Game Thread GAME# 51: BLAZERS @ NUGGETS - FEBRUARY 4, 2020 - TUESDAY, 6:00 PM, NBCSNW

[Darkwebs]

2019-20 REGULAR SEASON RECORD
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
23 - 27
(10-16 Road)
DENVER NUGGETS
34 - 15
(19-6 Home)

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

PG

DAMIAN LILLARD VS GARY HARRIS

SG

C.J. McCOLLUM VS WILL BARTON

SF

TREVOR ARIZA VS TORREY CRAIG

PF

CARMELO ANTHONY VS JERAMI GRANT

C

HASSAN WHITESIDE VS NIKOLA JOKIC

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

---

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WHEN: 6:00 PM (PST), TUESDAY, 2/4/2020

WHERE: PEPSI CENTER, DENVER, CO

TV BROADCAST:

RADIO BROADCAST:

​

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

SIMONS , TRENT Jr.

LITTLE , HEZONJA , HOARD

GABRIEL , SWANIGAN , BROWN


- DENVER NUGGETS-

MORRIS , DOZIER , BEASLEY

CANCAR , VANDERBILT , PORTER Jr.

HERNANGOMEZ , BOL


INJURIES
TRAIL BLAZERS
Skal Labissiere (left knee): OUT
Rodney Hood (torn Achilles): OUT
Zach Collins (dislocated left shoulder): OUT
Jusuf Nurkic (left leg): OUT
NUGGETS
Michael Porter Jr. (right ankle injury): QUESTIONABLE
Jamal Murray (ankle): DOUBTFUL
Paul Millsap (left knee sprain): DOUBTFUL
Mason Plumlee (right foot): OUT




HEAD COACHES

- VS –

TERRY STOTTS --- MICHAEL MALONE

OFFICIAL NUGGETS' GAME NOTES
OFFICIAL BLAZERS' GAME NOTES ​

• Tuesday’s game will be the third of four games between the Trail Blazers and Nuggets during the 2019-20 season. Denver leads the season series, 2-0.

• LAST MEETING: The Nuggets defeated the Trail Blazers 114-99, in Denver on Dec. 12. Hassan Whiteside paced Portland with a career-high 33 points (15-21 FG, 1-1 3-PT, 2-2 FT), 11 rebounds and four blocks, while Nikola Jokic led Denver with 20 points (7-12 FG, 2-5 3-PT, 4-6 FT), 11 rebounds and six assists.

• Carmelo Anthony recorded 20 points (8-16 FG, 2-5 3-PT, 2-2 FT), nine rebounds, two steals and two blocks against the Nuggets on Dec. 12.

• CJ McCollum added 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting (3-7 3-PT), to go with two rebounds and two assists against Denver on Dec. 12. McCollum is averaging 13.5 points (37.9% FG, 45.5% 3-PT), 2.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in two games against Denver this season.

• Jerami Grant contributed 20 points (7-12 FG, 5-6 3-PT, 1-4 FT), five rebounds and two steals on Dec. 12.

• HEAD-TO-HEAD HISTORY:
ALL TIME: Trail Blazers lead, 98-84
IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 69-23
AT THE NUGGETS: Nuggets lead, 61-29

​

 

[Darkwebs]

Who would've thunk it? Portland has 4 straight wins, all against teams with above-.500 records. There was a time earlier in the season where it seemed that anytime the Blazers played an above-.500 team would automatically result in a loss.

This next game is yet again against an opponent above .500. Looking on the bright side, this gives the Blazers a chance to notch 5 straight victories against above-.500 teams. The bad news is that it's against a top-3 team in the West, on a court where Blazers' victories have been hard to come by over the years. But even against a formiddable opponent, I like Portland's chances to win this because they are bringing an incendiary device named Damian Lillard.

With 4 wins in a row, that ties Portland's longest winning streak of the season. It would be extra sweet if they are able to set a new season-high streak in the Mile High City because this is a revenge game for the Blazers, after the Nuggets have won both meetings this season (and worst of all, they broke Portland's 18-game home-opener winning streak).

The Blazers are currently just 1.5 games behind the 8th-place Memphis Grizzlies in the West. If Portland could somehow manage a win here, that would be an unofficial announcment to the Grizzlies that the Blazers are coming to snatch the 8th seed from them, and there's nothing they can do about it.

 

[Darkwebs]

I don't know if there are enough superlatives in the English dictionary to describe the recent play of Damian Lillard.

He has almost single-handedly brought us back from the brink of the lottery and we are now within sniffing distance of the playoffs. Two weeks ago, making the playoffs seemed like a long shot.

Here are some of his accomplishments from the last 2 weeks:

• Dame is the first player in NBA history to average better than 45 points and 10 assists over a six-game span
• Dame is the first player in NBA history with 6 consecutive games recording at least 6 3-pointers, and he is the 10th player in NBA history with at least four games of 50-plus points in a single season.
  
• Dame has made 49 3-pointers during this six-game span, the most in NBA history.
• Dame has scored 47+ points in five of the six games (and in the game he didn't reach 47, he had his first career triple-double with 36 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds)

 

[BrianFromWA]

Only 12 times in history has someone had a 50pt, 12ast game. Dame has two of them in the last week.

 

[TBpup]

Skal isn't on the injured list above. Was there an announcement that he is back that I missed?

As for the incendiary device known as Damian Lillard, I saw an exhausted player at the end of last night. Denver will be tough but at least they get a couple of days off. As Blazers fans, we have to good fortune to have experienced this insane run for however long it goes. At some point, the rest of the team will need to step up to continue this streak.

 

[kjironman1]

Skal isn't on the injured list above. Was there an announcement that he is back that I missed?

Looks like he isn't on the team at all?
Maybe that is some of that "Schematic Flexibility" they need?

 

[Neil O. Shyster]

I don’t know how anyone could want the tank now with the way Dame and the Blazers have played the last week. Beating the Rockets, Lakers, and Jazz all convincingly. This is the reason a hated the injury excuse that was being used all season. This team has talent! The best players have been healthy... It was always about playing the right way! Dame is a superstar! Ariza is what this team has always needed... I was skeptical because of his age and performance in Sacramento, but he has been the perfect fit! I truly believe Dame is the best player in the NBA right now and the Blazers can make a title run if they keep playing the right way. And props to CJ for taking a back seat for the sake of the team... he still has his MeJay moments but overall he has been playing within the flow of the offense.

 

[kjironman1]

This just tweeted out? Wonder what is up?

 

[Chris Craig]

Lillard has more 50 point games then all other Blazers who have had 50 point games combined

Dame has had more 50 point games in the last week than every Blazer in the first 34 years of the franchise

 

[Darkwebs]

Skal isn't on the injured list above. Was there an announcement that he is back that I missed?

Fixed it. Sorry, it was an oversight on my part. I was literally half asleep while making this thread last night (early this morning).

 

[blazerfan11]

Denver is good but they knee-capped themselves by signing Jamal Murray to a big contract. Now, like McCollum, he'll be obligated to play lots of minutes and take a lot of shots even though he's not an elite scorer and can be abused when he's defending.

 

[wizenheimer]

Denver is good but they knee-capped themselves by signing Jamal Murray to a big contract. Now, like McCollum, he'll be obligated to play lots of minutes and take a lot of shots even though he's not an elite scorer and can be abused when he's defending.

could be the case. Murray is only 22 so Denver is obviously banking on his upside. But he does have a lot in common with CJ. Not quite as good a pure shooter, but he's better at the rim, draws more fouls, and is more of a PG. He'll also be making, on average, about 3M more a year than CJ...that's a lot

 

[BonesJones]

Is this a "schedule loss" too?

 

[James lamphear]

They got some key players not going be able to play so I give our self good chance 5 in a row. They just lost to the Pistons today and gave up 128 points.

 

[BrianFromWA]

That’s 150 in Dame Buckets

 

[Bruno_Sabino]

Time to make the biggest winning streak of the season, let’s go

 

[dreamcloud]

This just tweeted out? Wonder what is up?

This was originally slated to be on at 7pm on TNT, but they chose to flex us out and put Lakers vs Spurs instead. Sigh..

 

[BlazerBeav]

No Milsap?! How could we possibly lose! With Milsap and Murray out, they're definitely not as dangerous on offense. Their injury situation evens out our continued issues.

 

[Jon]

God Dame i am looking forward to this game.

No, that isn't a typo.

 

[kjironman1]

God Dame i am looking forward to this game.

No, that isn't a typo.

This is funny. I looked at it and read it as - "God, Dame, and I are looking forward to this game".
Had to read it again.

 

[JDC]

Just looking over the remaining schedule, I don't think 45-48 wins is out of the question.

Also think the Pelicans are the team we go down to the wire with.

Both have the combination of better health + performance + schedule to make a massive late season run.

 

[PCmor7]

I didn't realize the Nougets were so beaten up.

 

[BlazerBeav]

 

[illmatic99]

Saw something on the Nuggets' blog and looked it up, and it's true: Melo has never won in Denver in his career as a road player.



And he's played pretty well for the most part, but no wins. He's due.

 

[TBpup]

Blazers need this game. Even though they have been on a roll, in the last 10 games, they haven't gained any ground on Memphis or OKC as all three teams are 7-3 over that stretch. With Denver missing some pieces tonight, the Blazers need to take advantage of this game during this tougher team stretch.

 

[DDolla]

Let’s Win another one... Let’s Go Blazers!

 

[Scalma]

Of course the one yes vote is...<deleted>

 

[Cugel]

With Plumlee and Milsap out, Portland has to dominate the boards. Give Wenyen some time to frustrate/foul Jokic. He should be able to frustrate him with his length. Let Caleb in there to throw guys around.

Terry: don't let Dame get trapped! I like the setups that don't force Dame to be the primary ball handler and avoid the half court traps. If he doesn't have the ball he can't be trapped. Let Anfernee and CJ bring it up if they insist on trapping Dame. Dame works as well off the ball from a screen as he does from a pull-up 3.

Final note: Porter Jr. is perpetually injured. Feel bad for him.

 

[SIeepwalker]

Of course the one yes vote is...<deleted>

What an asshole, this <deleted> guy

 

[BrianFromWA]

Only 11 games back of the division lead! Road of 11 games starts with a single victory!