Game Thread GAME# 52: BLAZERS @ ROCKETS - FEBRUARY 8, 2015 - SUNDAY, 4:00 PM (PST), CSNNW (2 Viewers)

[Darkwebs]

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

PG

DAMIAN LILLARD VS PATRICK BEVERLEY

SG

WESLEY MATTHEWS VS JAMES HARDEN

SF

NICOLAS BATUM VS TREVOR ARIZA

PF

LaMARCUS ALDRIDGE VS DONATAS MOTIEJUNAS

C

ROBIN LOPEZ VS JOEY DORSEY



WHEN: 4:00 PM (Pacific), SUNDAY, 2/8/2015​

WHERE: Toyota Center, Houston, TX

TV BROADCAST:

RADIO BROADCAST:

​

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



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

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS

BLAKE , MCCOLLUM , BARTON , CRABBE

WRIGHT , ROBINSON , LEONARD , KAMAN

HOUSTON ROCKETS

CANAAN , TERRY , SHVED , BREWER

PAPANIKOLAOU , SMITH , JONES , CAPELA






INJURIES
TRAIL BLAZERS
⦁ Joel Freeland (right shoulder strain): OUT
ROCKETS
⦁ Trevor Ariza (right upper cervical strain): PROBABLE
⦁ Terrence Jones (left leg nerve inflammation): PROBABLE
⦁ Dwight Howard (right knee edema): OUT





HEAD COACHES

- VS –

TERRY STOTTS --- KEVIN MCHALE




BLAZERS' OFFICIAL GAME NOTES ​

• Sunday marks the second of three matchups between the Trail Blazers and Rockets in 2014-15.

• Houston has won four of its past five games against Portland at home dating back to the 2011-12 season.

• In the first matchup between these two teams this season, The Rockets defeated the Trail Blazers 110-95 behind 44 points from James Harden on 14-of-26 shooting from the floor.

• Dwight Howard (Right knee injury) will not play. In the Dec. 22 game against Portland, Howard scored 16 points (7-11 FG) and hauled in 13 rebounds. Howard has recorded 13 consecutive double-doubles against the Trail Blazers dating back to the 2009 season with Orlando.

• CJ McCollum scored a season-high 17 points off the bench in the first game against Houston this season on 6-of-9 shooting (2-3 3-PT).

• Houston won the 2013-14 regular season series between these two teams, 3-1, before Portland bested the Rockets, 4-2, in the Western Conference Quarterfinals last season.


• HEAD-TO-HEAD HISTORY:
ALL TIME: Rockets lead, 101-79
IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 48-41
AT THE ROCKETS: Rockets lead, 60-31

ROCKETS' OFFICIAL GAME NOTES



GO BLAZERS!!!​

 

[Darkwebs]

Reserved for BrainFromWA

 

[kjironman1]

I pretty much had to have my wife hide all the sharp objects and take my car keys last night after that game. Didn't want to get to close to any bridges or cliffs. The fact is they win that game 99 out of 100 times so i guess we all can get over it right.

The reason i do game previews is because i don't like to get too caught up in wins or losses in February. Would have loved to see a win last night but you can't let the Mavericks beat you twice. Houston is on tap tonight and there is a lot to be getting prepared for.

First and foremost is the fact that Houston is without Howard tonight. Kind of sounds like the years are catching up to him quickly but understand at this point in every teams season the most important thing is to stay healthy and make the playoffs with everyone playing well. Both of these teams will make the playoffs and what happens tonight will actually make little difference in the end. What we as Blazer fans should want to see is another good showing and the chance to win at the end.

With Howard out the Rock-etts will impose a smaller lineup so the Blazers will have some size advantage but lets not get all giddy just yet. This team now becomes exactly what the Blazers have been having problems with. They will cruise the passing lanes and get out and run. They will play scrappy defense and run the shooters off the three point line. LaMarcus will now have to carry this team and hope to get some help in the end again. Help from someone else is exactly what was missing last night. If he can get it tonight the Blazers will stay in the game. If not????

So how many of us really don't like the "Beard". Say what you want about Harden but the guy is truthfully the league MVP to this point of the season. I watched some of the film on him this year. His ability to create a shot out of nothing is truly remarkable. He also gets to the line at a rate no Blazer even thinks about. The thing about tonight is he will be on his home court so expect an "Oscar" winning performance on just about every drive. Any chance Lauren Holtkamp could be the ref tonight? Maybe she would throw a few T's his way? It's okay they can't fine me. I do this for free. So i can say whatever i want. Going to be up to Mathews and Batum to hold Harden under 40 tonight.

We also have the Lillard vs Beverly thing going tonight. With Lillard starting to make some shots again this might be the matchup to watch. The thing is Lillard is now playing different. One thing is the "drive and dish" is becoming a bigger part of his offense as well as scoring and getting to the line. He did start making some 3's last night. So the Rockets will need to stay on him.

Batum...Batum...Batum. This is a huge problem. Nic got 10 rebounds last night but he went 0-8. This is a major problem when teams know they don't have to guard him. It is killing the entire offense at times. Everything has already been said. My opinion is still SHUT HIM DOWN!

The bench tonight is the key to this game. The longer they can hold on the more chance this will be a good game. Steve Blake was the key last night and he will need to do it tonight as well. CJ is getting better by leaps and bounds with just about every game. It's only a matter of time till CJ gets hot and goes for 20-25 points. Mark my words here. He is a shooter and shooters get hot eventually.

Pick tonight is Lopez. The big guy should be starting to get his game shape back and he will have all the room in the world to work tonight. If the Rockets decide to stop Aldridge and Lillard then you will see Batum and RoLo working all night. This should be fun to watch.

Last night was tough to watch but if the Blazers pull out a win tonight my wife will be able to bring out the cutlery again. Go Blazers!

kjironman is a fan!!!

 

[rasheedfan2005]

Let's get this out of the way now...

This is a great win. Let's not be negative in here.

Jinxspeeeeeed!

 

[Sinobas]

I'd trade Kaman for Ross

 

[MAS RipCity]

It's time to see what our boys are made of after last night's debacle. Do they come out and compete or do they sulk and let the Mavericks beat them twice? Also, how weak are the Houston bigs? If we don't pound the ball in the paint, I'll be livid.

 

[Strenuus]

Slept well, feel better. Lets try to get a win tonight! I hope the team adopts Lillards' pissed attitude and mollywhops this team tonight.

 

[riverman]

I love Stotts but the one thing that baffles me is his resistance to calling timeouts when the opposition goes on a run. He really hates calling timeouts. Many times when we're not matching a team's hustle, I'm sitting at home screaming....take a time out. Stop the bleeding! All that said, I like our chances tonight

 

[Strenuus]

I love Stotts but the one thing that baffles me is his resistance to calling timeouts when the opposition goes on a run. He really hates calling timeouts. Many times when we're not a team's hustle, I'm sitting at home screaming....take a time out. Stop the bleeding! All that said, I like our chances tonight

Don't be so negative!!! :MARIS61:

 

[riverman]

Don't be so negative!!! :MARIS61:

mags quit posting, somebody has to pick up the slack around here

 

[Strenuus]

One reason I love baseball is you don't get to dwell on the losses for more than 24 hours. Thankfully, we don't have to wait for the next game to try to get out of it. Can't wait for this game to start.

(Can you imagine if this was the game before the all star break. The site would crash from all the :MARIS61: )

 

[KingSpeed]

I've been looking forward to this game all year. Go Blazers.

 

[riverman]

Well we wanted to play hungry, it's mealtime in Houston

 

[KingSpeed]

kjironman- Mavs didn't beat us twice this year. We destroyed them in Portland. I have no doubt we would win a series against Dallas in the playoffs,

 

[KingSpeed]

Well we wanted to play hungry, it's mealtime in Houston

Yep

 

[KingSpeed]

We drafted Dorsey. Was he part of the Batum trade on draft day?

 

[Strenuus]

We drafted Dorsey. Was he part of the Batum trade on draft day?

you would be correct.

http://www.chron.com/sports/rockets...-1st-pick-Batum-for-Dorsey-Greene-1763397.php

 

[Strenuus]

Donte greene too... who?

 

[riverman]

I know this is off topic but the Oregon State Beavers are undefeated! Who saw that coming?

 

[riverman]

Donte greene too... who?

Rockets?

 

[HomerLovesKoolAid]

This is a huge game. You know Superbeard is looking for a Kingspeed beat down.

 

[riverman]

shoutout to Darkwebs for the graphics! Love the embossed logos and layout! Repped

 

[riverman]

This is a huge game. You know Superbeard is looking for a Kingspeed beat down.

This is the true Hunger Game...which will probably win the over under game via Sly!

 

[KingSpeed]

I expect Blazers to win by 35-40 points.

 

[Strenuus]

I expect Blazers to win by 35-40 points.

I see what you did there.

 

[Strenuus]

lauren holcampt on the game.

T up harden!!

 

[KingSpeed]

Will Superbeard show his face here after we beat them?

 

[MAS RipCity]

We haven't won a road game in forever ... now would be a great time to change that.

 

[HomerLovesKoolAid]

Will Superbeard show his face here after we beat them?

This is huge. It determines shit-talking rights until March 11.

 

[Darkwebs]

We haven't won a road game in forever ... now would be a great time to change that.

7 straight road losses