Game Thread GAME# 60: BLAZERS @ SUNS - FEBRUARY 24, 2018 - SATURDAY, 6:00 PM (PST), NBCSNW

[Darkwebs]

2017-18 REGULAR SEASON RECORD
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
33 - 26
(16-15 Road)
PHOENIX SUNS
18 - 42
(9-22 Home)


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

PG

DAMIAN LILLARD VS ELFRID PAYTON

SG

C.J. McCOLLUM VS DEVIN BOOKER

SF

MAURICE HARKLESS VS T.J. WARREN

PF

AL-FAROUQ AMINU VS DRAGAN BENDER

C

JUSUF NURKIC VS ALEX LEN




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WHEN: 6:00 PM, SATURDAY, 2/24/2018

WHERE: TALKING STICK RESORT ARENA, PHOENIX, AZ

TV BROADCAST:

RADIO BROADCAST:

​

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

NAPIER , BALDWIN IV , CONNAUGHTON

RUSH , TURNER , LAYMAN

SWANIGAN , COLLINS

DAVIS , LEONARD


------- PHOENIX SUNS-------

ULIS , DANIELS , HARRISON

REED , HOUSE Jr. , DUDLEY

JACKSON , PETERS

CHRISS , CHANDLER



INJURIES
TRAIL BLAZERS
C.J. Wilcox (G-League): OUT
SUNS
Tyler Ulis (low back): QUESTIONABLE
Tyson Chandler (neck spasm): DOUBTFUL
Brandon Knight (left ACL tear): OUT
Alan Williams (right meniscus repair): OUT


HEAD COACHES

- VS –

TERRY STOTTS --- JAY TRIANO

OFFICIAL SUNS' GAME NOTES
OFFICIAL BLAZERS' GAME NOTES ​

• Saturday’s game marks the fourth and final regular season matchup between the Trail Blazers and the Suns during the 2017-18 season.

• LAST MEETING: The Trail Blazers held off a fourth quarter comeback attempt by the Suns, defeating Phoenix, 118-111, in Portland on Jan. 16. Damian Lillard led Portland with 31 points (11-19 FG, 4-8 3-PT, 5-5 FT), five rebounds and seven assists while Devin Booker led the Suns with 43 points, six rebounds and eight assists.

• The Trail Blazers have won six consecutive games against the Suns. A victory would give Portland a seven-game win streak against Phoenix for the first time since 1987-1988 and a sweep of the season series for the first time since the 1998-99 season.

• CJ McCollum scored 27 points (9-18 FG, 6-10 3-PT, 3-3 FT) to go with three rebounds, two assists, three steals and two blocks against Phoenix on Jan. 16.

• Damian Lillard has scored at least 25 points in his last seven games against the Suns, averaging 31.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.4 assists in that span.

• HEAD-TO-HEAD HISTORY:
ALL TIME: Suns lead, 120-102
IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 69-43
AT THE SUNS: Suns lead, 77-33

​

 

[SlyPokerDog]

No 1st or 2nd seed option?!?

 

[DDolla]

It was CJ against the Jazz, now it’s Dame Time. Watch out Suns, Dame about to drop 40 on your team

 

[Darkwebs]

No 1st or 2nd seed option?!?

Nope. Sorry, Kingspeed.

 

[theprunetang]

How many young mediocre point guards have the Suns featured in the last 5 years?

 

[ripcityboy]

I thought the schedule was supposed to get tougher?!

 

[stampedehero]

We now have the opportunity to darken this team and pancake Elfrid Payton's hair.
NO Letdowns! We should play the same good D and score in the fourth when opportunity strikes.

 

[Mr. Robot]

No 1st or 2nd seed option?!?

 

[stampedehero]

No 1st or 2nd seed option?!?

Perhaps.....If we have only two losses from here on out.

 

[stampedehero]

Smothering D on Booker and continual insults on Payton's hair is the key.

 

[TBpup]

After last night's tremendous win, tonight is a MUST win as to not undo the gain from last night. Thunder play the Warriors tonight....a chance to gain a game.

 

[Labinot41]

I thought the schedule was supposed to get tougher?!

No worry, we play the Wolves, Okc twice, Warriors, Heat, Cavs, Celtics, Pistons, Clippers, Rockets, Pelicans, Spurs, Nuggets and the Jazz in the last game

 

[SIeepwalker]

No worry, we play the Wolves, Okc twice, Warriors, Heat, Cavs, Celtics, Pistons, Clippers, Rockets, Pelicans, Spurs, Nuggets and the Jazz in the last game

I count 14 wins, and that's being conservative

 

[gatorpops]

It is going to get very cold and dark in Arizona this evening! As the Sun goes out.

 

[tykendo]

Elfrid Payton is a quality PG who can get hot at anytime. I feel Orlando is one of the most short-sighted teams in the League. They were ready to unload Vucevic last year. They just don't get it. The Suns have a franchise talent in Booker, two fine young talents in Payton, and Warren, and a high potential, but raw SF in Jackson. The Blazers will need to bring a workman like performance, and get the job done. I feel confident, but these kind of games are always scary because of letdown after a huge victory in UTAH. Dame though is one of, if not the most, focused and driven dude in the league. Go Blazers!!

 

[tykendo]

Smothering D on Booker and continual insults on Payton's hair is the key.

I nicknamed Payton, "Chef Fro Ardee" because of his hair in the past. Now he has the "California Quail" hairdo.

 

[HomerLovesKoolAid]

I think Elfrid Payton was the lead singer for "Flock Of Jive Turkeys".

 

[Titan]

Talking about Elfrid's hair reminds of this not to long ago.

 

[SIeepwalker]

Talking about Elfrid's hair reminds of this not to long ago.

I've seen another video that shows his hair touching the ball on a lot of his short FTs attempt... Man if I was his coach I would be so mad and tell him everyday to cut that shit. You can have whatever haircut you want, but not if it impedes your playing ability

 

[BigGameDamian]

Talking about Elfrid's hair reminds of this not to long ago.

Looks dumb anyway

 

[H.C.]

Picking on Elfrid Payton's hair.
Ya'll just jealous white bald white guys.

 

[BonesJones]

This next stretch is crucial to our HCA/3 Seed Chances.

These next 2 are must win games. Not many games left against teams like Pheonix and Sacremento. These are definitely trap games that we can't play down to our opponent for. Tonight will show whether we're past the lapses that we had earlier in the season against bad teams. Pheonix is on a back-to-back too, so there's no excuses to not beat this team by 20.

Our next 4 games after that -
Vs. Timberwolves (without Jimmy Butler) - Likely W
Vs. Thunder (we're 2-0 against them) - Slight Edge to Us (W)
@ Lakers (could be a tough game) - Likely W
Vs. Knicks (without Porzingas) - Likely W

So we probably lose one of those 4, and end up 38-27. However, we're going to be favored in all 6 of these games, so if we could be 39-26, I think we'd be 3rd in the West after that. It'd definitely help us considering that, in our final 17 games, we have (Ranked Hardest to Easier):
VS GSW
@ HOU
VS CLE
@ SAS
VS HOU
@ OKC
VS BOS
@ NOP

If we could go 3-5 in those games, and 6-3 in the other 9, that gives us 47-48 Wins.

 

[SIeepwalker]

Let's not throw this game !

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Interesting coincidence that the day we play the Suns is the first day in a week it hasn't snowed here.

 

[Strenuus]

HARK WITH THE DUNK, STEAL, PASS for another dunk!

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Nice start!

 

[H.C.]

Not bad start.

 

[Labinot41]

Good Morning

 

[BrianFromWA]

Decent start...

 

[BonesJones]

MOE HARKLESS