Game Thread GAME# 47: BLAZERS @ HAWKS - JANUARY 30, 2015 - FRIDAY, 4:30 PM (PST), CSNNW

[Darkwebs]

PROBABLE STARTERS

VS

WHEN: 4:30 PM (Pacific), FRIDAY, 1/30/2015​

WHERE: Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA

TV BROADCAST:

RADIO BROADCAST:

​

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BENCH

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS

BLAKE , MCCOLLUM , BARTON , CRABBE

WRIGHT , CLAVER , ROBINSON , LEONARD

ATLANTA HAWKS

SCHRODER , JENKINS , BAZEMORE , SEFOLOSHA

SCOTT , BRAND , ANTIC , MUSCALA





INJURIES
TRAIL BLAZERS
▪Nicolas Batum (right wrist sprain): QUESTIONABLE
▪ Joel Freeland (right shoulder strain): OUT
▪ Robin Lopez (fractured right index finger): OUT
HAWKS
▪ Shelvin Mack (left calf strain): OUT





HEAD COACHES

- VS –

TERRY STOTTS - MIKE BUDENHOLZER




BLAZERS' OFFICIAL GAME NOTES ​

• Friday marks the second and final matchup between the Trail Blazers and Hawks in 2014-15.

• In the first meeting in Portland on Jan. 3, the Hawks defeated the Trail Blazers, 115-107 behind 27 points from Paul Millsap on 11-of-17 shooting.

• The Trail Blazers are 18-3 against the Eastern Conference, while Atlanta is 12-2 against the Western Conference.

• Wesley Matthews is ranked first in the NBA with 141 three-pointers, while Atlanta’s Kyle Korver is ranked second in the league with 140 threes.

• Both Atlanta (20-3) and Portland (20-5) have 20 home wins in 2014-15.

• LaMarcus Aldridge scored a game-high 30 points on 14-of-25 shooting and hauled in 12 rebounds in the first meeting between these two teams. Aldridge has recorded five double-doubles in his past seven games against the Hawks.

• Portland has won two consecutive games against the Hawks in Atlanta.

• The Trail Blazers swept the season series from Atlanta in 2013-14 for the first time since 2007-08.

• HEAD-TO-HEAD HISTORY:
ALL TIME: Trail Blazers lead, 53-52
IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 34-19
AT THE HAWKS: Hawks lead, 33-19

HAWKS' OFFICIAL GAME NOTES



GO BLAZERS!!!​

 

[Darkwebs]

Game 47, POR @ ATL (38-8, 21-3 at home), 1/30/15
ATL: 1st in Eastern Conference, 1st in Southeast Division

Our Last Game: L @ CLE, 99-94

Kyrie Irving put on a spectacular show, and LeBron James watched it from a front-row seat.
Irving scored a career-high 55 points, breaking the arena record as James sat out with an injury to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to their eighth straight win, 99-94 over the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night
LaMarcus Aldridge, playing his second game since deciding to delay thumb surgery until after the season, scored 38 to lead the Trail Blazers, who have dropped six of seven. Lillard added 14 on just 4-of-19 shooting and was unable to do much defending Irving.
"He played great," Lillard said. "I've seen him get on streaks before, but usually they're midrange pull-ups and nice layups, not 11 3s. He's in a good rhythm."

Their Last Game: W v. BKN, 113-102

Millsap had 28 points and 15 rebounds, five other Atlanta players scored in double figures, and the Hawks stretched their franchise-record winning streak to 17 games in a row with a 113-102 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night.
"Paul was aggressive," said teammate Al Horford, who also had a double-double with 20 points and 12 rebounds. "When he plays like that, we're tough to beat."
Atlanta (38-8) has won 31 of 33 and leads the Eastern Conference by a commanding seven games. This was a bit tougher than expected against the struggling Nets, who kept it close most of the way.
The Hawks pulled away in the final quarter, leading by as many as 15. Millsap finished off Brooklyn's last run with a 3-pointer from the corner with 2:34 remaining, pushing Atlanta to a 109-98 edge.
Millsap, who was more of a role player in Utah, had taken a lead since signing with the Hawks. He earned his first All-Star appearance a year ago and is expected to be among at least three Atlanta players getting in when the East reserves are announced Thursday night. Horford and Jeff Teague are favored to get in, and Kyle Korver could make it as well.
"We've definitely got a lot of guys who are deserving," Millsap said. "It's going to be tough if one of those guys doesn't make it."
Joe Johnson led the Nets with 26 points. It wasn't enough to prevent Brooklyn's 11th loss in 13 games.

Last Meeting: ATL 115, POR 107 1/5/15

The teams' first meeting of the season was Jan. 3, with Atlanta shooting 51.2 percent to overcome LaMarcus Aldridge's 30 points and 12 rebounds and snap a three-game skid in the series with a 115-107 win. Millsap scored 27 and Jeff Teague added 22 for the Hawks, who had five other players with at least 10 points.
The Northwest Division-leading Trail Blazers (32-14) followed that defeat with four straight victories but have since dropped six of eight, including a season-high four in a row on the road.

Injuries: POR--Lopez (out), Freeland (out), Batum (day-to-day), Aldridge (day-to-day)

Matchups:
Lillard v. Teague (17.2ppg, 7.5apg, 2.6rpg, 1.7stl/g)
Matthews v. Korver (13.0ppg, 4.2rpg, 2.9apg, 53.4% 3pt)
Batum v. Carroll (11.8ppg, 5.3rpg, 1.3stl/g)
Aldridge v. Millsap (17.2ppg, 8.1rpg, 1.7stl/g)
Kaman v. Horford (15.3ppg, 6.8rpg, 3.3apg, 1.4blk/g)

Power Rankings:
ESPN: (1) The Hawks, thanks to win streaks of nine and 16 games and 10 wins in a row against Western Conference opposition, are just the 10th team in history to play at least 32 games and lose only two of them. Six of the previous nine -- since we know that was your next question -- went on to win it all.

NBA: (1) Pace: 96.1 (17) OffRtg: 107.3 (5) DefRtg: 99.6 (4) NetRtg: +7.7 (2)
The Hawks' 16-game winning streak has built them a seven-game lead atop the Eastern Conference, and we'll find out Thursday how many All-Star selections that has earned them. Jeff Teague and Paul Millsap have the standard stats, but Kyle Korver and Al Horford are the most important elements of their top-five offense and top-five defense, respectively.

Link to GrandpaBlaze's Prediction Game
Link to MediocreMan's Over/under

Final Thoughts: Once again, their team is scrappy on the defensive end, getting a hefty amount of blocks and steals. I expect that Dame will continue his crappy shooting post-Adidas switch, but LMA and Wes have a decent chance of winning their matchups. Meyers Leonard (who'd have thunk I'd be saying this?) can exploit bench bigs by pulling them out and opening it up for Blake P&Rs and Wes second-unit post ups, b/c I think that Budenholzer doesn't let open 3s happen ever. Regardless, I have to pull for the Blazers to have a big offensive bounce-back night, to do just enough to limit Korver and Teague from 3, give up midranges to Horford (who's actually way better than LMA at what LMA does most--51% v 39% on 10-23' jumpers) and Millsap and ride out the win. Yes, that'll be tough against ATL's 3 all-stars, but what are the odds of them winning 18 straight? That's like flipping a coin and getting 18 heads in a row, right? /nonstatguy

Us 115
Them 106

 

[KeepOnRollin]

The Atlanta Hawks have been adding a W to their Twitter handle for each win during this streak. They're up to 17 and running out of space.
That doesn't jive with their next opponent, the Portland Trail Blazers.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

The Atlanta Hawks have been adding a W to their Twitter handle for each win during this streak. They're up to 17 and running out of space.
That doesn't jive with their next opponent, the Portland Trail Blazers.

That is fantastic. Let's hope they can back it up.

 

[Boise Blazer]

Although I understand that it may change as the year goes along I've decided this is the game that I want to win more than any other this year for a few reasons. And I would love to win it convincingly.

1. Best in the East
2. Huge winning streak for the Hawks
3. Big boost to get back on track
4. Dame all star snub
5. LMA all star celebration
6. It will get recognized nationally
7. Can't afford to go into a young, hungry Milwaukee Bucks game with a chance to go winless on the trip.
8. Korver vs Wes could be fun to set up the 3 pt contest


This could be a signature win. And how great would it be to have the surprise of getting Rolo back tonight? Talk about perfect timing. Not gonna happen but fun to think about.

GO BLAZERS! JINXSPEED WE NEED ALL YOUR POWERS!

 

[illmatic99]

Damn shame that I will be missing this game (date night with the gf yayyy), but I will watch it first thing on LP tmrw morning. This might have been the game I most looked forward to so far this year

 

[KingSpeed]

I'm really excited too. I'm hoping for a big performance from Lillard.


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[BlayZa]

 

[Boise Blazer]

 

[magnifier661]

I really hope Lillard responds with a monster game. Remember when LaMarcus became LaMonster after his snub? The elite players step up through adversity, not run away and hide

 

[magnifier661]

 

[HomerLovesKoolAid]

Fuck. Why? Why don't they shut him down and play Crabby?

 

[magnifier661]

Fuck. Why? Why don't they shut him down and play Crabby?

I know!!!! We haven't lost when he sat out, but lost 14 times when he started

 

[Boise Blazer]

Will someone please tell Batum that he got snubbed from the all star team too? Its complete BS but maybe it will fire him up too

 

[HomerLovesKoolAid]

Will someone please tell Batum that he got snubbed from the all star team too? Its complete BS but maybe it will fire him up too

Haha. I thought for sure he'd make it!

 

[KingSpeed]

You guys! Lillard never does shoot around before games. He is tonight.


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[Boise Blazer]

 

[speeds]

Coming to you live from the Atlanta Public Library!

 

[KingSpeed]

Batum

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[KingSpeed]

Lopez

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[KingSpeed]

Lopez
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[KingSpeed]

Wes

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[KingSpeed]

Guys look focused as hell. They want this. Usually shoot around is just Dorrell Wright.


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[KingSpeed]

LaMarcus

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[Boise Blazer]

 

[BrianFromWA]

Preview updated in Post 2.

 

[e_blazer]

LaMarcus

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Man, how does LA pick up that little dude in the green hat with just one finger?

 

[Aussie Blazer!]

There is a finals like feel to this game! Loving it

 

[KingSpeed]

LaMarcus

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Haha good catch

 

[Aussie Blazer!]

Hey Speedking, we get some more pics of our bench warming up, just want to see their body language