Game Thread GAME# 51: BLAZERS @ MAVERICKS - FEBRUARY 7, 2015 - SATURDAY, 5:30 PM (PST), CSNNW (1 Viewer)

[Darkwebs]

---------PROBABLE STARTERS---------

WHEN: 5:30 PM (Pacific), SATURDAY, 2/7/2015​

WHERE: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX

TV BROADCAST:

RADIO BROADCAST:

​

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

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS

BLAKE , MCCOLLUM , BARTON , CRABBE

WRIGHT , ROBINSON , LEONARD , KAMAN

DALLAS MAVERICKS

FELTON , HARRIS , LEDO , JEFFERSON

AMINU , VILLANUEVA , POWELL , SMITH






INJURIES
TRAIL BLAZERS
⦁ Chris Kaman (lower back pain): QUESTIONABLE.
⦁ Joel Freeland (right shoulder strain): OUT
MAVERICKS
⦁ Rajon Rondo (left orbital fracture): OUT





HEAD COACHES

- VS –

TERRY STOTTS --- RICK CARLISLE




BLAZERS' OFFICIAL GAME NOTES ​

• Saturday marks the second of four matchups between the Trail Blazers and Mavericks in 2014-15.

• Portland is 2-6 in Dallas dating back to the 2011-12 season.

• The Mavericks are second in the NBA in scoring at 106.8 points per game, while the Trail Blazers are tied for sixth in the league for fewest points allowed per game (97.2).

• Portland is seventh in the NBA in shooting from beyond the arc at 36.5%, while Dallas is 26th in the NBA at defending the three (opponents shooting 36.6% from three).

• The Trail Blazers are third in the NBA in rebounding with 45.7 rebounds per game. The Mavericks have allowed opponents to average 45.1 boards per game, the second worst rate in the league.

• Tyson Chandler is tied for fourth in the NBA in rebounds (12.1/game), while LaMarcus Aldridge is T-10th with 10.3 reb/game.

• The Trail Blazers (34-16) are currently one-game ahead of the Mavericks (34-18) for fourth place in the Western Conference standings.

• In the first contest back on Nov. 6, Portland outscored Dallas by 25 points in the second half en route to a 108-87 victory. That was Portland’s largest margin of victory over Dallas since it won by 35 points on Feb. 15, 1998.

• LaMarcus Aldridge scored 20 points on 10-of-16 shooting in the first contest against the Mavericks. In his past three games against Dallas, Aldridge is averaging 26.6 points per game 34-of-62 (54.8%).

• LaMarcus Aldridge has notched nine double-doubles in his last 11 meetings with the Mavericks dating back to the 2010-11 season.

• Last season, the Trail Blazers dropped two of three games to the Mavericks. Portland hasn’t won multiple games against Dallas in a single season since 2010-11.

• Damian Lillard has scored in double-figures in each of his eight career games played against the Mavericks. Lillard is averaging 6.6 assists in his past three games against Dallas.

• Dirk Nowitzki scored 17 points in the first game against Portland this season. Dallas is 6-0 againt Portland when Nowitzki scores 30+ points, and 12-16 When Nowitzki scores 20 points or less.

• HEAD-TO-HEAD HISTORY:
ALL TIME: Trail Blazers lead, 76-64
IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 48-21
IN DALLAS: Mavericks lead 43-28

MAVERICKS' OFFICIAL GAME NOTES



GO BLAZERS!!!​

 

[Darkwebs]

Reserved for BrainFromWA

 

[jlprk]

Brian often posts Post #2 minutes before the game starts, giving us no time to leisurely read it before we busily watch the game. So the only people who read it, are those who read the thread from its start, after the game.

 

[kjironman1]

Alright it's game day and we have the Mavs on tap. This is a really big game tonight. Would love to see Portland put together a good performance and have a chance to take this one. Of course it is also the first of a Texas two step. If they don't step on their partners toes on the first step it usually comes out pretty good.

Dallas has had some difficulty beating better teams lately as have the Blazers. They are 5-5 in their last 10 with losses to N.O, Chicago, Memphis, Houston and Golden State. They have won the games they were supposed to however, and have played close in a few of the losses. This is about what the Blazers have done actually. It was a tough stretch there losing but the Blazers never lost a game by more than 7 and had most of those games with a lead or within 2 in the last minute. The addition of Lopez and with Nic playing a bit better has pushed them back into winning. Slowly Leonard is carving a role on this team. He has been scoring at the rim and pulling in rebounds at a rate that has some people looking twice at the stat sheet. Those of us who did not give up on this guy now look like geniuses.

Things to look for with the Mavs are plenty. Dirk is shooting well lately but he is not playing tough. He is now primarily a jump shooter, a good one but nonetheless, he will not overpower anyone at this point of his career. He took his last game off for rest and he should be good to go tonight so i would look for Dallas to go through him early.

Monta Ellis is one of the most under rated guards in the league. He is putting up over 20 a game and getting almost 5 rebs. With so many good guards in the west he just gets over looked but the Blazers better take him seriously. Wes will need to lock this guy down or it is going to be a long night. You might see Nic on Monta and Wes on JJ but i think Dame can handle JJ or at least should be able to contain him. You will not see Rondo tonight Took a bad hit and fractured a couple bones in his face. The one thing you will most certainly see is JJ trying to flop his way to the line numerous times. Some of us really don't care much for Barea.

Chandler Parsons is the reason Nic will not be on Monta much. Parsons is shooting the ball well as of late and he has a good pick-n-roll game going with Tyson Chandler. There is much to watch how these two work as opposed to Batum and Lopez. Have fun with it.

Kind of hope we see Kaman tonight as he will indeed have an advantage. He and Blake should be able to score on Aminu/Harris/Felton. Yes Raymond Felton is going to be available for this game as it is not in Portland. He always seems to get sick or have a little boo boo when it comes to playing here.

All in all you play the first of a B2B and make it count. Then deal with the second so what ever happens happens. It would be really nice to get one of these and then take the game at home before the break. A lot of western teams lost last night. OKC, Clips, Griz, GS. Blazers could use some wins here.

Pick tonight is always Aldridge in Dallas. They need him to dominate early. Then they will need everyone else to contribute. This would be a great time for Lillard to break out of the slump.

Go Blazers!

kjironman

 

[magnumpi]

I don't fear the Mavs, but have lots of respect. So Win or Lose, I am hoping for a great game. I do not respect Felton or Berea. Lillard is only slumping in his three pointers, if he brings it on D and drives to the rack, he will be fine.
OTOH, I don't like, or respect Houston, but do fear them a might because they have it out for us and we haven't met their intensity, but if PDX brings it we can beat them.

 

[blue32]

I AM CALLING AN END TO THE SHOOTING SLUMP OF LILLARD RIGHT MEOW.

 

[BlazerBeav]

I always like our chances in Dallas because LMA always shows up big there. We haven't had a quality road win in a month so this would be nice to get going into Houston tomorrow.

 

[H.C.]

Lillard is breaking out of his slump tonight. Both felton and JJ play minimal D.
Wesley will have a field day posting up those smaller guards.

 

[magnifier661]

I AM CALLING AN END TO THE SHOOTING SLUMP OF LILLARD RIGHT MEOW.

Quote me! 16-25 for 35 points

 

[BigGameDamian]

 

[riverman]

This should be a really good game.

 

[HomerLovesKoolAid]

"We're gonna kick their asses!"

 

[jlprk]

Mark my words. This will be an easier game than it looks.

 

[PDXFonz]

Quote me! 16-25 for 35 points

 

[MAS RipCity]

Without Rondo, we really need this game. I think the key will be doing whatever we can to slow down Monta Ellis. He got into foul trouble in November's game against us and he was really a non-factor.

 

[Strenuus]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Chris Kaman goes to the active list, assuming that means he&#39;ll play tonight after sitting out Thursday&#39;s game.</p>&mdash; Casey Holdahl (@CHold) <a href="">February 8, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[PDXFonz]

Holy shit Gabriel Iglesias is on the Toyota tip off!

 

[Strenuus]

Holy shit Gabriel Iglesias is on the Toyota tip off!

I so wanted to go to his show tonight. That guy is f'n funny... and a genuinely nice guy.

 

[EGame]

hi guys

 

[Strenuus]

Game time!

 

[Strenuus]

hi guys

This is your most positive message to date!

 

[EGame]

This is your most positive message to date!

Im a changed person. That is until I see Dame brick 9 out of 10 threes tonight.

 

[riverman]

Well we all know Parsons can't defend Dame

 

[rasheedfan2005]

 

[riverman]

There you go Wes!

 

[EGame]

fuck they have barea. I hate that guy.

 

[Strenuus]

This is feeling like a Batum dissappearing act tonight...

 

[rasheedfan2005]

w3sl3y is THE MAYNGE

 

[EGame]

This is feeling like a Batum dissappearing act tonight...

wouldnt that assume he has appeared in some games ?

 

[rasheedfan2005]

tonight chandler will attempt to further injure aldridge, and there will be blood.