Game Thread GAME# 61: BLAZERS @ KNICKS - MARCH 1, 2016 - TUESDAY, 4:30 PM (PST), CSNNW

[Darkwebs]

2015-16 REGULAR SEASON RECORD
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
32 - 28
(13-16 Road)
NEW YORK KNICKS
25 - 36
(15-17 Home)





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

PG

DAMIAN LILLARD VS JOSE CALDERON

SG

C.J. McCOLLUM VS ARRON AFFLALO

SF

AL-FAROUQ AMINU VS CARMELO ANTHONY

PF

NOAH VONLEH VS KRISTAPS PORZINGIS

C

MASON PLUMLEE VS ROBIN LOPEZ


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WHEN: 4:30 PM, TUESDAY, 3/1/2016

WHERE: MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, NEW YORK, NY

TV BROADCAST:

RADIO BROADCAST:

​

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

ROBERTS , HENDERSON , CRABBE , CONNAUGHTON

HARKLESS , LEONARD, DAVIS , KAMAN

NEW YORK KNICKS

GRANT , FREDETTE , GALLOWAY , VUJACIC

THOMAS , WILLIAMS , O'QUINN , SERAPHIN

INJURIES
TRAIL BLAZERS
NONE
KNICKS
Arron Afflalo (Bruised Thigh): PROBABLE
Cleanthony Early (Injured Right Knee): OUT



HEAD COACHES

- VS –

TERRY STOTTS --- KURT RAMBIS



KNICKS' OFFICIAL GAME NOTES
BLAZERS' OFFICIAL GAME NOTES ​

• Tuesday marks the second and final regular season matchup between the Trail Blazers and Knicks in 2015-16.

• New York defeated Portland, 112-110, on Dec. 12 at the Moda Center. In that game, Carmelo Anthony scored a game-high 37 points on 13-of-21 shooting.

• New York’s win on Dec. 12 snapped a six-game winning streak for Portland against the Knicks.

• The Trail Blazers have won three straight games at Madison Square Garden and have been victorious in four of their past five games in New York against the Knicks.

• The last time New York swept Portland in a multi-game season series was 16 seasons ago (1999-2000).

• Damian Lillard scored 29 points against the Knicks on Dec. 12, marking his highest point total in seven career games against New York. Lillard has scored 20+ points in fi ve of those seven games.

• Both Arron Afflalo and Robin Lopez were members of the Trail Blazers in 2014-15. Afflalo scored 15 points in the first contest (Lopez: 14 pts, seven reb.).

• HEAD-TO-HEAD HISTORY:
ALL TIME: Trail Blazers lead, 60-46
IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 39-14
AT THE KNICKS: Knicks lead, 32-21

 

[BlazerBeav]

The Knicks have LOST 14 of their last 17. Talk about two teams going in completely opposite directions - let's keep it that way!

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

Dame needs to eat Calderon (oh and idk if AAA is gonna start btw)

 

[KingSpeed]

The greats have big nights at MSG. It's Dame's turn.

 

[SIeepwalker]

The poll.... WHAT A BUNCH OF HOMERS I LOVE IT !

 

[Draco]

Knicks have had injuries with their losing streak. Their a better team than that certainly they can play well and be a handful.

Don't see how they can play Calderon at all.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Any word on Afflalo? Before it was thought to be a thigh bruise and now a possible knee injury?
Even though the MRI was negative I would assume he will sit this one out as well.

I also assume Harkless will get more time since he is from NY and can help with Melo

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Vegas: Blazers 3.5 point favorites
538: Blazers 66% likely to win.

 

[illmatic99]

I still like Rolo, but Mase is climbing up the charts. Didn't expect the poll results to be that one-sided.

 

[Pinwheel1]

I still like Rolo, but Mase is climbing up the charts. Didn't expect the poll results to be that one-sided.

Rolo would actually be a nice complement to Plums. I would not mind him coming off our bench.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

I still like Rolo, but Mase is climbing up the charts. Didn't expect the poll results to be that one-sided.

I figured it would be, and know it certainly shouldn't be, but I'm completely OK with that.

 

[illmatic99]

I wonder what they would look like if the question was Vonleh vs Aldridge.

 

[jlprk]

Rolo would actually be a nice complement to Plums. I would not mind him coming off our bench.

No, start Plumlee at PF. He'd be a top PF, very agile. Lopez is 2 inches taller, a conventional/stiff center. We'd be great with those 2 starting.

 

[riverman]

I voted Rolo but I think when all is said and done...Mason will be better soon and is better this early in his career than Rolo was in Phoenix starting out.

 

[PDXFonz]

Is AA one of those guys who kills his old teams? If he starts I bet he kills us tonight.

 

[jlprk]

Rotowire says that Cleanthony Early could begin scrimmaging as early as next week. When the Portland Mafia shot him in the knee, he reportedly laughed it off and set his goal to return for today's game. Even if we lose tonight, we win the moral battle because he's still out.

 

[jlprk]

AAA is a mini-force on the Knicks, like the battery his parents named him after.

 

[jlprk]

Since I posted earlier in this thread, someone added an asterisk in the poll. There is no footnote at the bottom of the page. I don't know who did it. All I know is that Laker moderators love to talk about asterisks.

 

[Darkwebs]

Any word on Afflalo? Before it was thought to be a thigh bruise and now a possible knee injury?
Even though the MRI was negative I would assume he will sit this one out as well.

I also assume Harkless will get more time since he is from NY and can help with Melo

Per ESPN:
"Afflalo (knee) will be back in the starting lineup Tuesday against the Blazers.

Spin: A knee issue kept Afflalo out of Sunday's loss to Miami, but he underwent an MRI on Monday and was cleared of any serious damage. As such, the 30-year-old will return to his usual starting shooting guard spot, and he should see near his February average of 37.0 minutes per game. Afflalo closed the month with averages of 13.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game."

 

[Draco]

So Afflalo has to guard CJ? It should be fun watching them try to defend our backcourt.

 

[Draco]

Vegas: Blazers 3.5 point favorites
538: Blazers 66% likely to win.

Hmm I'd have thought the Blazers were a bit higher favorite.

We've won 13 of 15; they've lost 14 of 17.

Edit; Site I looked at shows us 4.5 favorite.

 

[jlprk]

NYC has 10 times Portland's population. Odds are set to balance the number of bets for Knicks vs. against the Knicks, and have little to do with the odds of who will win.

 

[Natebishop3]

The poll.... WHAT A BUNCH OF HOMERS I LOVE IT !

Rolo fell off so hard last year. I wasn't sad to see him go at all, and he really hasn't lived up to his contract. 9.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, and a PER of 17.44. Those aren't bad numbers, they'd probably be great coming off the bench, but I like Plumlee's ability to handle the rock and make plays.

Plumlee's averages are 9 ppg, 7.7 rebounds, 1 block, and a PER of 16.64.

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

Rolo fell off so hard last year. I wasn't sad to see him go at all, and he really hasn't lived up to his contract. 9.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, and a PER of 17.44. Those aren't bad numbers, they'd probably be great coming off the bench, but I like Plumlee's ability to handle the rock and make plays.

Plumlee's averages are 9 ppg, 7.7 rebounds, 1 block, and a PER of 16.64.

Plumlee has that rare ability to dribble and pass too

 

[PDXFonz]

Oh shit, Rebecca Harlow works for the Knicks?

 

[riverman]

Plumlee recovers way faster than Rolo and Plumlee can finish a full court fast break ..but he'll never push Rolo out of position..Rolo is a giant

 

[PDXFonz]

Knicks have a pretty legit player intro ceremony.

 

[Jade Falcon]

Yeah, I'm much happier with Plums over Lopez. Lopez got shown up big time against Memphis. Plums can make adjustments to his game when necessary. Lopez can't do that.

 

[PHXBlazer1]

We should blow this team out

 

[dead247]

anyone got a good stream link?