Game Thread GAME# 47: PACERS @ BLAZERS - JANUARY 26, 2020 - SUNDAY, 6:00 PM, NBATV & NBCSNW

[Darkwebs]

2019-20 REGULAR SEASON RECORD
INDIANA PACERS
29 - 16
(12-11 Road)
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
19 - 27
(10-11 Home)

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

PG

MALCOLM BROGDON VS DAMIAN LILLARD

SG

JEREMY LAMB VS C.J. McCOLLUM

SF

T.J. WARREN VS TREVOR ARIZA

PF

DOMANTAS SABONIS VS CARMELO ANTHONY

C

MYLES TURNER VS HASSAN WHITESIDE

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

---

WHEN: 6:00 PM (PST), SUNDAY, 1/26/2020

WHERE: Moda Center, Portland, OR

TV BROADCAST:

AND

RADIO BROADCAST:

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

-------- INDIANA PACERS --------

HOLIDAY , McCONNELL , SUMNER

MITROU-LONG , BOWEN II , HOLIDAY

McDERMOTT , JOHNSON , SAMPSON

LEAF , BITADZE

---- PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS ----

SIMONS , TRENT Jr.

LITTLE , HEZONJA , HOARD

GABRIEL , SWANIGAN , BROWN



INJURIES
PACERS
Victor Oladipo (right knee rehabilitation): OUT
TRAIL BLAZERS
CJ McCollum (left ankle sprain): QUESTIONABLE
Skal Labissiere (left knee): OUT
Rodney Hood (torn Achilles): OUT
Zach Collins (dislocated left shoulder): OUT
Jusuf Nurkic (left leg): OUT


HEAD COACHES

- VS –

NATE McMILLAN --- TERRY STOTTS



OFFICIAL PACERS' GAME NOTES
OFFICIAL BLAZERS' GAME NOTES ​

• Sunday’s game will be the first of two matchups between the Trail Blazers and Pacers during the 2019-20 season.

• LAST SEASON: Portland swept the season series with the Pacers in 2018-19, 2-0.

• Damian Lillard averaged 23.0 points (48.3% FG, 37.5% 3-PT, 92.3% FT), 1.5 rebounds, and 8.5 assists in two games against the Pacers during the 2018-19 season.

• In three games against the Pacers with the Heat last season, Hassan Whiteside averaged 14.0 points (55.6% FG, 20.0% 3-PT), 16.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks.

• Carmelo Anthony scored eight points (3-9 FG, 2-7 3-PT) and had five rebounds in one game against the Indiana while with Houston last season.

• Malcolm Brogdon averaged 10.0 points (45.0% FG, 100% FT), 3.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists in two games against Portland with Milwaukee last season.

• In two games against Portland last season, Domantas Sabonis averaged 6.5 points (50.0% FG, 60.0% FT), 7.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists.

• HEAD-TO-HEAD HISTORY:
ALL TIME: Trail Blazers lead, 56-34
IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead,35-10
AT THE PACERS: Pacers lead, 24-21

​

 

[Darkwebs]

This is the 3rd game of a 4-game homestand for Portland.

However, Indiana's road record is better than the Blazers home record, so who has the actual advantage?

The Blazers get 2 days off between games again, but that didn't help them in their previous loss against Dallas. Hopefully, the extra rest helps them more this time around.

Portland is still fighting to stay within grasp of the 8th seed, currently sitting 2.5 game back of the 8th-place Spurs.

Dame has done all he can (offensively), scoring an average of 54 points the last couple games, and has 7 straight games of 25+ points.

But he cannot do it alone. Someone needs to step up. And that someone includes the coaching staff. The Blazers have given up 115 points or more in 8 straight games. There is no defense for the lack of defense shown by our team and coaches.

 

[PHXBlazer1]

That poll question is brutal man

 

[Darkwebs]

That poll question is brutal man

Yeah I know, but it's been a brutal season.

 

[blazerkor]

I think we can beat this Pacers team, especially if Dame stays hot. We may get CJ back which would be nice. I'm also excited to have Ariza here, his defense is on point and his three point shot (especially from the corner) is pure. Go Blazers!

 

[BigGameDamian]

Getting a higher draft pick is not going to help this team next year.

 

[kjironman1]

I'm doubting the team will make the playoffs this year at all. I'm starting to fall into the trade Whiteside for a couple good picks and a solid rotation player and save some money group. Start building a contender. Yes this might take two years. Better to start now.

 

[James lamphear]

Yes I look at the schedule for remaining of the season the best I see us is 38 wins and that's if we beat teams that we should due we get healthier after all star break.

 

[TBpup]

Yes I look at the schedule for remaining of the season the best I see us is 38 wins and that's if we beat teams that we should due we get healthier after all star break.

Exactly. Tough stretch coming up:

PACERS
ROCKETS
@lakers
JAZZ
@Denver
SPURS
@Jazz
MIAMI

Tough to see more than a couple of wins in that stretch if that. Even two wins would put the Blazers at 21-33 with 28 games left. OKC is on pace for 47 wins so the #7 spot is out. That leaves #8 and a 1st round meeting with the Lakers. But to even get to #8 after an around 21-33 mark before the schedule turns around, that would mean they need to go 19-9 just to get to 40 wins. Memphis is currently on pace for ~38 wins. At that pace, 18-10 would be about the minimum required.

The Blazers haven't come anywhere close to a stretch like that no matter how easy the schedule was in parts. Blazers would need to go from a .413 winning percentage to .643 ....just to get the pleasure of being ceremoniously dismissed by the Lakers.

Ugh!

 

[Scalma]

McCollum is expected back, so Simons should see his role greatly reduced. Trent has earned more minutes and should be first off the bench. Simons can fight for scraps like Trent did earlier in the season. The Swanigan experiment shouldn’t last long either.

 

[James lamphear]

McCollum is expected back, so Simons should see his role greatly reduced. Trent has earned more minutes and should be first off the bench. Simons can fight for scraps like Trent did earlier in the season. The Swanigan experiment shouldn’t last long either.

I still think Simons will first off the bench is that's right decision the way he been playing no it should be Trent because he out playing Simons on both sides of the ball. But Stotts did have Trent finish the game last night with the starters and Trent delivered on his chance.

 

[hoopsjock]

McCollum is expected back, so Simons should see his role greatly reduced. Trent has earned more minutes and should be first off the bench. Simons can fight for scraps like Trent did earlier in the season. The Swanigan experiment shouldn’t last long either.

You don't want to see more lineups of Swanigan playing PF with Whiteside at center against a perimeter oriented small lineup?

Are you saying you don't like your eyes bleeding?

 

[SIeepwalker]

Am I not getting the poll question ? Why would you you guy want a worst pick AND getting swept by the Lakers ? I know they say two negatives make a positive but I'm just not seeing it right here.....

 

[Scalma]

You don't want to see more lineups of Swanigan playing PF with Whiteside at center against a perimeter oriented small lineup?

Are you saying you don't like your eyes bleeding?

Swanigan at power forward against any lineup big or small is a disaster. The fact that he just got handed minutes is a joke. And it was so predictable too. Seeing Swanigan asked to hedge last night infuriated me.

 

[hoopsjock]

Am I not getting the poll question ? Why would you you guy want a worst pick AND getting swept by the Lakers ? I know they say two negatives make a positive but I'm just not seeing it right here.....

To me getting the 14th pick would mean we finished 9th in the West so most likely it would've led to just missing out on the playoffs after making a run. Getting the 17th pick means we at least played well the rest of the season so I feel like we would have had to make another move that helped the team and/or that our injured players (except Hood) came back and gave us something. The difference between 14 and 17 in a draft like this isn't really enough to not have at least succeeded in making the playoffs. Now if it would've been the 10th pick versus the 17th pick or something like that then it would be different.

 

[SIeepwalker]

Swanigan at power forward against any lineup big or small is a disaster. The fact that he just got handed minutes is a joke. And it was so predictable too. Seeing Swanigan asked to hedge last night infuriated me.

Man Neil actually has a very tough job. Any time he gets a bad player thrown into a trade to make it work Stotts is just gonna play the guy 20+ minutes, so that considerably reduces the amount of trades he can do to improve the team.

 

[SIeepwalker]

To me getting the 14th pick would mean we finished 9th in the West so most likely it would've led to just missing out on the playoffs after making a run. Getting the 17th pick means we at least played well the rest of the season so I feel like we would have had to make another move that helped the team and/or that our injured players (except Hood) came back and gave us something. The difference between 14 and 17 in a draft like this isn't really enough to not have at least succeeded in making the playoffs. Now if it would've been the 10th pick versus the 17th pick or something like that then it would be different.

yeah but getting swept by the Lakers sound harder to watch than just missing out..... I would take the playoffs for only a 3 picks difference if the results of the series was unknown

 

[Jon]

Swanigan at power forward against any lineup big or small is a disaster. The fact that he just got handed minutes is a joke. And it was so predictable too. Seeing Swanigan asked to hedge last night infuriated me.

still made better plays than Brown could even dream of.

 

[Jon]

i wonder if we are going to play defense tonight.....

 

[SIeepwalker]

still made better plays than Brown could even dream of.

You mean he had the opportunity to make better very occasional plays in the 23 minutes he was kept on the floor than Brown in the 10 seconds he's allowed to played if by some miracle he is given the gift of playing time ? Well that's a shocker

 

[stampedehero]

This is the 3rd game of a 4-game homestand for Portland.

However, Indiana's road record is better than the Blazers home record, so who has the actual advantage?

The Blazers get 2 days off between games again, but that didn't help them in their previous loss against Dallas. Hopefully, the extra rest helps them more this time around.

Portland is still fighting to stay within grasp of the 8th seed, currently sitting 2.5 game back of the 8th-place Spurs.

Dame has done all he can (offensively), scoring an average of 54 points the last couple games, and has 7 straight games of 25+ points.

But he cannot do it alone. Someone needs to step up. And that someone includes the coaching staff. The Blazers have given up 115 points or more in 8 straight games. There is no defense for the lack of defense shown by our team and coaches.

There is no doubt this teams lack of defense is my pet peeve.

 

[Scalma]

You mean he had the opportunity to make better very occasional plays in the 23 minutes he was kept on the floor than Brown in the 10 seconds he's allowed to played if by some miracle he is given the gift of playing time ? Well that's a shocker

in between a taken charge and a nice pass he was regularly lit up defensively, but yeah I’d rather blame Stotts. It’s not Biggies fault he’s put in shitty situations (aka anywhere on the perimeter) Gabriel would’ve had a much better chance. So would Little. Pretty much anyone not named Biggie would have.

 

[Jon]

in between a taken charge and a nice pass he was regularly lit up defensively, but yeah I’d rather blame Stotts. It’s not Biggies fault he’s put in shitty situations (aka anywhere on the perimeter) Gabriel would’ve had a much better chance. So would Little. Pretty much anyone not named Biggie would have.

everyone got lit up on the perimeter. they were just on fire. i agree that we should have seen either Little or Gabriel, but Biggie was still better than Brown by a long shot.

 

[Jon]

You mean he had the opportunity to make better very occasional plays in the 23 minutes he was kept on the floor than Brown in the 10 seconds he's allowed to played if by some miracle he is given the gift of playing time ? Well that's a shocker

if Brown was on the floor for 23 min, we would have lost by 30. Stotts kept him in for 2 min one game and pulled him cause he was lost. he also was in for 1 min another game and looked like he didn't know what a basketball was. any coach would have pulled him with the same quickness.

 

[Labinot41]

Pacers gonna be the next Team having an insane Shooting night from 3 against us.

 

[Scalma]

everyone got lit up on the perimeter. they were just on fire. i agree that we should have seen either Little or Gabriel, but Biggie was still better than Brown by a long shot.

Why do you keep bringing Moses up, there are quite a few players in between Biggie and Moses that should get looks first.

 

[Bruno_Sabino]

We need to be close to .50% and make a run after the ASB. Believe, we still can. Let’s go

 

[Bruno_Sabino]

Exactly. Tough stretch coming up:

PACERS
ROCKETS
@lakers
JAZZ
@Denver
SPURS
@Jazz
MIAMI

Tough to see more than a couple of wins in that stretch if that. Even two wins would put the Blazers at 21-33 with 28 games left. OKC is on pace for 47 wins so the #7 spot is out. That leaves #8 and a 1st round meeting with the Lakers. But to even get to #8 after an around 21-33 mark before the schedule turns around, that would mean they need to go 19-9 just to get to 40 wins. Memphis is currently on pace for ~38 wins. At that pace, 18-10 would be about the minimum required.

The Blazers haven't come anywhere close to a stretch like that no matter how easy the schedule was in parts. Blazers would need to go from a .413 winning percentage to .643 ....just to get the pleasure of being ceremoniously dismissed by the Lakers.

Ugh!

I see 4-5 wins

 

[TBpup]

I see 4-5 wins

Anything could happen....but that would be a HUGE departure from how they have played against +.500 teams so far this season.

 

[stampedehero]

There was a time in Blazer yore where we had 10 game winning streaks.