Game Thread GAME# 73: BLAZERS @ CLIPPERS - MARCH 24, 2016 - THURSDAY, 7:30 PM (PDT), CSNNW

[Darkwebs]

2015-16 REGULAR SEASON RECORD
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
37 - 35
(15-23 Road)
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
43 - 27
(22-12 Home)




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

PG

DAMIAN LILLARD VS CHRIS PAUL

SG

C.J. McCOLLUM VS J.J. REDICK

SF

MAURICE HARKLESS VS PAUL PIERCE

PF

AL-FAROUQ AMINU VS LUC MBAH A MOUTE

C

MASON PLUMLEE VS DeANDRE JORDAN


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WHEN: 7:30 PM, THURSDAY, 3/24/2016

WHERE: STAPLES CENTER, LOS ANGELES, CA

TV BROADCAST:

RADIO BROADCAST:

​

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

ROBERTS , HENDERSON , CRABBE , CONNAUGHTON

VONLEH , DAVIS , KAMAN

LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS

PRIGIONI , RIVERS , CRAWFORD , WILCOX

JOHNSON , GREEN , AYRES , ALDRICH


INJURIES
TRAIL BLAZERS
Meyers Leonard (dislocated left shoulder): OUT
CLIPPERS
Blake Griffin (partially torn left quad tendon/right hand fracture): OUT



HEAD COACHES

- VS –

TERRY STOTTS --- DOC RIVERS



CLIPPERS' OFFICIAL GAME NOTES
BLAZERS' OFFICIAL GAME NOTES ​

• Thursday marks the fourth and final regular season matchup between the
Trail Blazers and Clippers in 2015-16.

• LAST MEETING: Los Angeles defeated Portland, 109-98, at the Moda Center on Jan. 6. Chris Paul scored 21 points and dished out a season-high 19 assists.

• The Clippers have won two of their three matchups against the Trail Blazers this season. With a win Thursday, Los Angeles would claim its fourth season series over Portland in the past five seasons (two straight).

• Since 2011-12, Portland is 1-7 in eight games against the Clippers at the Staples Center. The lone win (98-93) came last season on March 4, 2015.

• Ed Davis has finished with a double-double in all three games against LAC this season (14.0 ppg, 12.3 rpg).

• In three games against the Clippers this season, Mason Plumlee has averaged 15.7 points (66.7% FG) and 10.7 rebounds. Plumlee has recorded two double-doubles and scored in double fi gures in all three games.

• CJ McCollum (12 pts, 10 ast) recorded his first career double-double against the Clippers on Nov. 30 at the Staples Center.

• HEAD-TO-HEAD HISTORY:
ALL TIME: Trail Blazers lead, 141-72
IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 86-21
AT THE CLIPPERS: Trail Blazers lead, 55-51

 

[B-Roy]

This is a winnable game.

 

[Darkwebs]

This is a winnable game.

It's a must-win if we're serious about moving up to the 5th seed.

 

[theprunetang]

I like that both teams are on back to backs. At least it is equal this time. This is going to be a tough game though. Our defense is set up for Paul to go off. We allow guards to get open mid range shots and CP can make that defensive scheme look foolish. We are going to need a solid defensive effort. And I hope Stotts sticks with vonleh off the bench. I support the dude, but harkless just does so much more out there.

 

[KingSpeed]

I'll be at this one with El Presidente. We're gonna hook up after.

 

[BonesJones]

CJ GONNA GET HIS REVENGE!!!!!!

 

[Strenuus]

I'll be at this one with El Presidente. We're gonna hook up after.

So what you're saying is you're going south of the border?

 

[KingSpeed]

CJ GONNA GET HIS REVENGE!!!!!!

Seriously. CJ needs to drop 50.

 

[KingSpeed]

So what you're saying is you're going south of the border?

I don't know what that means.

 

[Scalma]

We can't allow Paul to get off open mid range shots. Stotts needs to adjust to that. It's like giving him a layup. I like the harkless/pierce matchup for Portland, on both ends.

 

[Strenuus]

I don't know what that means.

Damnit! My crude joke failed!

Sex, KS. Sex. His nether regions are below the "border".

DAMNIT, Stren! FAIL!

 

[illmatic99]

Clips on a pretty decent spiral here. Lost 5 of last 6. Coming off a 5 game road trip in which they lost 4, with a game last night @ GS. Kinda mitigates our b2b a bit.

CJ will be ON tonight for sure. Need one among Hark or Davis to go off again.

And Terry! Keep Hark in the starting lineup.

Edit: whoa, CJ.

After the final horn, when Rivers pointed at him from across the court way, McCollum could do little more than smirk back and ponder what might be the next time he faced the Clippers.

"He knew what I meant," McCollum said Wednesday night, when asked about the postgame exchange. "It's unfortunate that that's how it had to go down.

"But if it was my son, I would probably protect him, too."

http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/i...s_clipper.html#incart_river_mobileshort_index

 

[Reep]

I'll be at this one with El Presidente. We're gonna hook up after.

Reep and the Reepettes will be there with the group. It will be fun to have a little Blazer cheering section of our own. I have only met El Pres, so looking forward to meeting some of the other SoCal fans.

 

[MickZagger]

Must win!

 

[Tunchi]

This is a winnable game.

It's a west playoff team other than last night we haven't beat one in awhile

 

[MickZagger]

Clips on a pretty decent spiral here. Lost 5 of last 6. Coming off a 5 game road trip in which they lost 4, with a game last night @ GS. Kinda mitigates our b2b a bit.

CJ will be ON tonight for sure. Need one among Hark or Davis to go off again.

And Terry! Keep Hark in the starting lineup.

Edit: whoa, CJ.



http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/i...s_clipper.html#incart_river_mobileshort_index

Yes! I love me some Hark.

 

[Reep]

Yes! I love me some Hark.

Moe Hark, not Less!

 

[noknobs]

Clips on a pretty decent spiral here. Lost 5 of last 6. Coming off a 5 game road trip in which they lost 4, with a game last night @ GS. Kinda mitigates our b2b a bit.

CJ will be ON tonight for sure. Need one among Hark or Davis to go off again.

And Terry! Keep Hark in the starting lineup.

Edit: whoa, CJ.



http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/index.ssf/2016/03/cj_mccollum_trail_blazers_face_los_angeles_clipper.html#incart_river_mobileshort_index

Haha, I just read that quote from CJ too and laughed out loud. Doc is a bitch, always has been. But I didn't know he was a coward too until this happened.

 

[Draco]

Would be a big win tonight. CP3 has owned us on both ends. Clippers might be getting a bit overworked playing without Griffin for so long. If we can get a win tonight puts us in place to make a run and go 8-2 in these last ten games. I don't see anyway Memphis can finish .500 from here on out playing the Spurs/Warriors twice each and many other tough games.

We finish 8-2 then as long as Memphis is below 5-5 (which I think is a lock) we are the 5th seed. Much rather play the Clippers than Thunder in the first round. If we somehow won that series, which yes now amounts to a string of 5 if statements, a Warriors series in round 2 would be tons of fun. No way do I want the slow painful death of the Spurs in the playoffs.

Go Blazers!

 

[Draco]

Yes! I love me some Hark.

Yeah even though he bricked all 4 three's he scored 14 points and was active on offense. He'll either begin making some of these jump shots or take a few less either way he provides much more than Vonleh. Are we settling in on a new playoff starting 5?

Right now I think our 9 best players are 'Webs listed starters plus Ed Davis, Hendo, Crabbe and Roberts. I liked seeing Roberts out there for a few minutes last night. It really helps when opponents trap DameCJ to have another ball handler out there. He can get his own shot as well so those two don't always have to create the offense. Only played 9 minutes last night but I think he could be very helpful on the 4 games in 5 night stretch we have coming up. Tonight and that stretch are the only back to backs we have left.

After that we may want to settle on more of an 8 man rotation for the playoffs. Hopefully tonight ends up being a preview of our opponent.

 

[Tunchi]

No way we win this game. We just dont beat West Playoff teams at THEIR PLACE. I guarantee a loss

 

[Strenuus]

No way we win this game. We just dont beat West Playoff teams at THEIR PLACE. I guarantee a loss

You seem so happy about it. Like you want it to happen.

Let it flow through you... let it flow..

 

[Orion Bailey]

No way we win this game. We just dont beat West Playoff teams at THEIR PLACE. I guarantee a loss

im curious if your confident enough to make an ultimatum on that? If the Blazers win, your not allowed to post in any thread you didn't create for a week? Come on... back up the talk...

 

[Tunchi]

You seem so happy about it. Like you want it to happen.

Let it flow through you... let it flow..

No I'm pragmatic. I'm not a homer. Please tell me whens the last time we beat a West playoff team at their place? So you get my point..

 

[Tunchi]

im curious if your confident enough to make an ultimatum on that? If the Blazers win, your not allowed to post in any thread you didn't create for a week? Come on... back up the talk...

Deal

 

[Strenuus]

No I'm pragmatic. I'm not a homer. Please tell me whens the last time we beat a West playoff team at their place? So you get my point..

Considering we've only played 5 teams on the road in the western conference playoff picture since Feb 8th we're 1-4. Before that, The last time we played a road game against a western conference opponent was Dec. 18th (@OKC)...

So, 6 games in 4 months. That's so spread out aside from the last road trip.

I get what YOU are saying, but there's never been a guaranteed loss in the history of basketball, except for the Washington Generals... and every now and then THEY even won. I guess I was more annoyed by the GUARANTEED loss than the western playoff talk.

If there were guaranteed losses, the Lakers would have lost to the Warriors every time, right?

 

[DreamKillah]

"Baby Dame" shoulda been on Cliff's lap while he was "droppin' dimes"

 

[Tunchi]

Considering we've only played 5 teams on the road in the western conference playoff picture since Feb 8th we're 1-4. Before that, The last time we played a road game against a western conference opponent was Dec. 18th (@OKC)...

So, 6 games in 4 months. That's so spread out aside from the last road trip.

I get what YOU are saying, but there's never been a guaranteed loss in the history of basketball, except for the Washington Generals... and every now and then THEY even won. I guess I was more annoyed by the GUARANTEED loss than the western playoff talk.

If there were guaranteed losses, the Lakers would have lost to the Warriors every time, right?

Ok that's fair

I should have said this will be a loss based on our history this season.

No way we win this game nevertheless

 

[KingSpeed]

No way we win this game. We just dont beat West Playoff teams at THEIR PLACE. I guarantee a loss

We beat a healthy Memphis team in Memphis. We beat Utah in Utah too.

 

[BonesJones]

Ok that's fair

I should have said this will be a loss based on our history this season.

No way we win this game nevertheless

So based off your logic we'll lose to the 76ers too correct?