Game Thread GAME# 51: BULLS @ BLAZERS - JANUARY 31, 2018 - WEDNESDAY, 7:00 PM (PST), NBCSNW

[Darkwebs]

2017-18 REGULAR SEASON RECORD
CHICAGO BULLS
18 - 32
(7-18 Road)
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
28 - 22
(14-10 Home)

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

PG

JERIAN GRANT VS DAMIAN LILLARD

SG

ZACH LaVINE VS C.J. McCOLLUM

SF

JUSTIN HOLIDAY VS EVAN TURNER

PF

PAUL ZIPSER VS AL-FAROUQ AMINU

C

ROBIN LOPEZ VS JUSUF NURKIC

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WHEN: 7:00 PM (PST), WEDNESDAY, 1/31/2018

WHERE: Moda Center, Portland, OR

TV BROADCAST:

RADIO BROADCAST:

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

-------- CHICAGO BULLS --------

ARCIDIANCONO , NWABA

BLAKENEY , VALENTINE , PONDEXTER

PORTIS, FELICIO



---- PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS ----

NAPIER , BALDWIN IV , CONNAUGHTON

HARKLESS , LAYMAN , VONLEH

COLLINS , DAVIS , LEONARD



INJURIES
BULLS
Nikola Mirotic (leg): OUT
Lauri Markkanen (personal reasons): OUT
Kris Dunn (concussion protocol): OUT
Cameron Payne (right foot): OUT
TRAIL BLAZERS
C.J. Wilcox (right knee rehab): OUT
Caleb Swanigan (G-League): OUT



HEAD COACHES

- VS –

FRED HOIBERG --- TERRY STOTTS



OFFICIAL BULLS' GAME NOTES
OFFICIAL BLAZERS' GAME NOTES ​

• Wednesday’s game is the second and final regular season meeting between the Trail Blazers and the Bulls during the 2017-18 season.

• LAST MEETING: Six Trail Blazers scored in double figures as Portland edged out a 124-120 overtime victory over the Bulls in Chicago on January 1. CJ McCollum led Portland with 32 points, six rebounds and eight assists while Kris Dunn led seven Chicago players in double figures with 22 points to go with seven boards and four assists.

• Al-Farouq Aminu scored a season-high 24 points (9-17 FG, 5-7 3-PT, 1-1 FT) to go with seven rebounds and one assist against the Bulls on Jan. 1.

• Evan Turner scored a season-high 22 points (10-14 FG, 1-2 3-PT, 1-1 FT) to go with four rebounds and six assists at Chicago on Jan 1.

• Jusuf Nurkic recorded 11 points, 15 rebounds, two assists, three steals and two blocks against the Bulls on Jan. 1.

• HEAD-TO-HEAD HISTORY:
ALL TIME: Bulls lead, 61-60
IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 35-25
AT THE BULLS: Bulls lead, 36-25

​

 

[BonesJones]

I don't think we should go after Mirotic unless we get him for basically free. Swapping him with Aminu, Collins, or Davis spot in the rotation is only a slight ugrade at best for this year. He's a better shooter than all 3 but has probably overacheived this year and isnt as good of a defender as any of them.

We need a SF. Tyreke is the guy.

 

[Scalma]

Markkanen is out, I think.

Nice of Chicago to give Mirotic a free ride to his next home.

 

[Mr. Robot]

 

[illmatic99]

This is the kind of game a good playoff team will not lose.

 

[H.C.]

Looks like a trap game to me.
Forum going to spazz when Portland loses.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Looks like a trap game to me.
Forum going to spazz when Portland loses.

Better win this game, since they got a 3 game losing streak coming up...

 

[Scalma]

Layman better be in a suit.

 

[TBpup]

Markkenen out, Mirotic possible out, Dunn out.....that is their top 3 scorers. Absolutely NO excuse to not win this game and it should be a blowout even on a back-to-back.

 

[tlongII]

Big game tonight. We could show a lot of growth by winning this one.

 

[Mr. Robot]

they are without Markkanen and Dunn, that should increase our chances
anyway, some tough games are coming up, BOS and DET with Griffin, so we need to get the job done tonight

 

[kjironman1]

Looks like a trap game to me.
Forum going to spazz when Portland loses.

there is a @Meltdown Thread for that....

 

[kjironman1]

I don't think we should go after Mirotic unless we get him for basically free. Swapping him with Aminu, Collins, or Davis spot in the rotation is only a slight ugrade at best for this year. He's a better shooter than all 3 but has probably overacheived this year and isnt as good of a defender as any of them.

We need a SF. Tyreke is the guy.

But to give up what Aminu brings on the defense would hurt. Not sure i would want to see that beings Aminu right now is shooting nearly 40% from 3 pt.

 

[42N8Bounce]

I like the looks of these 'City Edition' jerseys, but I'm having a hard time with them not having the distinctive Blazer diagonal stripes.
http://www.nba.com/blazers/uniform

 

[THE HCP]

Looks like a trap game to me.
Forum going to spazz when Portland loses.

They’ll spazz regardless of the outcome.

 

[THE HCP]

Markkenen out, Mirotic possible out, Dunn out.....that is their top 3 scorers. Absolutely NO excuse to not win this game and it should be a blowout even on a back-to-back.

Oh ya, cause we ALWAYS play well when a shitty team doesnt’ have their best players playing against us at home.

 

[BBert]

I like the looks of these 'City Edition' jerseys, but I'm having a hard time with them not having the distinctive Blazer diagonal stripes.
http://www.nba.com/blazers/uniform

I like them a lot. Much better than the tire track jerseys.

 

[kjironman1]

I like the looks of these 'City Edition' jerseys, but I'm having a hard time with them not having the distinctive Blazer diagonal stripes.
http://www.nba.com/blazers/uniform

Or maybe at least a small pinwheel?

 

[kjironman1]

Oh ya, cause we ALWAYS play well when a shitty team doesnt’ have their best players playing against us at home.

Hey now. I'll give it to you that no game is ever an easy win. Also that this is the second of a B2B.
But this team is playing pretty good ball right now. They can get this win.

 

[Strenuus]

I love those jerseys.

 

[H.C.]

Markkenen out, Mirotic possible out, Dunn out.....that is their top 3 scorers. Absolutely NO excuse to not win this game and it should be a blowout even on a back-to-back.

Why should it be a blowout?
It's established Portland is a middle of the pack team. Therefore they can lose or beat anyone on any night.
Sounds like there is more opportunity for the others on the Bulls to prove they deserve more of a role.

 

[BrunoSOC]

Must win game. Dame makes 10.000 points. Big road trip coming. Let's make 4W and go hot for this road!

 

[TBpup]

Why should it be a blowout?
It's established Portland is a middle of the pack team. Therefore they can lose or beat anyone on any night.
Sounds like there is more opportunity for the others on the Bulls to prove they deserve more of a role.

If Dame, CJ and Nurk were out, I would expect Portland to get blown out.

 

[illmatic99]

Think Dame hits 40 today. He just looks too locked in.

 

[42N8Bounce]

Great week of basketball for the Blazers.

Nice to see Patty C with 2 of the top 5 plays of the week!

Lets keep it rolling with a win against Chicago tonight!

 

[Darkwebs]

I like the looks of these 'City Edition' jerseys, but I'm having a hard time with them not having the distinctive Blazer diagonal stripes.
http://www.nba.com/blazers/uniform

These jerseys looked sick when I was playing with them on 2k18. We'll see if they translate in real life.

 

[tlongII]

Those jerseys are nice, but I still like the reds better.

 

[tester551]

These jerseys looked sick when I was playing with them on 2k18. We'll see if they translate in real life.

Yep.

 

[Darkwebs]

Yep.

LOL. Not that type of sick. I know you're joking, but just to be clear for others, I'm using the current colloquial definition, where "sick" is used as a positive superlative.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

But to give up what Aminu brings on the defense would hurt. Not sure i would want to see that beings Aminu right now is shooting nearly 40% from 3 pt.

Since Christmas (more than a month), he's shooting 34.4% (32-93) from 3 over 17 games, being under 35% in 11 of those 17 games. In those 11 games where he hasn't been good from deep, his cumulative +/- is 3, over the span of 332 minutes. In the 6 good shooting games, he is +49 over 189 minutes.

What I see is that his 3 point shot helps us to win when he's hitting it, but only 1/3 of the games actually see that happen. Is his 3 point shot really the useful weapon we tout it to be?