Game Thread GAME# 46: BLAZERS @ CELTICS - JANUARY 21, 2017 - SATURDAY, 2:00 PM (PST), CSNNW

[Darkwebs]

2016-17 REGULAR SEASON RECORD
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
18 - 27
(7-18 Road)
BOSTON CELTICS
26 - 16
(13-7 Home)

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

PG

DAMIAN LILLARD VS ISAIAH THOMAS

SG

C.J. McCOLLUM VS MARCUS SMART

SF

EVAN TURNER VS JAE CROWDER

PF

NOAH VONLEH VS AMIR JOHNSON

C

MASON PLUMLEE VS AL HORFORD

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WHEN: 2:00 PM, SATURDAY, 1/21/2017

WHERE: TD GARDEN, BOSTON, MA

TV BROADCAST:

RADIO BROADCAST:

​

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--------------BENCH--------------
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS

NAPIER , QUARTERMAN , CONNAUGHTON

CRABBE , LAYMAN , HARKLESS

AMINU , DAVIS , LEONARD

BOSTON CELTICS

JACKSON , ROZIER , YOUNG

, BROWN , GREEN , MICKEY

JEREBKO , OLYNYK , ZELLER



INJURIES
TRAIL BLAZERS
Festus Ezeli (Left Knee): OUT
CELTICS
James Young (Right Ankle Sprain): QUESTIONABLE
Tyler Zeller (Sinus Infection): QUESTIONABLE
Avery Bradley (Strained Right Achilles): OUT



HEAD COACHES

- VS –

TERRY STOTTS --- BRAD STEVENS



CELTICS' OFFICIAL GAME NOTES
BLAZERS' OFFICIAL GAME NOTES ​

•Saturday marks the first of two regular season matchups between the Trail
Blazers and Celtics in 2016-17.

• Portland and Boston split the season series (1-1) in 2015-16, with each team winning its home game.

• The Trail Blazers have won five of their past seven games against the Celtics, including two of their past three road games vs. Boston.

• Boston has held Portland to less than 100 points in 19 of the past 23 meetings between these two teams since the start of the 2004-05 season. The Trail Blazers are 4-15 when failing to score 100 points during that span.

• Al-Farouq Aminu scored a career-high 28 points on 11-of-19 shooting (6-11 3-PT) in Portland’s most recent game against Boston on March 31 of last season.

• Damian Lillard has scored 20+ points twice in eight career games against Boston, both of which have come in the past three contests. 21 points represents Lillard’s highest scoring total vs. the Celtics (1/22/15).

• CJ McCollum scored 17 points in each of his two games against the Celtics last season. McCollum averaged 5.0 assists in addition to his 17.0 ppg.

• HEAD-TO-HEAD HISTORY:
ALL TIME: Celtics lead, 64-44
IN PORTLAND: Celtics lead, 28-26
AT THE CELTICS: Celtics lead, 36-18

 

[Darkwebs]

It's honestly getting difficult to continue making game threads, when the Blazers are sucking this bad, sucking the life out of me.

Watching the Blazers this past week has felt like .

 

[BonesJones]

Honestly, right now I'd start Layman and Vonleh at the forward spots. There might not be much of a drop off just because of Lillard and CJ. That puts a lot of talent on our bench. It also allows us to see what we have.

 

[Strenuus]

It's honestly getting difficult to continue making game threads, when the Blazers are sucking this bad, sucking the life out of me.

Watching the Blazers this past week has felt like .

I was thinking about that the last week or so.... but these are amazing, and I am truly thankful you do these.

 

[Nikolokolus]

It's honestly getting difficult to continue making game threads, when the Blazers are sucking this bad, sucking the life out of me.

Watching the Blazers this past week has felt like .

You do yeoman's work. If only the team were putting out a product that had half the quality.

 

[TBpup]

Honestly, right now I'd start Layman and Vonleh at the forward spots. There might not be much of a drop off just because of Lillard and CJ. That puts a lot of talent on our bench. It also allows us to see what we have.

Seriously...but I would break Dame/CJ up because it's just not working no matter how great of BFF's they are. They will still play 30+ minutes which is all they should be playing. 35+ is too much unless you are fighting for HCA.

Heck, start Meyers (he's best defense is at Center), Vonleh, Laymen, Turner and Dame. Then rotate in Plumlee, Aminu, Harkless, Crabbe and CJ. Layman and Vonleh will probably only end up with 20 minutes or less anyhow which leaves plenty of minutes for the other 8 players.

Dame (32) - CJ (16)
Turner (12) - CJ (16) - Crabbe (20)
Layman (16) - Turner (12) - Harkless (24)
Vonleh (20) - Aminu (28)
Leonard (24) - Plumlee (24)

Most players haven't proven they deserve more than 24 minutes anyhow so change it up and give other guys some regular rotation minutes and not just for 1 or 2 games.

 

[julius]

Why change the lineup? That might actually improve the teams chances of winning. Let's face it, this season is lost. Gotta work on next years excuses.

 

[BrunoSOC]

Sad. I just can be ok after the last game. Hope We win... but its clear... 0-4 Roadtrip

 

[Minstrel]

Harkless should be starting. He's arguably the only two-way player the team has (and definitely the only two-way player who can also shoot). He should be playing 30+ minutes, not 19 like last night.

Lillard and McCollum should be starting and playing ~35 minutes per game, but at least one of them should be on the court at all times, which also splits them up for ~13 minutes per game.

Turner should always play more than Aminu, shifting his defensive match-up from 1 through 4 depending on the specific match-ups on the floor at a given time. Turner is a better (though smaller) defender than Aminu and has a broader skillset. The only thing Aminu brought over Turner, last year, was three-point shooting and that appears to have been a fluke.

I'd probably give the bulk of the power forward minutes to Vonleh. The team needs to figure out what they have in him and he's shown glimpses of being a good player. He could also spell Plumlee at center against smaller opposing centers.

 

[KeepOnRollin]

^this

 

[julius]

Harkless should be starting. He's arguably the only two-way player the team has (and definitely the only two-way player who can also shoot). He should be playing 30+ minutes, not 19 like last night.

Lillard and McCollum should be starting and playing ~35 minutes per game, but at least one of them should be on the court at all times, which also splits them up for ~13 minutes per game.

Turner should always play more than Aminu, shifting his defensive match-up from 1 through 4 depending on the specific match-ups on the floor at a given time. Turner is a better (though smaller) defender than Aminu and has a broader skillset. The only thing Aminu brought over Turner, last year, was three-point shooting and that appears to have been a fluke.

I'd probably give the bulk of the power forward minutes to Vonleh. The team needs to figure out what they have in him and he's shown glimpses of being a good player. He could also spell Plumlee at center against smaller opposing centers.

Barring there be a reason we aren't privy too, I'm not sure why Harkless (of all starters) was punished.

Aminu is inconsistent, Leonard shouldn't get minutes and Vonleh might as well start ahead of Aminu.

my biggest concern is that they do absolutely nothing and then draft redundant players in the draft.

 

[blue9]

Barring there be a reason we aren't privy too, I'm not sure why Harkless (of all starters) was punished.

Aminu is inconsistent, Leonard shouldn't get minutes and Vonleh might as well start ahead of Aminu.

my biggest concern is that they do absolutely nothing and then draft redundant players in the draft.

Yeah, it stinks of Stotts panicking and just making a change with little thought put into it. It would have made much more sense to just swap Aminu/Vonleh, or if he wanted to change two spots then swap Turner (or Crabbe) for CJ. The Harkless substitution doesn't make any sense - Harkless has always played better (and blended better) when he plays alongside Dame.

 

[Sinobas]

At this point, I just want the Blazer to keep losing.

Lose baby, lose!

 

[Orion Bailey]

It's honestly getting difficult to continue making game threads, when the Blazers are sucking this bad, sucking the life out of me.

Watching the Blazers this past week has felt like .

Do it for us then. I REALLY appreciate the work you do. You are a vital part of the season around here!

 

[KingSpeed]

Don't quit, DW.

 

[BonesJones]

Harkless should be starting. He's arguably the only two-way player the team has (and definitely the only two-way player who can also shoot). He should be playing 30+ minutes, not 19 like last night.

Lillard and McCollum should be starting and playing ~35 minutes per game, but at least one of them should be on the court at all times, which also splits them up for ~13 minutes per game.

Turner should always play more than Aminu, shifting his defensive match-up from 1 through 4 depending on the specific match-ups on the floor at a given time. Turner is a better (though smaller) defender than Aminu and has a broader skillset. The only thing Aminu brought over Turner, last year, was three-point shooting and that appears to have been a fluke.

I'd probably give the bulk of the power forward minutes to Vonleh. The team needs to figure out what they have in him and he's shown glimpses of being a good player. He could also spell Plumlee at center against smaller opposing centers.

That splits them up for 26 minutes a game, not 13.

 

[BonesJones]

Probably gonna skip this one.

 

[BonesJones]

Bought to go watch college basketball instead

 

[Strenuus]

Bought to go watch college basketball instead

You could always watch the UAB Blazers.

 

[KingSpeed]

Probably gonna skip this one.

Dude. Don't quit now! The team hasn't quit. Let's get back on track tonight!

 

[Strenuus]

Dude. Don't quit now! The team hasn't quit. Let's get back on track tonight!

View attachment 12034

I mean, the team can't quit. They are contractually obligated to be there unless they want heavy punishments.

 

[KingSpeed]

Speaking of not quitting, the Brooklyn Nets scored 143 points last night. Where did that come from?

 

[Strenuus]

Speaking of not quitting, the Brooklyn Nets scored 143 points last night. Where did that come from?

Wait, isn't that the code for I love you? Like what they use to do on pagers or some shit.

 

[KingSpeed]

 

[KingSpeed]

Wait, isn't that the code for I love you? Like what they use to do on pagers or some shit.

Huh. I think you're right

 

[Strenuus]

Huh. I think you're right

It's a code to Crabbe! THey are saying they love him. Awwww!

 

[KingSpeed]

 

[KingSpeed]

According to scoreboard, Turner and Vonleh are starting again.

 

[THE HCP]

Game 46.......

 

[KingSpeed]

Game 46.......

View attachment 12037

Win 19