Game Thread GAME# 47: BLAZERS @ PISTONS - MARCH 31, 2021 - WEDNESDAY, 4:00, NBCSNW

[Darkwebs]

2020-21 REGULAR SEASON RECORD
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
28 - 18
(14-9 Road)
DETROIT PISTONS
12 - 33
(7-13 Home)


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

PG

DAMIAN LILLARD VS DENNIS SMITH Jr.

SG

C.J. McCOLLUM VS WAYNE ELLINGTON

SF

DERRICK JONES Jr. VS SADDIQ BEY

PF

ROBERT COVINGTON VS JERAMI GRANT

C

JUSUF NURKIC VS MASON PLUMLEE


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

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

---

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



WHEN: 4:00 PM (PDT), WEDNESDAY, 3/31/2021

WHERE: LITTLE CAESARS ARENA, DETROIT, MI

TV BROADCAST:

RADIO BROADCAST:

​

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



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

SIMONS , BLEVINS

POWELL , ELLEBY , LITTLE

ANTHONY , GILES III , KANTER


- DETROIT PISTONS-

LEE , JACKSON , JOSEPH

McGRUDER , DIALLO , SIRVYDIS

JACKSON , DOUMBOUYA ,

COOK , STEWART


INJURIES
TRAIL BLAZERS
Nassir LIttle (sprained right thumb): QUESTIONABLE
Zach Collins (left ankle stress fracture): OUT
PISTONS
Jerami Grant (bruised left quad): QUESTIONABLE
Rodney McGruder (sprained right elbow): QUESTIONABLE
Dennis Smith Jr. (lumbar soreness): QUESTIONABLE
Killian Hayes (hip): DOUBTFUL
Jahlil Okafor (left knee): OUT



HEAD COACHES

- VS –

TERRY STOTTS --- DWANE CASEY

OFFICIAL PISTONS' GAME NOTES
OFFICIAL BLAZERS' GAME NOTES ​

• The Trail Blazers March 31 game at the Pistons will be the first of two meetings between Portland and Detroit this season. The second game will be played on April 10.

• LAST SEASON: Portland won the only game between the two teams during the 2019-20 season; a 107-104 victory at Moda Center. CJ McCollum led the Trail Blazers with 41 points (15-30 FG, 6-11 3-PT, 5-8 FT), nine rebounds and 12 assists. Christian Wood paced the Pistons with 26 points (9-15 FG, 2-4 3-PT, 6-7 FT), four rebounds and four assists.

• Carmelo Anthony added 32 points (11-16 FG, 5-9 3-PT, 5-6 FT), four rebounds and one assist. It was his fourth career game with 30+ against the Pistons.

• In four games against the Trail Blazers in 2019-20 while with the Nuggets, Jerami Grant averaged 16.0 points (60.5% FG, 66.7% 3-PT, 54.5% FT), 3.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 0.80 steals.

• HEAD-TO-HEAD HISTORY:
ALL TIME: Trail Blazers lead, 64-55
PORTLAND HOME: Trail Blazers lead, 40-19
DETROIT HOME: Pistons lead, 36-24

​

 

[Darkwebs]

A chance here to achieve a clean sweep of this 4-game road trip. Even though we've been playing teams who were missing a number of players, this is no small feat.

And this is the 3rd time in 4 games we are wearing the Spirit of Oregon brown jerseys. Are the Blazers trying to push jersey sales?

Winning 4 straight would certainly make up for the 3-2 home stand that came prior.

Enough yappin', let's make it happen!

 

[kjironman1]

Blazers with another two full days off. Much needed and maybe they can work out some wrinkles in the offense/defense.
Go get this one Blazers.

 

[BigGameDamian]

It would be nice if CJ would come off the bench and let Powell start at SG.

 

[Scalma]

It would be nice if CJ would come off the bench and let Powell start at SG.

 

[bobf]

I voted DJ. Mostly a matter of don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

 

[twobullz]

I voted DJJ, then we can have a three guard line up of Dame CJ and Powell. Ant should only be playing in blowouts, his defense is so bad.

 

[KSF-ERIC]

4 seed in reach.

If Lakers lose tonight and to Bucks
If Nuggets lose to Sixers

then we’re 4th with a win over Pistons

then we work on getting to 3rd

 

[KSF-ERIC]

Dammit Otto.

 

[Tince]

Blazers with a chance to close out a disappointing 4-0 roadtrip!

 

[BigGameDamian]

 

[blazerkor]

Another game that we should win and I think we'll kick the Pistons' asses. I do wish that Terry had the balls and mindset to start Dame, Powell, DJ, RoCo and Nurk. Starting the game with four really good defenders around Dame that can all produce on offense is the best idea. I still think CJ should get over 30 minutes a game but just bring him off of the bench. Regardless the trade and having Nurk back plus playing a bunch of shitty teams has been fun to watch.

 

[kjironman1]

So many posters use stats to make their case on players that i decided to look deeper into the CJ vs Powell conversation. Came up with some pretty interesting numbers. I'm using this years numbers.
Per- CJ 22.6 Powell 15 (League Average)
Block% - CJ 1.3 Powell 1.4 ( I kind of expected this )
FTr - CJ .157 Powell .737 (absolutely blistering Powell is like one of the very best in the entire league. Even James harden is .428)
FT% - CJ 87% Powell 64% ( This is an aberration because Powell has been in the 80's most of his career) Not sure what is up here?
DBPM - CJ -1.9 Powell -.08 ( 1 point difference )
OBPM - CJ 5.8 Powell -1.3 (not even close full 7 point difference)
Win share - CJ 2.1 Powell 0.1
Feel free to bring up another metric if you think it will trump what i have here.

You guys I'm sorry but i have to go with Stotts here. CJ not only is the better player but he hands down gives this team a better chance to win. Please don't throw out there what CJ makes because mid season those things don't change and honestly from the looks of the numbers this season CJ is earning his paycheck.

 

[Labinot41]

Dame should not play in this game. Pistons are garbage

 

[PtldPlatypus]

re: the poll question, I'd like to see Little as the starter. I think Powell/Jones together off the bench could be a great and disruptive combo.

 

[Cugel]

Dame is clearly not 100%. Rest his ass.

 

[kjironman1]

Dame should not play in this game. Pistons are garbage

I would consider that as well.

 

[JDC]

I'll be interested to see how Terry handles the inevitable Melo+Kanter minutes with Nurk back.

Nick Nurse let us off the hook at the end of the 3rd having Stanley Johnson out there. Gave us a spot to hide Kanter. Was a key stretch in that game.

The all bench lineups with those two were a joke to start the season and having one of RoCo and DJJ helps, but one guy can only do so much.

 

[bobf]

So many posters use stats to make their case on players that i decided to look deeper into the CJ vs Powell conversation. Came up with some pretty interesting numbers. I'm using this years numbers.
Per- CJ 22.6 Powell 15 (League Average)
Block% - CJ 1.3 Powell 1.4 ( I kind of expected this )
FTr - CJ .157 Powell .737 (absolutely blistering Powell is like one of the very best in the entire league. Even James harden is .428)
FT% - CJ 87% Powell 64% ( This is an aberration because Powell has been in the 80's most of his career) Not sure what is up here?
DBPM - CJ -1.9 Powell -.08 ( 1 point difference )
OBPM - CJ 5.8 Powell -1.3 (not even close full 7 point difference)
Win share - CJ 2.1 Powell 0.1
Feel free to bring up another metric if you think it will trump what i have here.

You guys I'm sorry but i have to go with Stotts here. CJ not only is the better player but he hands down gives this team a better chance to win. Please don't throw out there what CJ makes because mid season those things don't change and honestly from the looks of the numbers this season CJ is earning his paycheck.

One issue here is that CJ's advanced stats have seen a drastic improvement this year and it's not clear how much of that is real. If I recall correctly, before coming back from injury, CJ's TS% was at 0.620 and BPM around +6.0. Now he's down to 0.576 and +3.9. Still fantastic numbers but where will they settle? CJ's average for the past 3 years are 0.543 and +0.9. The comparison depends largely on how much of CJ's current year bump will sustain. To complicate matters even more, Powell's numbers have also improved quite a bit, but over a longer time frame with larger sample sizes.

Also I just noticed that you are using Powell's stats as a Blazer. That's way way way too small of a sample. Ideally you'd like to use at least one year of data though when players are improving it can be problematic.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Another game that we should win and I think we'll kick the Pistons' asses. I do wish that Terry had the balls and mindset to start Dame, Powell, DJ, RoCo and Nurk. Starting the game with four really good defenders around Dame that can all produce on offense is the best idea. I still think CJ should get over 30 minutes a game but just bring him off of the bench. Regardless the trade and having Nurk back plus playing a bunch of shitty teams has been fun to watch.

Not a bad idea. I have often thought it was ideal for CJ to come off the bench. But now I am not so sure it makes a difference.
Either way, he is getting the same amount of minutes and we do need him to close out games. So maybe it is best to have DJ on the floor with Kanter and Melo? They also need his D.

 

[Pinwheel1]

re: the poll question, I'd like to see Little as the starter. I think Powell/Jones together off the bench could be a great and disruptive combo.

Maybe next season. But for now we can't seem to get Little healthy. He needs some more experience first IMO.

 

[B-Roy]

So many posters use stats to make their case on players that i decided to look deeper into the CJ vs Powell conversation. Came up with some pretty interesting numbers. I'm using this years numbers.
Per- CJ 22.6 Powell 15 (League Average)
Block% - CJ 1.3 Powell 1.4 ( I kind of expected this )
FTr - CJ .157 Powell .737 (absolutely blistering Powell is like one of the very best in the entire league. Even James harden is .428)
FT% - CJ 87% Powell 64% ( This is an aberration because Powell has been in the 80's most of his career) Not sure what is up here?
DBPM - CJ -1.9 Powell -.08 ( 1 point difference )
OBPM - CJ 5.8 Powell -1.3 (not even close full 7 point difference)
Win share - CJ 2.1 Powell 0.1
Feel free to bring up another metric if you think it will trump what i have here.

You guys I'm sorry but i have to go with Stotts here. CJ not only is the better player but he hands down gives this team a better chance to win. Please don't throw out there what CJ makes because mid season those things don't change and honestly from the looks of the numbers this season CJ is earning his paycheck.

You're using Powell's stats for two games with the Blazers, not his stats on the season.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Maybe next season. But for now we can't seem to get Little healthy. He needs some more experience first IMO.

Maybe. kinda wanna Vonleh him for the rest of the year, see if he can find a groove with the starters.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Maybe. kinda wanna Vonleh him for the rest of the year, see if he can find a groove with the starters.

Not a horrible idea, but I think this last injury has shelved any possibility of that happening this year. Not sure when he will be back but I think he needs to come off the bench for a while. If they don't start Powell then I think going back to Jones is more likely.

 

[James lamphear]

I'll be interested to see how Terry handles the inevitable Melo+Kanter minutes with Nurk back.

Nick Nurse let us off the hook at the end of the 3rd having Stanley Johnson out there. Gave us a spot to hide Kanter. Was a key stretch in that game.

The all bench lineups with those two were a joke to start the season and having one of RoCo and DJJ helps, but one guy can only do so much.

Once he had CJ Simons Jones Melo Kanter that defense disaster when you got 1 defense minded player out there. Once he had Dame with those guys I believe the 1st quarter too and that's when they went on big run.

 

[kjironman1]

Also I just noticed that you are using Powell's stats as a Blazer. That's way way way too small of a sample

I did. Nice catch
Though the difference is slight. He does have a higher Per by 2 points. And his free throws are a bunch better. Like i said the 64% type range has been an aberration.

 

[kjironman1]

You're using Powell's stats for two games with the Blazers, not his stats on the season.

Yeah that was pointed out two hours prior. But like i said above the difference is negligible.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Yeah that was pointed out two hours prior. But like i said above the difference is negligible.

The difference in WS (which you referenced) is pretty significant. Also significant is the fact that CJ's overall season numbers are not a valid reflection of what he's been since his return. Here's his averages the past 8 games. Can't really see the advanced numbers for that span, but what we can see hasn't really been all that great.

 

[Natebishop3]

Yeah that was pointed out two hours prior. But like i said above the difference is negligible.

Ok. here's some stats to throw back at you.

CJ is average 5 more ppg but he's doing it with:
2 more minutes per game
6 more FGA
5.4% more USG

Powell is simply a MUCH more efficient scorer than CJ. It's not even close.
50% FG > 44%
44.6% from three > 40.4%
60.5% eFG > 54.7%
64.7% TS% > 57.6%

CJ needs more shots and more minutes to score more points. He also needs the ball in his hands.

I will also add that a lot of what Powell does on defense doesn't show up in a box score. He's really good at help defense. I have seen him slide over to collapse on the ball and I heard Stotts mention this as one of his biggest strengths. He's a very heady defender.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Powell is simply a MUCH more efficient scorer than CJ. It's not even close.

Not just more efficient than CJ, but more efficient than anyone on the squad. Powell's season TS% of .647 is easily the best on the Blazers.