Game Thread GAME# 44: BLAZERS @ THUNDER - JANUARY 18, 2020 - SATURDAY, 6:00 PM, NBCSNW

[Darkwebs]

2019-20 REGULAR SEASON RECORD
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
18 - 25
(9-15 Road)
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
23 - 19
(13-9 Home)


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

PG

DAMIAN LILLARD VS CHRIS PAUL

SG

ANFERNEE SIMONS VS SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER

SF

NASSIR LITTTLE VS HAMIDOU DIALLO

PF

CARMELO ANTHONY VS NERLENS NOEL

C

HASSAN WHITESIDE VS STEVEN ADAMS

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

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WHEN: 6:00 PM (PST), SATURDAY, 1/18/2020

WHERE: CHESAPEAKE ENERGY ARENA, OKLAHOMA CITY, OK

TV BROADCAST:

RADIO BROADCAST:

​

------------------------------------------------------




--------------RESERVES--------------
- PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS -

TRENT Jr.

HEZONJA , HOARD

BROWN


- OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER-

SCHRODER , DORT

BURTON , NADER , BAZLEY

HERVEY ,

MUSCALA , PATTON



INJURIES
TRAIL BLAZERS
CJ McCollum (left ankle sprain): OUT
Damian Lillard (upper respiratory illness): QUESTIONABLE
Gary Trent Jr. (upper respiratory illness): QUESTIONABLE
Mario Hezonja (back): QUESTIONABLE
Skal Labissiere (left knee): OUT
Rodney Hood (torn Achilles): OUT
Zach Collins (dislocated left shoulder): OUT
Jusuf Nurkic (left leg): OUT
THUNDER
Steven Adams (bruised right knee): QUESTIONABLE
Terrance Ferguson (illness): OUT
Danilo Gallinari (rest): OUT
Abdel Nader (left ankle sprain): OUT
Andre Roberson (left knee rehab): OUT



HEAD COACHES

- VS –

TERRY STOTTS --- BILLY DONOVAN

OFFICIAL THUNDER'S GAME NOTES
OFFICIAL BLAZERS' GAME NOTES ​

• Saturday’s game rounds out the four meetings between the Trail Blazers and the Thunder this season. Portland leads the season series, 2-1.

• LAST MEETING: The Thunder beat the Trail Blazers, 108-96 in Portland on Dec. 8. Damian Lillard led the Trail Blazers with 26 points (8-24 FG, 2-12 3-PT, 8-8 FT) to go with three rebounds and seven assists while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander paced the Thunder with 21 points (5-14 FG, 2-4 3-PT, 9-12 FT), nine rebounds and three assists.

• CJ McCollum had 20 points (8-21 FG, 2-6 3-PT, 2-4 FT), five rebounds, two assists and two steals against Oklahoma Ciy on Dec. 8.

• Hassan Whiteside scored 14 points (6-8 FG, 2-2 FT) to go with 10 rebounds and three assists against the Thunder on Dec. 8.

• Dennis Schroder recorded 21 points (7-14 FG, 3-4 3-PT, 4-4 FT), two rebounds and two assists against the Trail Blazers on Dec. 8.

• HEAD-TO-HEAD HISTORY:
ALL TIME: Thunder lead, 121-118
IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 77-43
AT THE THUNDER: Thunder lead, 79-40

​

 

[Darkwebs]

OKC is currently 7th in the West, while the Blazers sit in the 10th spot.

If Portland wants a shot at catching the Thunder this season, they gotta win this game.

Both teams will be on the second night of a back-to-back, so that's a wash.

Last game of the road trip, so the Blazers need to come out strong, no matter who is healthy enough to play.

If the Blazers can somehow find a way to win this, this will be considered a good road trip.

 

[Darkwebs]

 

[Strenuus]

Sit.

Dame.

For the love of god.

Sit.

Dame.

 

[Tince]

OKC is currently 7th in the West, while the Blazers sit in the 10th spot.

If Portland wants a shot at catching the Thunder this season, they gotta win this game.

Both teams will be on the second night of a back-to-back, so that's a wash.

Last game of the road trip, so the Blazers need to come out strong, no matter who is healthy enough to play.

If the Blazers can somehow find a way to win this, this will be considered a good road trip.

Agreed! I would've taken 1-2 to start the trip. 2-1 would be a MAJOR success.

 

[AldoTrapani]

Another rising team with a future superstar in Shai. Memphis with Morant, Dallas with Luka, OKC with Shai. Western conference teams just loading up for the future while we fight mediocracy. I can’t believe OKC rebuild this fast with even more assets on the way smh

 

[Darkwebs]

 

[BigGameDamian]

The poll question should read: What Blazers player will go down in this game?

 

[SIeepwalker]

Another rising team with a future superstar in Shai. Memphis with Morant, Dallas with Luka, OKC with Shai. Western conference teams just loading up for the future while we fight mediocracy. I can’t believe OKC rebuild this fast with even more assets on the way smh

Honest question, do you ever spend a day without wailing in misery ?

 

[Orion Bailey]

Tough question because for the first time in a long time everyone seems to have a decent shot.
Honestly. Simons might have the oddest/ ugliest form but i say keep shooting kid!!!

 

[kjironman1]

I'm thinking right now Hood might have the worst looking shot. No lift and seems to be a little off center. Maybe that will improve after he gets the boot off?

Seriously Get well Rodney Hood. Rip City loves ya.

 

[DDolla]

Please rest Dame

 

[hoopsjock]

Another rising team with a future superstar in Shai. Memphis with Morant, Dallas with Luka, OKC with Shai. Western conference teams just loading up for the future while we fight mediocracy. I can’t believe OKC rebuild this fast with even more assets on the way smh

Honest question:

If the contracts weren't a factor, would you trade Damian Lillard for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander right now?

 

[Labinot41]

Honest question:

If the contracts weren't a factor, would you trade Damian Lillard for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander right now?

I'm not Aldo but i would not make the trade now, but probably in 2-3 years

 

[blazerkor]

Honest question:

If the contracts weren't a factor, would you trade Damian Lillard for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander right now?

I just don't think you ever trade Dame unless he requests the trade. His value to this franchise goes beyond what he can do on the court. Gilgeous-Alexander is a special talent but I don't know if he'll be better than Dame from a production stand point. Dame is also one of the best leaders/locker room guys in the league. If Dame wants his career to be like Dirk's (like he has stated a number of times) then I think it's smart for us to do everything we can to make that happen.

 

[wizenheimer]

personally, I think people toss around the labels of "super-star" and "elite" and even "star" too casually. I understand using rhetorical excesses to make a point, I do it myself sometimes, but there aren't 50 superstars or elite players in the league, maybe more like 7-12. There aren't even 50 stars

Gilgeous-Alexander is only 21 and he's already a good player. Arguably, he's already better than CJ. So, it might be fair to say he's going to be a star. But it's doubtful he'll ever be elite or a super-star. Right now he's kind of where Olshey was suggesting Simons was going to be, but the gap between them is so wide right now, it's unlikely it will ever close by enough to matter

 

[AldoTrapani]

Honest question:

If the contracts weren't a factor, would you trade Damian Lillard for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander right now?

Fuck ya. Dame is 30 this kid is what? 21? Dame has maybe 3 more good years and that’s it. After like next year it’s time we start really thinking about a new era of blazer basketball. It’s really close to start thinking about stuff like that

 

[twobullz]

CJ out tonight. I Guess we get to see what Simon's is made of. He didn't step up last night, hopefully he will tonight.

 

[wizenheimer]

Fuck ya. Dame is 30 this kid is what? 21? Dame has maybe 3 more good years and that’s it. After like next year it’s time we start really thinking about a new era of blazer basketball. It’s really close to start thinking about stuff like that

oh for chrissakes...really??

to start with, Dame is 29 and it's a half a year till he turns 30.

* Chris Paul is more than 5 years older than Dame, and he's still playing extremely well...and Dame hasn't had the injury history Paul has had, and a lot of injuries age a player.
* Steve Nash averaged 17 points and 11 assists when he was 6 years older than Dame is now.
* John Stockton made his 10th all-star game when he was 8 years older than Dame is now.
* Gary Payton averaged 22 points, 9 assists, and made all-NBA 1st team on defense, and all-NBA 2nd team overall, when he was more than 4 years older than Dame is now

I like Gilgeous-Alexander and would trade CJ for him in a nano-second, but not Dame

 

[DDolla]

If Dame gets hurt, everyone will blame Stotts. lol

 

[kjironman1]

Dame has maybe 3 more good years and that’s it.

Really? 3 more years?
Here is my take. At 33 years old i competed in my third Ironman Triathlon. I recorded my second best time. My best time ever was at 35 years old. Sorry. Dame has more than 3 more good years.

 

[kjironman1]

If Dame gets hurt, everyone will blame Stotts. lol

Pretty sure it's Stotts fault Nurk, Collins, Hood, Skal, Gasol, and CJ are hurt also.

 

[kjironman1]

CJ out tonight. I Guess we get to see what Simon's is made of. He didn't step up last night, hopefully he will tonight.

He always seems to play better starting.

 

[Darkwebs]

 

[kjironman1]

Ha Ha Ha!
OKC says "The Blazers on a second of a B2B?" "Lets just rest everyone!"

 

[Darkwebs]

 

[Darkwebs]

Wow. With the injuries and trade, our bench is thinner than an anorexic supermodel.

 

[Jon]

Holy depleted roster, batman.

 

[twobullz]

From how I understand it the trade can't be completed until Tuesday. Do Baze and AT play the two games between now and then?

 

[Scalma]

heavy minutes for Trent and Nas I ain’t complaining.