Game Thread GAME# 68: BLAZERS @ HAWKS - MARCH 18, 2017 - SATURDAY, 3:00 PM (PST), CSNNW

[Darkwebs]

2016-17 REGULAR SEASON RECORD
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
30 - 37
(13-23 Road)
ATLANTA HAWKS
37 - 30
(19-15 Home)

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

PG

DAMIAN LILLARD VS DENNIS SCHRODER

SG

C.J. McCOLLUM VS KENT BAZEMORE

SF

MOE HARKLESS VS THABO SEFOLOSHA

PF

NOAH VONLEH VS ERSAN ILYASOVA

C

JUSUF NURKIC VS DWIGHT HOWARD

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WHEN: 3:00 PM, SATURDAY, 3/18/2017

WHERE: PHILIPS ARENA, ATLANTA, GA

TV BROADCAST:

RADIO BROADCAST:

​

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

NAPIER , CONNAUGHTON , TURNER

CRABBE , LAYMAN

AMINU , LEONARD

ATLANTA HAWKS

DELANEY , CALDERON , HARDAWAY Jr.

BEMBRY , PRINCE , KELLY

HUMPHRIES , MUSCALA


INJURIES
TRAIL BLAZERS
Evan Turner (right hand fracture, third metacarpal): PROBABLE
Ed Davis (arthoscopic surgery , left shoulder): OUT
Festus Ezeli (left knee): OUT
HAWKS
Paul Milsap (left knee tightness): OUT
Mike Dunelavy (right ankle synovitis): OUT



HEAD COACHES

- VS –

TERRY STOTTS --- MIKE BUDENHOLZER



HAWKS' OFFICIAL GAME NOTES
BLAZERS' OFFICIAL GAME NOTES ​

• Saturday marks the second of two regular season matchups between the
Trail Blazers and the Hawks in 2016-17. The Hawks lead the season series 1-0.

• LAST MEETING: Atlanta defeated Portland in overtime, 109-104, at the Moda Center on Feb. 13. Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 25 points for the hawks, while CJ McCollum led the Trail Blazers with a game-high 26 points.

• In the last game, Portland scored the first seven points of the overtime period, before Atlanta went on a 12-0 run in the final 3:14 to close out the game.

• Atlanta has swept the Trail Blazers each of the past two seasons.

• Portland out-rebounded Atlanta, 66-52 in the previous meeting. The Trail Blazers 66 rebounds are the most the team has pulled in all season.

• CJ McCollum has scored 25+ in both career games he has started vs. Atlanta. He is averaging 27 points, five rebounds and four assists in those games.

• Dwight Howard has recorded 12+ rebounds in each of his past 10 games against the Trail Blazers. Howard has averaged 20.8 points and 14.2 rebounds in that span.

• HEAD-TO-HEAD HISTORY:
ALL TIME: Hawks lead, 55-53
IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 34-20
AT THE HAWKS: Hawks lead, 35-19

​

 

[Darkwebs]

PLAYOFF RACE

 

[Darkwebs]

LOTTERY RACE

 

[H.C.]

Not sure how much of this game I will catch being that I turn a year older on this date.
Go Blazers.

 

[KingSpeed]

We are 30-37 and our road record is 13-23.

 

[Blazer4ever]

The Hawks are solid, Milsap especially, one of the better players in the league. But they don't have as much talent as they used to. It wouldn't be easy, we need to be at the top of our game. Our problem many times this year has been confidence, bringing our A game every time, we get a nice win then not show up the next game, hope this time the trend changes

 

[Pinwheel1]

http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/i..._evan_turner_returns_to_prac.html#incart_2box

As discussed this is good news, except for this part....

"The bigger issue, he said, is his feel of the basketball. Turner will wear tape around two fingers and a padded brace on the palm side his right hand, offering extra protection for his damaged bone. But he said it impacts his grip of the ball and his dribbling."

 

[Mediocre Man]

http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/i..._evan_turner_returns_to_prac.html#incart_2box

As discussed this is good news, except for this part....

"The bigger issue, he said, is his feel of the basketball. Turner will wear tape around two fingers and a padded brace on the palm side his right hand, offering extra protection for his damaged bone. But he said it impacts his grip of the ball and his dribbling."

Might improve his shooting.

 

[riverman]

Might improve his shooting.

He dropped 24 pts his last game...I think he'd done that already

 

[Mediocre Man]

He dropped 24 pts his last game...I think he'd done that already

Where did the shots come from?

 

[riverman]

Where did the shots come from?

I know it was a Dallas game....if I remember correctly very few were 3s...his scoring has steadily gone up as the season has moved along..he'll be rusty for sure.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Where did the shots come from?

Just where we need them to be from......while attacking the basket.

 

[BigGameDamian]

 

[Jade Falcon]

I know it was a Dallas game....if I remember correctly very few were 3s...his scoring has steadily gone up as the season has moved along..he'll be rusty for sure.

I'm expecting a lot of rust from Turner, and not a lot of minutes, if Stotts clears him to play.

It will be an act of God if he drops more than 11 points in his first game back. In my opinion.

Nurk vs. Howard....that's going to be very interesting. Hopefully it goes better than that match-up he had against Cousins.

 

[riverman]

I'm expecting a lot of rust from Turner, and not a lot of minutes, if Stotts clears him to play.

It will be an act of God if he drops more than 11 points in his first game back. In my opinion.

Nurk vs. Howard....that's going to be very interesting. Hopefully it goes better than that match-up he had against Cousins.

I like Nurk over Howard, it's Vonleh and Chief on Millsap that'll be an X factor...Millsap can kill you from anywhere on the court. Howard, not so much.

 

[Trackjack]

We got guy now can meet Howard strength and that should be plus for us.

 

[Jade Falcon]

I like Nurk over Howard, it's Vonleh and Chief on Millsap that'll be an X factor...Millsap can kill you from anywhere on the court. Howard, not so much.

I agree.

We got guy now can meet Howard strength and that should be plus for us.

My only concern is that Howard has a very long reach. I think he's one of the few in this league who could routinely block Nurk at the rim if he wanted to.

But we'll see. I hope I'm wrong, and Nurk just goes to town on his ass.

 

[BigGameDamian]

We got guy now can meet Howard strength and that should be plus for us.

Put them in a cage!

 

[riverman]

I agree.



My only concern is that Howard has a very long reach. I think he's one of the few in this league who could routinely block Nurk at the rim if he wanted to.

But we'll see. I hope I'm wrong, and Nurk just goes to town on his ass.

Vonleh and Howard both have 7'4" + wingspans...same as Kevin Durant ..
Aminu has a 7'2 wingspan...amazing for his height..Nurk also has a 7'2 wingspan but 280 lbs behind it
.Meyers has a 7'3 wingspan and Ed Davis has a 7'2 wingspan...
Mo has a 7'2 wingspan but Layman has the TRex 6'9 wingspan going on...

 

[Jade Falcon]

Vonleh and Howard both have 7'4" + wingspans...same as Kevin Durant ..
Aminu has a 7'2 wingspan...amazing for his height..Nurk also has a 7'2 wingspan but 280 lbs behind it
.Meyers has a 7'3 wingspan and Ed Davis has a 7'2 wingspan...
Mo has a 7'2 wingspan but Layman has the TRex 6'9 wingspan going on...

Rep. Thanks for that.

 

[Chris Craig]

I'm expecting a lot of rust from Turner, and not a lot of minutes, if Stotts clears him to play.

It will be an act of God if he drops more than 11 points in his first game back. In my opinion.

Nurk vs. Howard....that's going to be very interesting. Hopefully it goes better than that match-up he had against Cousins.

Yeah, I think Nurk can handle an aged Howard, if it were the ghost of Howard past then maybe I'd be concerned...if anything let Howard get to the line and brick his free throws

 

[riverman]

My poll answer is yes....I live in Lane County...people wear green all year round here. I wear more black and orange though...Beaver fan.

 

[Chris Craig]

Yes, I usually wear green on St. Pattys day, and when I don't I've got green in me Irish blood

 

[BigGameDamian]

 

[Scalma]

After the spurs game, I'm expecting us to get blown out.

 

[BrunoSOC]

ok we got this

 

[TBpup]

Happy Birthday @honkicracker ...Go Blazers!!

 

[Mediocre Man]

After the spurs game, I'm expecting us to get blown out.

Is the team headed to Salt Lake City?

 

[-Ace-]

Nurk's spin move will be too fast for Howard to react to. I haven't seen anyone block him on it yet.

 

[PDXFonz]

- Get Nurk lots of looks in the paint. Howard not quick enough to keep up with Nurk in the post.
- Evan Turners return will be key. How he and Nurk play off of each other will be the difference in this one.
- Take smart shots. Have to start valuing possessions as we get closer to the post season.
- Win the glass battle. Howard is still an elite rebounded, need to make sure to keep him off the glass and make his looks difficult.
- Put them away early. Would be very helpful if we could finally get some rest for our starters on the first night of a b2b

Nurk is on triple double watch in this one as well.