizzy3]

Is Luke the next coach to be fired?

 

[BlazerBeav]

We have to get this one.

 

[DDolla]

Is Luke the next coach to be fired?

I did not even know that Luke still coaching.

 

[Strenuus]

We have to get this one.

If buddy and Haliburton are both out...

 

[chris_in_pdx]

This looks like a classic trap game to me. Blazers will be lucky to win.

 

[Titan]

Let's sweep the Kings

 

[42N8Bounce]

Being 6 games above .500 with a negative point differential is a testament to Dame's MVP candidacy. And his clutch gene. That is insane.

Great point. If the Blazers can stay within striking distance at the end of a game, Dame seems to will us to victory.