Game Thread Game #65 - BLAZERS @ JAZZ - WEDNESDAY - MARCH 9, 2022 - 7:00 PM (PDT) ESPN

[Chris Craig]

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STARTERS


Brandon Williams Josh Hart

CJ Elleby Trendon Watford

Drew Eubanks




Mike Conley Donovan Mitchell

Bojan Bogdanovic Royce O'Neale

Rudy Gobert

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WHEN: MARCH 9, 2022 - WEDNESDAY - 7:00 PM (PDT)

WHERE: VIVINT ARENA, SALT LAKE CITY, UT



TV BROADCAST


RADIO BROADCAST



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BENCH

BLAZERS


Ben McLemore Greg Brown

Keon Johnson Elijah Hughes

Keljin Blevins

Damian Lillard

Anfernee Simons Jusuf Nurkic

Nassir Little Justice Winslow

Eric Bledsoe Joe Ingles

Didi Louzada


JAZZ


Jordan Clarkson Rudy Gay

Hassan Whiteside N Alexander Walker

Trent Forrest Danuel House

Juan Hernangomez Eric Paschall

Udoka Azubuike Jared Butler

Xavier Sneed

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INJURIES


JAZZ

Rudy Gobert (Calf) QUEST


BLAZERS

Damian Lillard (Abs) OUT
Nassir Little (Shoulder) OUT
Jusuf Nurkic (Foot) OUT
Joe Ingles (Knee) OUT
Didi Louzada (Knee) OUT
Eric Bledsoe (Foot) OUT
Anfernee Simons (Quad) QUEST
Justice Winslow (Foot) QUEST

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COACHES


Chauncey Billups


Quin Snyder

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NOTES
​

• This is the third of four meetings between the Trail Blazers and Jazz this season
• The two teams will meet again for the final game of the season, TBD
• The Jazz lead the 2021-22 season series 2-0
• The Jazz won the 2020-21 season series 2-1
• Joe Ingles played for the Jazz from 2014-22 after going undrafted in 2009
• Hassan Whiteside played for the Blazers during the 2019 - 20 season
• Nickeil Alexander Walker was traded to the Blazers as part of the CJ McCollum trade to NOP, but was traded to the Jazz before he ever played a game for Portland
• Elijah Hughes Was drafted by the Pelicans in the 2020 draft before being traded to Utah where he played for the 2020 -21 and 2021-22 seasons

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TRIVIA ​

The Blazers last played the Jazz back on 12/29, losing 120 - 109. These two Blazers led all scorers with 32 points a piece.

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​

 

[PtldPlatypus]

It's sad that of the three players listed, the one I'd keep is the one I've never seen play, but I've seen enough of the other two to feel certain they'll never be contributors on a contender.

 

[blazerkor]

I picked Didi because he's the only one that would hit the cap even if we decided we wanted to move on from him. The other two can probably be replaced by undrafted free agents that will make less than a million.

Now let's get down to what matters... this game! Just kidding, I think we all know we don't talk about Blazers games in here anymore. I mean some people like to whine about us not trying to win. Most of us hope that we'll keep losing. The only thing I care about is how the young guys look and so far neither of the two young guys that are in the poll question that play have done anything to make me want to keep them. That being said when your playing such terrible lineups against NBA caliber players there's very little that an untrained eye like mine can get from over matched players, especially potentially good glue guys because they have no high end pieces to glue together.

 

[BlazerBeav]

We've had some ugly losses in SLC over the years - this one just might top them all!

Looks like the worst one was a 37-point loss in 2007.

 

[illmatic99]

sigh.

espn.

why

 

[PtldPlatypus]

sigh.

espn.

why

Becase America can't get enough CJ Elleby.

 

[BlazerBeav]

 

[KSF-ERIC]

We've had some ugly losses in SLC over the years - this one just might top them all!

Looks like the worst one was a 37-point loss in 2007.

Here’s a 38 point loss:

https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/199605050UTA.html

 

[wizenheimer]

Blazers have set a new gold standard for tanking

 

[illmatic99]

Blazers have set a new gold standard for tanking

And yet we have made very few improvements to our lottery position.

 

[BlazerBeav]

And yet we have made very few improvements to our lottery position.

That 4-game winning streak really set us back.

 

[wizenheimer]

And yet we have made very few improvements to our lottery position.

Blazers have won 4 of the last 15 games. If they hadn't gone full-tank and would have won, for example, 7 games instead of 4, they'd be 11th in the lottery (and 1 win from 12th) and 9th seed for the playoffs.

also, I don't see any difference between losing games by 9 points or losing by 29 points. Some people seem upset by the margin of loss over these last 5 games. Just before that 4 game win streak, the Blazers lost 8 of 9, and in that 9 game stretch they lost games by 20, 14, 17, 29, & 18 points. So, it's not like the lop-sided losses are new.

besides that, we know Dame's injury is legitimate; so is Little's; and there's a very real chance Nurkic's condition & absence is valid too. If Winslow does have a sore Achilles, he should not be playing at all; just ask Durant and Klay about that. Bledsoe was not going to play, either way. Ant may actually have a thigh contusion (he's listed as questionable for tonight's game). Yeah, it all looks suspicious but there may not be as much deliberate tanking going on as suspected

 

[Scalma]

Simons is “out”

 

[Scalma]

Poll question is pretty easy imo

Blevins- not under contract, not a good player
Elleby- contract not guaranteed, not a good player


Who knows if Louzada is any good, he’s barely played, but his contract is guaranteed, so that gives him an advantage. Doubt they eat it while having numerous other cut candidates. Roster spots shouldn’t be an issue.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

What’s the over/under on the loss tonight?
Let’s go with 24.5

Ill take the over.

 

[DDolla]

I’m ready for another National TV Embarrassment

 

[Scalma]

Jazz are fully healthy too, and they have Gobert and Whiteside. Gonna be a massacre lolol

 

[maxiep]

If Alexander Walker blows us up tonight, I'm going to be bummed. I liked him as an acquistion.

 

[B-Roy]

If Alexander Walker blows us up tonight, I'm going to be bummed. I liked him as an acquistion.

He's played 16 total minutes since getting traded. And sure he may play more today since the Jazz are undoubtably going to blow the nuts off the guys we're sending on the floor, but is that even an accomplishment? Scoring on two way guys and end of bench players is nothing to get excited about.

 

[wizenheimer]

....the Jazz are undoubtably going to blow the nuts off the guys we're sending on the floor.....

yikes!!

 

[Scalma]

Mama mia

 

[Fairly-Hard]

Mama mia

This is like 4th or 5th string right?
These aren’t even the 3rd string on the team that started the season.

 

[Orion Bailey]

I chose Elleby because of his work ethic and that he knows the system better.

(what system? Lol)

 

[Scalma]

This is like 4th or 5th string right?
These aren’t even the 3rd string on the team that started the season.

idk, but I see only one guy that’ll be on the roster for sure next season, and he’ll be sitting on the bench.

Edit: oh and Hart. So one borderline starter and one end of the bench guy.

 

[HailBlazers]

 

[KSF-ERIC]

This is like 4th or 5th string right?
These aren’t even the 3rd string on the team that started the season.

Hart is first string. Elleby was a starter when we won 4th straight. How is a 5th string even possible when we can only have 15 players?

 

[TBpup]

Blazers with a lead on the road!

 

[AldoTrapani]

Where the fuck is Simons? And man Hart can’t shoot for shit

 

[LayneStaley]

Elleby proving he is dogshit nice and early in this one.

 

[TBpup]

Elleby....lol, the Master Tank Commander.