Game Thread GAME# 57: THUNDER @ BLAZERS - FEBRUARY 27, 2015 - FRIDAY, 7:30 PM (PST), ESPN & CSNNW

[Darkwebs]

VS

WHEN: 7:30 PM (Pacific), FRIDAY, 2/27/2015​

WHERE: Moda Center, Portland, OR

TV BROADCAST:

AND

RADIO BROADCAST:

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--------------BENCH--------------
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER

AUGUSTIN , WAITERS , LAMB , MORROW

JONES , MCGARY , COLLISON

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS

BLAKE , MCCOLLUM , AFFLALO , CRABBE

GEE , WRIGHT , LEONARD , KAMAN


INJURIES
THUNDER
▪ Kevin Durant (foot soreness): OUT
▪ Steven Adams (right hand, fourth metacarpal fracture): OUT
▪ Steve Novak (appendectomy): OUT
TRAIL BLAZERS
▪ Joel Freeland (right shoulder strain): OUT



HEAD COACHES

- VS –

SCOTT BROOKS --- TERRY STOTTS




OFFICIAL BLAZERS GAME NOTES ​

• Friday marks the third of four games between the Trail Blazers and Thunder this season.

• Portland is 2-0 against Oklahoma City this season, having won 106-89 at home on opening night (Oct. 29), and 115-111 in overtime In OKC on Dec. 23.

• With a win over Oklahoma City on Friday, Portland will have won three consecutive games against the Thunder for the first time since the 2008-09 season. Portland has won four of the past six games against OKC after losing 10 of 12 games against the Thunder (Seven straight) from Nov. 4, 2010 to Apr. 12, 2013.

• At 37-19, the Trail Blazers are five and a half games ahead of the Thunder for first place in the Northwest Division.

• Oklahoma City is currently on a seven game winning streak and has won nine of its past 10 games.

• The Thunder ranks atop the NBA in rebounding at 47.4 rebounds per game, while Portland is ranked third in the league with an average of 45.8 rebounds per game.

• Oklahoma City is second in the NBA in opposing fi eld goal percentage, holding its opponents to 42.7% shooting from the field. The Trail Blazers are currently limiting the opposition to 43.2% shooting (3rd in NBA).

• Portland is holding opponents to 32.3% shooting from beyond the arc (2nd in NBA), while the Thunder are shooting 32.7% as a team from three (25th in NBA).

• In the 115-111 overtime win over the Thunder on Dec. 23, Damian Lillard scored 40 points and dished out 11 assists.

• In that game, Damian Lillard matched his career-high with eight three-point field goals (out of 13).

• LaMarcus Aldridge is averaging 26.0 points and 6.0 rebounds in two games against the Thunder this season. Aldridge has scored 20+ points against OKC in five of his past six games.

• Wesley Matthews is averaging 22.0 points on 16-of-27 shooting (59.2%). Matthews has made 10 of his 17 three-point attempts against Oklahoma City this season.

• Portland’s 17-point victory was its first double-digit win over the Thunder dating back to the 2009-10 season.

• Portland and Oklahoma City split the four-game series 2-2 in 2013-14.

• HEAD-TO-HEAD HISTORY:
ALL TIME: Thunder lead, 112-106
IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 69-40
AT THE THUNDER: Thunder lead, 72-37

OFFICIAL THUNDER GAME NOTES




GO BLAZERS!!!​

​

 

[Darkwebs]

Reserved

 

[kjironman1]

Yes tonight is indeed a big game. The Thunder worked hard last night and and went into OT just missing out on a 2nd OT when Westbrook's drive at the end came up a bit short. That was a fun game to watch. The huge issue i saw was Westbrook holding what looked to me as a twisted right ankle on the last drive. Of course this guy is tough as nails but the fact is he did twist that ankle and it might have some effect tonight. You have got to give Phoenix some credit. They played a solid game and never quit. Jeff Hornacek is just about as tenacious a coach as he was a player. I have always Hated what he does but you got to respect it.



The Blazers are suddenly looking like they could gain some control here if they can pull off a victory tonight. This would be of course a 3rd straight win over the Thunder and it would become the deciding factor in any tie breaker if needed. You can bet the Thunder know this and will be playing at a very high level. At this point there is no tomorrow for them. They have got to win games if they want to catch the Blazers. I never buy the whole "Tired" scenario. Not when this much is riding on a game. These guys are professional athletes in prime condition when they need to perform they will.



The addition of AAA and the much needed play from Batum has come at just the perfect time. Really this is exactly the kind of game that these two really help the team. We have all been saying it for a long time. When any player is not a threat in this offense the other team can lag off them and it becomes a 4 on 5 situation that kills the flow/flex system. Finding an open man is nearly impossible. The open man tonight might be a whole bunch of RoLo. Kanter is going to have to handle him alone as Ibaka will be glued to LaMarcus. If Lopez can score and or pass out efficiently the offense will click. The Blazers simply have too many scorers to defend if the shots are falling and now i just don't see LA, Nic, Wes, and Dame plus AAA,Kaman,Blake and CJ plus Meyers all having a bad shooting night.

Here is a nice article from BE's Willy Raedy on Alonzo Gee. I just didn't know much about him so i am reading up. I guess he is more than a throw in.

http://www.blazersedge.com/2015/2/27/8112315/alonzo-gee-portland-trail-blazers-synergy-sports



Everyone is talking about Batum but another Blazer shooting better is Dame. The problems with Dame are not so much shooting as defenses taking him out of the game. They are simply saying "you are not going to get open looks to beat us". So Lillard is scoring other ways but when they slip up and leave him open he is hitting his 3's and open mid range shots. Some of this might also have to do with Batum again but Dame could have a big game if Westbrook is at all hampered by a balky ankle.

Pick tonight is Mattews. How can it not be? The guy is sure to show up and with some help he could very well be the deciding factor again in this game.

Go Blazers!

kjironman is a fan!!!

 

[dviss1]

Reserved

No Durant? We need to get this win!

Can I please borrow your sig? I want to make it my avatar for a bit. I would appreciate it if I could.

 

[rasheedfan2005]

Kill em. Kill em all.

 

[Darkwebs]

Can I please borrow your sig? I want to make it my avatar for a bit. I would appreciate it if I could.

Yes, of course you can.

 

[blue9]

Kill em. Kill em all.

 

[Boob-No-More]

I want to blow them out tonight. completely humiliate them, beat them down and make them our bitches. Get them down early, step on their throats and not let up for one second. I want our starters to kill their starters, our bench to dominate their starters and our 3rd string to own their bench. I don't want to have to rely on Westbrick playing hero ball to get us the win tonight. Because, if we face them in the playoffs, I WANT Westbrick thinking he has something to prove. When our guys (Aldridge, Lillard and Matthews) fell like they have been disrespected, they use it as motivation to play their asses off for the betterment of the team. When Westbrick feels like he has something to prove, he completely dominates the ball and becomes and even bigger chucker. He freezes Durant out, takes (and misses) all the big shots himself, and absolutely kills his team.

BNM

 

[illmatic99]

Hate for Westbrook is so unwarranted. The guy is a bad ass baller.

Very few players in the NBA go 110% on every play. Ya the cerebral aspects of the game aren't completely there for him yet, but I'd take him on my team any day of the week.

 

[Boob-No-More]

Hate for Westbrook is so unwarranted. The guy is a bad ass baller.

Very few players in the NBA go 110% on every play. Ya the cerebral aspects of the game aren't completely there for him yet, but I'd take him on my team any day of the week.

No thanks. I'd HATE to have that guy on my team. All his energy is devoted to making HIM look good and it costs his team games. Did you not watch the Phoenix game last night? The guy hoisted 38 shots and only made 12 (that's .316 FG%). If you just look at the raw numbers, he had a triple-double and scored 39 points, but it was an INCREDIBLY inefficient triple-double (1-10 3FG). Sure, Durant wasn't playing (if he was, Westbrook would have frozen him out, too - just like he always does in the 4th quarter of close games in the playoffs), but 38 shots! That's insane. Basketball is still a team sport and when your PG is jacking up 38 shots, he's not getting his teammates involved.

PHO had NO answer for Kanter. He had a VERY efficient 18 pts on 11 FGA. Waiters and Augustin were also shooting MUCH better than Westbrook. Westbrook should have taken 10 or 12 fewer shots, made sure Kanter got at least 5 or 6 more FGA and a couple more each for Waiter and Augustin. If he would have, OKC would have won EASILY. All the guys on NBA Inside Stuff, especally Kenny Smith, were heavily criticizing Westbrook for taking so many shots after the game. But, it's not just that game, that is EXACTLY the kind of player Westbrook is.

How can you score 39 points, have a triple double, and still hurt your team? Russell Westbrook can. Here's how:

Westbrook: 39 pts/38 FGA = 1.03 pts/FGA

Kanter + Waiters + Augustin: 47 points/31 FGA = 1.52 pts/FGA

If Westbrook "limits" himself to 32 shots and gives two more shots each to Kanter, Waiters and Augustin (his next three leading scorers), OKC wins that game.

I first noticed the way Westbrook froze out Durant, and at the time, James Harden, in the 2011 playoffs. His selfish play completely cost his team the Dallas series, and quite possibly the NBA championship that year. All 4 losses to Dallas were by single digits. In those 4 games, Westbrook attempted 85 FG (21.3 FGA/G), but only made 29 (.341 FG%). In those same 4 games, Kevin Durant, the NBA regular season scoring leader, took fewer shots (82) than Westbrook, in spite of playing way more minutes, and shot significantly more efficiently (.427 FG%) and James Harden only got 34 total shots (8.5 FGA/G) in spite of being OKC most efficient scorer (.500 FG%). After watching the way Westbrook froze out Durant and Harden during the 4th quarter of EVERY close game in that series, I was SO glad they resigned him and gave away James Harden. Their stupid owners could have kept all 3 (and Ibaka) and not paid any luxury tax if they had been willing to amnesty Kendrick Perkins (or could have kept Perkins and paid luxury tax for ONE year). As a Blazers fan, I'm so glad they were too cheap to keep all three, and that the two they did decide to keep were Durant and Westbrook, not Durant and Harden. That team with Durant, Harden and an unselfish PG would be a dynasty that would have won multiple NBA championships. With Russell Westbrook running the point, they will never win a single championship.

BNM

 

[Boise Blazer]

Boobs dont play around.

Never thought I say that sentence ...

 

[illmatic99]

I can pick a (few) game(s) from Dame when he was just as inefficient. Don't let the hate blind you. He plays ridiculously hard and carries his team. They live by him, and on some nights, they die by him.

Please no page long response for my 3 sentences...

 

[BBert]

Boob, your posts are always so well researched, well documented, well reasoned, well written and insightful, it makes me wonder:

Are you really The HCP?

 

[HomerLovesKoolAid]

Boob, your posts are always so well researched, well documented, well reasoned, well written and insightful, it makes me wonder:

Are you really The HCP?

Hahahahaha! That's funny right there!

 

[riverman]

All I ask is a 23 game win streak..still holding out for my 60 win season here! Go good guys! Beast mode!

 

[HomerLovesKoolAid]

All I ask is a 23 game win streak..still holding out for my 60 win season here! Go good guys! Beast mode!

No sweat.

 

[THE HCP]

Don't know if Westbrook's twisted ankle is serious or not. But last night that dude was at another level! 40 shots though?


Sent from my Baller-Ass 5.5" iPhone 6+......... FAMS

 

[riverman]

Wonder if Gee will get some time defending Westbrook tonight?

 

[HailBlazers]

I can pick a (few) game(s) from Dame when he was just as inefficient. Don't let the hate blind you. He plays ridiculously hard and carries his team. They live by him, and on some nights, they die by him.

Please no page long response for my 3 sentences...

I enjoyed it. Don't care how hard he plays if he plans like a bonehead.

Dame plays team basketball, Russ still thinks there's an I in Team.

 

[Boob-No-More]

I can pick a (few) game(s) from Dame when he was just as inefficient. Don't let the hate blind you. He plays ridiculously hard and carries his team. They live by him, and on some nights, they die by him.

Please no page long response for my 3 sentences...

The key word here is "few" - in Lillard's case. In Westbrook's case it's part of a pattern that's been going on for at least 4 years. It's not just an isolated game here and there, it's multiple entire playoff series (plural). I cited the Dallas series from 2011, but the same pattern continues year after year in the playoffs.

Kevin Durant is a four-time NBA scoring champ and reigning MVP. He is the most dangerous scorer on the planet. His career TS% is .601. (.583 playoffs). Yet, for each the last four seasons, Russell Westbrook (career TS% = .524, .519 playoffs) has more FGA/36 in the playoffs than Kevin Durant. That's not a "few" games, that's a four year pattern of THE most important games of the entire season. When you have Kevin Durant on your team, that should NEVER happen. Your PG should NOT be calling his own number more than Durant's.

How hard Westbrook plays is irrelevant, when that energy is freezing out a much more efficient, much more dangerous scorer and costs his team wins - especially in the playoffs.

OKC's lack of depth has been exposed in the last two post seasons - in particular, lack of scoring punch after Durant and Westbrook. So, their management went out and addressed that need by bringing in Enes Kanter, Dion Waiters and D.J. Augustin. All very capable scorers, but it won't do them any good if Westbrook doesn't share the ball with them. Shit, he doesn't share the ball with Kevin Durant. Do they really think he's going to share it with Enes Kanter?

Not if last night is any indication: 38 FGA for Westbrook, 31 FGA for the next three highest scorers combined. I'd be willing to bet dollars to donuts you can't find a single game in Damian Lillard's NBA career where he's attempted more FGA than his next three highest scoring teammates combined.

BNM

P.S. If you find my responses too long, you can always pull a PapaG and just respond with tl:dr. That's much easier than actually addressing what I wrote.

 

[Boob-No-More]

I enjoyed it. Don't care how hard he plays if he plans like a bonehead.

Dame plays team basketball, Russ still thinks there's an I in Team.

A man of few words, but well said!

BNM

 

[Boob-No-More]

Don't know if Westbrook's twisted ankle is serious or not. But last night that dude was at another level! 40 shots though?


Sent from my Baller-Ass 5.5" iPhone 6+......... FAMS

Another level of selfishness.

As I mentioned in my other responses, the dude jacked up more shots than his next three highest scoring teammates combined. What I didn't mention is that Westbrook MISSED as many FGA as his next FIVE high scoring teammates combined.

In other words. Russell Westbrook scored 39 points on 26 missed FGA. Kanter, Waiters, Augustin, Ibaka and Singler scored a combined 67 points on a combined 26 missed FGA. That's not just selfish, that's just plain stupid.

Westbrook padded his own scoring, rebounding and assist stats, but cost his team the game. Good for him! That's the Russell Westbrook I like to see. I'm hoping he's the one that leaves OKC for the Lakers. Take his big salary and big ego to Lala Land when he can torpedo that franchise's championship hopes for the next decade.

BNM

 

[Boob-No-More]

Boob, your posts are always so well researched, well documented, well reasoned, well written and insightful, it makes me wonder:

Are you really The HCP?

I think you may be confusing Boob with moobs.

I'm not sure if I should be flattered or insulted. Probably a little of both.

BNM

 

[Strenuus]

The key word here is "few" - in Lillard's case. In Westbrook's case it's part of a pattern that's been going on for at least 4 years. It's not just an isolated game here and there, it's multiple entire playoff series (plural). I cited the Dallas series from 2011, but the same pattern continues year after year in the playoffs.

Kevin Durant is a four-time NBA scoring champ and reigning MVP. He is the most dangerous scorer on the planet. His career TS% is .601. (.583 playoffs). Yet, for each the last four seasons, Russell Westbrook (career TS% = .524, .519 playoffs) has more FGA/36 in the playoffs than Kevin Durant. That's not a "few" games, that's a four year pattern of THE most important games of the entire season. When you have Kevin Durant on your team, that should NEVER happen. Your PG should NOT be calling his own number more than Durant's.

How hard Westbrook plays is irrelevant, when that energy is freezing out a much more efficient, much more dangerous scorer and costs his team wins - especially in the playoffs.

OKC's lack of depth has been exposed in the last two post seasons - in particular, lack of scoring punch after Durant and Westbrook. So, their management went out and addressed that need by bringing in Enes Kanter, Dion Waiters and D.J. Augustin. All very capable scorers, but it won't do them any good if Westbrook doesn't share the ball with them. Shit, he doesn't share the ball with Kevin Durant. Do they really think he's going to share it with Enes Kanter?

Not if last night is any indication: 38 FGA for Westbrook, 31 FGA for the next three highest scorers combined. I'd be willing to bet dollars to donuts you can't find a single game in Damian Lillard's NBA career where he's attempted more FGA than his next three highest scoring teammates combined.

BNM

P.S. If you find my responses too long, you can always pull a PapaG and just respond with tl:dr. That's much easier than actually addressing what I wrote.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is game, set, match.

 

[Boise Blazer]

Although I cant stand Westbrook its amazing that he can hog the ball and take that many shots and still get double digit assists. But all that does is tell he how amazing he could be if he didnt play like a bonehead.

 

[Draco]

The Westbrook hate reminds me of the Rasheed detractors. No he's not a perfect basketball player and he has aspects of his game that really leave you wishing for more but if you had 5 Westbrooks or 5 Rasheeds on the court they would dominate the competition. A lot of the failures should fall on the coach and their lesser teammates.

The Thunder are terrible without Westbrook, just as the Blazers were terrible once they got rid of Rasheed.

 

[Strenuus]

The Westbrook hate reminds me of the Rasheed detractors. No he's not a perfect basketball player and he has aspects of his game that really leave you wishing for more but if you had 5 Westbrooks or 5 Rasheeds on the court they would dominate the competition. A lot of the failures should fall on the coach and their lesser teammates.

The Thunder are terrible without Westbrook, just as the Blazers were terrible once they got rid of Rasheed.

If there were 5 westbrooks, there'd be 4 pissed off westbrooks.

 

[Boob-No-More]

I'd be willing to bet dollars to donuts you can't find a single game in Damian Lillard's NBA career where he's attempted more FGA than his next three highest scoring teammates combined.

Quoting myself...

You can't, not even close (I checked). Lillard's career high for FGA is 29 - in the 3OT win over SAS earlier this season. He scored 43 points on 16 - 29 shooting in 52 minutes.

Here's the real difference between Lillard and Westbrook. In his entire NBA career, Damian Lillard has attempted 25, or more, FGA six times (exactly twice per season). In those 6 games, he's shot 76 - 159 (.478 FG%). This season alone, Russell Westbrook has attempted 25, or more, FGA twelve times - including 5 games of 30, or more FGA - something Damian Lillard hs never done in his entire NBA career. In this 12 games, Westbrook has shot 136 - 353 (.394 FG%).

So, in 231 career games, Damian Lillard has called his own number 25, or more, times 6 times (that's once every 38.5 games).

In 44 games this season, Russell Westbrook has called his own number 25, or more times 12 times (that's once every 3.66 games).

Russell Westbrook is a chucker without a conscience that hurts his team with his selfish play. Damian Lillard is a team player that helps his team win games.

BNM

 

[Strenuus]

Quoting myself...

You can't, not even close (I checked). Lillard's career high for FGA is 29 - in the 3OT win over SAS earlier this season. He scored 43 points on 16 - 29 shooting in 52 minutes.

Here's the real difference between Lillard and Westbrook. In his entire NBA career, Damian Lillard has attempted 25, or more, FGA six times (exactly twice per season). In those 6 games, he's shot 76 - 159 (.478 FG%). This season alone, Russell Westbrook has attempted 25, or more, FGA twelve times - including 5 games of 30, or more FGA - something Damian Lillard hs never done in his entire NBA career. In this 12 games, Westbrook has shot 136 - 353 (.394 FG%).

So, in 231 career games, Damian Lillard has called his own number 25, or more, times 6 times (that's once every 38.5 games).

In 44 games this season, Russell Westbrook has called his own number 25, or more times 12 times (that's once every 3.66 games).

Russell Westbrook is a chucker without a conscience that hurts his team with his selfish play. Damian Lillard is a team player that helps his team win games.

BNM

I think if there's a required like post on S2, this is it.

Although, the only caveat I'd mention is that westbrook was out for a month, so the 3.66 games..... no wait, that makes it worse.

 

[Boob-No-More]

The Westbrook hate reminds me of the Rasheed detractors. No he's not a perfect basketball player and he has aspects of his game that really leave you wishing for more but if you had 5 Westbrooks or 5 Rasheeds on the court they would dominate the competition. A lot of the failures should fall on the coach and their lesser teammates.

The Thunder are terrible without Westbrook, just as the Blazers were terrible once they got rid of Rasheed.

The Thunder weren't terrible without Westbrook last year. They were 25-11 and Durant played the best ball of his career.

BNM