Game Thread GAME# 37: MAGIC @ BLAZERS - JANUARY 10, 2015 - SATURDAY, 7:00 PM (PST), CSNNW

[Darkwebs]

PROBABLE STARTERS

PG

ELFRID PAYTON VS DAMIAN LILLARD

SG

VICTOR OLADIPO VS WESLEY MATTHEWS

SF

DEVYN MARBLE VS NICOLAS BATUM

PF

CHANNING FRYE VS LAMARCUS ALDRIDGE

C

NIKOLA VUCEVIC VS CHRIS KAMAN







WHEN: 7:00 PM, SATURDAY, 1/10/2014​

WHERE: Moda Center, Portland, OR

TV BROADCAST:

RADIO BROADCAST:

​

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BENCH

ORLANDO MAGIC

RIDNOUR , GREEN , GORDON ,

HARKLESS , NICHOLSON , O'QUINN, DEDMON


PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS

BLAKE , MCCOLLUM , BARTON

WRIGHT , CLAVER , ROBINSON , LEONARD



INJURIES
MAGIC
▪ Channing Frye (sprained right elbow/strained right tricep): PROBABLE
▪ Luke Ridnour (right ankle sprain): QUESTIONABLE
▪ Evan Fournier (knee): OUT
▪ Tobias Harris (ankle): OUT
▪ Aaron Gordon (fractured fifth metatarsal, left foot): OUT
TRAIL BLAZERS
▪ Allen Crabbe (left knee strain): OUT
▪ Joel Freeland (right shoulder strain): OUT
▪ Robin Lopez (fractured right index finger): OUT


HEAD COACHES

- VS –

JACQUE VAUGHN --- TERRY STOTTS




OFFICIAL BLAZERS' GAME NOTES ​

• Saturday marks the first of two matchups between the Trail Blazers and Magic in 2014-15.

• Portland has won four of its past five home games against Orlando dating back to 2009-10.

• Damian Lillard dished out a career-high 12 assists against the Magic on Feb. 10, 2013.

• In the last game played between the Trail Blazers and Magic at the Moda Center, Nicolas Batum registered his second career triple-double with 14 points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists.

• LaMarcus Aldridge is shooting 58.2% from the field (60-103) in his past five games against the Magic.

• In that 110-94 win over the Magic on Jan. 8 of last season, LaMarcus Aldridge scored a game-high 36 points. Aldridge is averaging 27.0 points in his past four contests against Orlando.


• HEAD-TO-HEAD HISTORY:
ALL TIME: Trail Blazers lead, 27-22
IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 15-10
AT THE MAGIC: Series tied, 12-12

GO BLAZERS!!!​

 

[Darkwebs]

POR v. ORL (1/10/15)

13-26, last in Southeast Division

Our last game: W v. MIA, 99-83 (1/8/15)

The result was a dominant second half by Portland, as LaMarcus Aldridge had 24 points and 12 rebounds in a 99-83 win over the Heat.
Wesley Matthews scored 18 points, Damian Lillard 16 and Chris Kaman 10 for Portland. The Blazers (28-8) tied Golden State for most wins in the NBA this season.
Portland trailed 48-43 at halftime after getting beat in nearly every statistical category and shooting 2 of 14 from 3-point range. The Blazers needed a boost, and found a willing participant in the Heat, who haven't fared well during third quarters this season, particularly the past few weeks.
Portland outscored Miami 33-16 in the third, jumping on the Heat (15-21) by starting the period on a 17-6 run. Matthews and Lillard hit back-to-back 3-pointers during the first 3 minutes, then Kaman scored six consecutive points -- all on layups.
The Blazers, outrebounded 26-22 in the first half, beat Miami 13-3 on the boards during the third quarter.
"I think we got back to our tempo. In the first half, we kind of played at their pace," Matthews said.
Portland coach Terry Stotts said he went with a bigger lineup in the second half.
"We just came out with a little more energy, a little more focus," Stotts said. "We played a very good defensive second half. Obviously the third quarter made a big difference. We got a rhythm to our shots, got out and played in the flow a little bit. ... The second half was the way we needed to play."

Their last game: L @ LAL, 101-84

Victor Oladipo scored 17 points and Tobias Harris added 15 despite spraining his left ankle for the Magic, who have lost five straight for the first time this season.
"It's real frustrating," Harris said. "I know it's tough for us to score out there. I can't really pinpoint what it is."
Former USC star Nikola Vucevic had 14 points and 11 rebounds. But Orlando was outrebounded 60-36, including 31-16 in the second half, leaving coach Jacque Vaughn a bit steamed.
"I don't know how you gauge effort," Vaughn said. "If Tarik Black is rebounding the basketball with a ferocious tenacity, then I guess he has great effort, (but) you've got to take some responsibility. It starts with looking at the mirror. So that will be us."

Injuries: Lopez (out), Freeland (out), Crabbe (out)
ORL: Fournier (out), Gordon (out), Harris (out)

Lillard v. Payton (6.5ppg, 5.3apg, 3.5rpg)
Matthews v. Oladipo (14.9ppg, 3.9apg, 3.6rpg, 40% 3pt)
Batum v. Marble (36 total minutes, 0.8ppg. 1.0rpg)
Aldridge v. O'Quinn (7.2ppg, 4.6rpg)
Kaman? v. Vucevic (17.9ppg, 11.0rpg, 2.2apg)

Power Rankings
ESPN (26) A home defeat to Detroit to close out the calendar year, followed by two more losses at home to Brooklyn and Charlotte to launch 2015, is the last thing Orlando's bid to hang around the top eight needed. Next up is a four-game trip ... followed (ugh) by a Houston/Memphis/Oklahoma City homestand.

NBA.com (27) Pace: 94.6 (24), OffRtg: 99.2 (26), DefRtg: 104.6 (20), NetRtg: -5.4 (26)
They Magic got a win in Miami and a near triple-double from Elfrid Payton in a near comeback against Brooklyn last week. But if they wanted to compete for a playoff spot, they needed more from their last 10 games, with seven of them at home and nine of them against teams that are below .500. They went 3-7, scoring less than a point per possession.

Covers.com (26) The Magic just lost three in a row at home to fall to 4-12 SU for the season at Amway Center. They are 9-12 SU on the road.

Link to Grandpa Blaze's Prediction Game
Link to Mediocre Man's Over/Under Game

Final Thoughts: I actually like the Magic as a young team, with a decent amount of defense and "scrap", but don't do a good job putting the ball into the hoop (especially from 3). Meanwhile, a bunch of their better offensive players (Gordon, Harris, Frye) are out tonight. I think they get overwhelmed (especially poor Devyn Marble, who's played 36 minutes all year) and it's Garbage Time for most of the 4th, as LMA/Kaman/Robinson/Leonard all have a good chance to go off. I mean, Tariq damn Black got 14/9 on them last night.

Us 118
Them 94

 

[Blazersfan161]

Should be an easy win

 

[Eastoff]

I'll be there! Sorry to see crabbe go.

 

[Boise Blazer]

So did anyone actually see Crabbe get hurt or is this what is fueling the trade talk? And with that said will this turn into a showcase game for the Blazers? Is this the last game for a few of our players?

It's these type of things that have me a little worried about this game. It's got a little trappiness to it if you will. We did lose to the Magic last in one of those games we looked back on said "we should have won." And they are better this year.

Jumping out fast and quick could be an important key to this game

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

 

[Boise Blazer]

Want some game stats? I happened across this site:

http://www.statfox.com/nba/expanded.asp?sportid=nba&gameid=20150110PORTLAND

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

I think the counter protests are going to be wild. WBC is in for it.

They're going to learn about Portland today.

 

[Eastoff]

I think the counter protests are going to be wild. WBC is in for it.

They're going to learn about Portland today.

I wonder if they've ever protested in a real homosexual hub before? Like San Francisco or NYC.

 

[magnifier661]

I wonder if they've ever protested in a real homosexual hub before? Like San Francisco or NYC.

I doubt it. I would add "west Hollywood" to that list too

 

[DaLincolnJones]

Darkwebs, thank you for another fantastic thread.

Man, I look over the line ups before every game. Some teams look horrid on paper and play above their talent. Some like the heat, you shake your head in wonder that they suck so hard. Then you get to the last type of roster. Those that are so ugly, you would actively have to try to be any worse. This Magic team is one of those. I cant even see one player that I would add to our roster, including nice guy Channing....if we cant win this game we as fans should have to wear paper sacks over our heads in shame.

 

[MARIS61]

WBC = WE BE CHUCKLEHEADS!

 

[SlyPokerDog]

 

[Strenuus]

No Forunier or Tobias Harris tonight.

 

[Daweez04]

Bah! Working tonight and we have DirectTV and Dish... No Comcast...

All the TVs in the building will probably be on the Hawks anywho.

 

[Strenuus]

Devyn Marble about to go for 30.

 

[BrianFromWA]

Preview updated in POst 2.

 

[riverman]

Hopefully the 4th qtr is all Barton, Claver, McCullom, TRob and Meyers. Go Blazers! There are some players I actually like on the Magic's roster.

 

[DUB]

Frye and Ridnour talking about how much they love Portland.

Frye is going to retire in Portland.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Frye and Ridnour talking about how much they love Portland.

Frye is going to retire in Portland.

Just in time to replace Mike Rice on TV, probably.

 

[BrianFromWA]

alright, see you guys at half.

 

[riverman]

Ridnour was my favorite Duck to make it in the NBA..great back up pt guard, nice guy. Frye is just pure Portlandia

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Two and a half minutes, two fouls two points... not Meyers Leonard, but Kaman.

 

[Strenuus]

lol beibs..

 

[Strenuus]

Wesniss!

 

[riverman]

and just like that Leonard nails a 3 with Wes following it up!

 

[DUB]

If MyLe keeps this up I might have to start calling him My3

 

[Darkwebs]

RainBroz!

 

[riverman]

Great start!

 

[KingSpeed]

Go Blazers!