Game Thread GAME# 40: ROCKETS @ BLAZERS - JANUARY 5, 2019 - SATURDAY, 7:00 PM, NBCSNW

[Darkwebs]

2018-19 REGULAR SEASON RECORD
HOUSTON ROCKETS
22 - 15
(9-10 Road)
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
22 - 17
(14-7 Home)

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

PG

AUSTIN RIVERS VS DAMIAN LILLARD

SG

JAMES HARDEN VS C.J. McCOLLUM

SF

DANIEL HOUSE Jr. VS MAURICE HARKLESS

PF

P.J. TUCKER VS AL-FAROUQ AMINU

C

CLINT CAPELA VS JUSUF NURKIC

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WHEN: 7:00 PM (PST), SATURDAY, 1/5/2019

WHERE: Moda Center, Portland, OR

TV BROADCAST:

RADIO BROADCAST:

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

-- HOUSTON ROCKETS --

KNIGHT , CARTER-WILLIAMS , GORDON

GREEN , ENNIS III , EDWARDS

CLARK , CHRISS

NENE , HARTENSTEIN


---- PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS ----

CURRY , BALDWIN , SIMONS

TURNER , STAUSKAS , TRENT Jr.

LAYMAN , SWANIGAN

COLLINS , LEONARD



INJURIES
ROCKETS
Eric Gordon (knee): QUESTIONABLE
Chris Paul (Left Hamstring Strain): OUT
Carmelo Anthony (Not With Team): OUT
TRAIL BLAZERS
Mo Harkless (left knee): PROBABLE



HEAD COACHES

- VS –

MIKE D'ANTONI --- TERRY STOTTS



OFFICIAL ROCKETS' GAME NOTES
OFFICIAL BLAZERS' GAME NOTES ​

• Saturday’s game is the third and final meeting between the Trail Blazers and the Rockets during the 2018-19 season. The season series is tied, 1-1.

• LAST MEETING: Houston defeated the Trail Blazers, 111-104, at Toyota Center on Dec. 11. The Rockets bench outscored the Portland reserves, 37-13, in the contest. Portland was led by Damian Lillard, who fi nished with 34 points (12-25 FG, 4-7 3-PT, 6-7 FT), two rebounds and two assists while James Harden had 29 points (10-21 FG, 4-9 3-PT, 5-7 FT) and four assists for Houston.

• In two games against the Rockets this season, Damian Lillard has averaged 28.0 points (57.1% FG, 55.6% 3-PT, 91.7% FT), 2.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists.

• CJ McCollum has averaged 21.0 points (50.0% FG, 27.3% 3-PT, 83.3% FT), 3.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists in two games against Houston this season.

• In two games against the Trail Blazers this season, Clint Capela has averaged 13.5 points (54.5% FG, 25.0% FT), 10.5 rebounds and 1.50 blocks.

• HEAD-TO-HEAD HISTORY:
ALL TIME: Rockets lead, 110-85
IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 51-45
AT THE ROCKETS: Rockets lead, 65-34

​

 

[Darkwebs]

Having a game the very next day after a loss can be a good thing- you don't have to endure or dwell on the loss for long. You don't have time to look back, you have to look forward.

I just hope the Blazers have enough in the tank to compete with a red-hot Rockets team, who are on a 6-game win streak and have won 9 of 10!

With the painful loss to the Thunder, Portland dropped from 5th in the West to 7th. The Blazers are 1 full game back of the 4th place Rockets.

And how crazy is it that the Blazers have won/lost all games when they have the lead/deficit after the 3rd quarter. 39 times in a row. That has to be a record, right?

Well, I don't care if they lead or trail the Rockets in the 3rd this game, just get the motherlovin' win and RIP CITY, BABY!

 

[Scalma]

I wonder if stotts sends a double hardens way tomorrow hahha just kidding.

 

[BonesJones]

I wonder if stotts sends a double hardens way tomorrow hahha just kidding.

What's a double team?

 

[BonesJones]

I wonder if stotts sends a double hardens way tomorrow hahha just kidding.

Hell, maybe hedge the pick n roll? Trap every now and then? Switch up the looks to keep him off balance?

Nah, guard will go over, big will sag, and itll let Harden get going downhill at our bigs for open floaters or Nurkic fouls.

 

[KingSpeed]

Hope Mo can play. He’s been huge at end of games.

 

[Scalma]

Hell, maybe hedge the pick n roll? Trap every now and then? Switch up the looks to keep him off balance?

Nah, guard will go over, big willsay, and itll let Harden get going downhill at our bigs for open floaters or Nurkic fouls.

And then Stotts will blame Nurk.

 

[hoopsjock]

I wonder if stotts sends a double hardens way tomorrow hahha just kidding.

It worked last year so of course we haven't seen it since....

 

[oldmangrouch]

What's a double team?

Is that the thing Terry's SO does with the pool boy and the lawn guy?

 

[BonesJones]

Is that the thing Terry's SO does with the pool boy and the lawn guy?

Ohhhh gotcha.

 

[blazerkor]

We just need Dame and CJ to be on tomorrow. If those two can hit their shots then we can win this game. We'll need everyone's effort on D but we're not going to be a defensive team with this roster and Stotts as head coach. The good news is that on this occasion our offense can beat their offense and that can be enough.

 

[kjironman1]

For some reason they play well second night of B2B's

 

[Chris Craig]

I wonder if stotts sends a double hardens way tomorrow hahha just kidding.

 

[DUB]

I'm not going to watch this game live, I'm going to a baseball game instead.

I'll catch the replay (maybe).

After a nice relaxing Sunday afternoon of sun, baseball, and beer, I'm sure I won't really care who wins either game.

 

[KingSpeed]

For some reason they play well second night of B2B's

Good coaching

 

[BonesJones]

Good coaching

No, its coffee...

 

[Scalma]

Nevermind doubles, I’d even send triples at harden. There’s no way that team wins a game without him, not with Paul and Gordon out. I’d be ok taking my chances with Austin Rivers. But I’m fully expecting another Stotts special where he allows Harden to go off in the hopes no one else gets in a rhythm, or whatever his thought process is on those decisions.

For Portland to win they’re going to have to play through Nurkic. Capela can’t guard him, and it’ll take him away from the basket and why do I even bother with this can’t wait for CJ to get another 20 shots.

 

[kjironman1]

For Portland to win they’re going to have to play through Nurkic. Capela can’t guard him,

Yep!

 

[Jade Falcon]

I think this one is going to be a loss. If we can't stop George, then we sure as hell can't stop Harden. He leads the league in almost every single Offensive category that there is. No joke. Look it up.

Expecting Stotts to double-team Harden is a bit like expecting a first-grader to win an Astrophysics argument with Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson. Not gonna happen.

 

[THE HCP]

I'm not going to watch this game live, I'm going to a baseball game instead.

I'll catch the replay (maybe).

After a nice relaxing Sunday afternoon of sun, baseball, and beer, I'm sure I won't really care who wins either game.

First off, baseball sucks. Secondly you live in such a beautiful place, why not spend the day at the beach and lastly.......you live on a island full of criminals, can’t somebody steal you a DVR?

 

[riverman]

First off, baseball sucks.

First off isn't baseball, it's dodgeball dude!

 

[DUB]

First off, baseball sucks. Secondly you live in such a beautiful place, why not spend the day at the beach and lastly.......you live on a island full of criminals, can’t somebody steal you a DVR?

The baseball stadium is only 200 metres from the beach, so I might go for a swim after the game.

With league pass I can watch the replay on demand. But I'll check the scores, and here first, if we played terribly, I'll probably give it a miss.

 

[riverman]

Baseball rocks

 

[kjironman1]

This sucks. had to give the tix away. Can't even watch the game.

That Mother ****er better double Harden!

Anyway. Enjoy the game.

Go Blazers!

Kjironman is a fan!!!

 

[Darkwebs]

 

[Darkwebs]

 

[Darkwebs]

 

[TBpup]

Rockets best bench player out? I swear someone mentioned we play teams quite often without big pieces of their rotation....

 

[KingSpeed]

Rockets best bench player out? I swear someone mentioned we play teams quite often without big pieces of their rotation....

Everyone does. These players don’t just miss our games.

 

[Blazer4ever]

We need to use Harkless on Harden. If we put CJ on him it's gonna get ugly. Stash CJ on one of their other players and have Harkless take Harden as his personal assignment. If we do that we win, they have very little beside him