Game Thread Game #76 - BLAZERS VS PELICANS - MARCH 30, 2022 - WEDNESDAY - 7:00 PM (PDT) ROOT SPORTS

[Chris Craig]

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STARTERS


Brandon Williams Keon Johnson

CJ Elleby Elijah Hughes

Drew Eubanks



CJ McCollum Herb Jones

Brandon Ingram Jaxon Hayes

Jonas Valanciunas

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WHEN: MARCH 30, 2022 - WEDNESDAY - 7:00 PM (PDT)

WHERE: MODA CENTER, PORTLAND OR



TV BROADCAST



RADIO BROADCAST



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BENCH

BLAZERS


Ben McLemore Kris Dunn

Reggie Perry Greg Brown

Keljin Blevins Trendon Watford

Justice Winslow Josh Hart

Damian Lillard Jusuf Nurkic

Anfernee Simons Nassir Little

Eric Bledsoe Joe Ingles

Didi Louzada



PELICANS


Devonte' Graham Jose Alvarado

Troy Murphy III Naji Marshall

Willy Hernangomez Gary Clark

Jared Harper Kira Lewis Jr

Larry Nance Jr Tony Snell

Garrett Temple Zion Williamson

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INJURIES


PELICANS

Zion Williamson (Foot) OUT
Kira Lewis Jr (Knee) OUT
Larry Nance Jr (Knee) QUEST.


BLAZERS

Damian Lillard (Abs) OUT
Nassir Little (Shoulder)OUT
Jusuf Nurkic (Foot) OUT
Anfernee Simons (OUT)
Justice Winslow (Foot) OUT
Josh Hart (Knee) OUT
Eric Bledsoe (Foot) OUT
Didi Louzada (Knee) OUT
Trendon Watford (Knee) OUT
Joe Ingles (Knee) OUT
Greg Brown (Eye) QUEST.

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COACHES


Chauncey Billups

Willie Green

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NOTES

• This is the 2nd of three games this season between the Blazers and the Pelicans
• The Pelicans lead the season series 1-0
• The Blazers swept the 2020-21 season series 3-0
• This game marks the first return of CJ McCollum and Tony Snell since they were traded to the Pelicans.
• Eric Bledsoe played for the Pelicans during the 20-21 season
• Josh Hart of course played for the Pelicans from 2019-22
• Didi Louzada was taken by the Hawks with the 35th pick in the 2019 draft and traded to the Pelicans where he spent his first two and a half seasons.

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TRIVIA

The Blazers last played the Pelicans on 12/21, losing 111-97. He played 42 minutes, the most of any Blazer (and any other player in the game).

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​

 

[blazerkor]

Oh yeah, CJ is going to light us up. I just hope that somehow the Lakers get some unlikely wins and the Spurs keep winning and don't even let the Pelicans into the play in. The Pelicans have three more easy wins on their schedule, the Spurs only have two more easy wins (both against us) on their schedule, and the Lakers only have one easy win left... however the Spurs are hot and the Lakers could be getting AD back any day and with AD back they could get some of these unlikely wins. Go Lakers (that's right "my friends" I said it) and Go Spurs!!!

my friends is the television edit for mother fuckers, not meant as a personal attack.

 

[wizenheimer]

Oh yeah, CJ is going to light us up. I just hope that somehow the Lakers get some unlikely wins and the Spurs keep winning and don't even let the Pelicans into the play in. The Pelicans have three more easy wins on their schedule, the Spurs only have two more easy wins (both against us) on their schedule, and the Lakers only have one easy win left... however the Spurs are hot and the Lakers could be getting AD back any day and with AD back they could get some of these unlikely wins. Go Lakers (that's right "my friends" I said it) and Go Spurs!!!

my friends is the television edit for mother fuckers, not meant as a personal attack.

I'm not sure any of those teams are good enough to have easy wins on their schedule...

...unless it's Portland on the schedule of course.

 

[HailBlazers]

Go Blazers?

 

[illmatic99]

i'm torn between wanting to win this to worsen NO's play-in standing, while also wanting to stay attached to SAC for our pick.

i don't think there's any way CJ shoots less than 25 times this game.

 

[B-Roy]

Even if we wanted to win we can't.

 

[handiman]

Re-sorted roughly in order:

Damian Lillard (Abs) OUT
Jusuf Nurkic (Foot) OUT
Anfernee Simons (OUT)
Josh Hart (Knee) OUT
Nassir Little (Shoulder)OUT
Justice Winslow (Foot) OUT
Trendon Watford (Knee) OUT
Joe Ingles (Knee) OUT
Eric Bledsoe (Foot) OUT
Greg Brown (Eye) QUEST.
Didi Louzada (Knee) OUT

Is that our top-9 players, all out? I wonder how much we've obliterated the previous record by?

 

[Scalma]

Didi is probable to make his debut. Another good defensive profile with a questionable shot. Should get a good look until the end of the season. Hope he gets as many minutes as he can handle. Evaluation time.

 

[BBert]

i'm torn between wanting to win this to worsen NO's play-in standing, while also wanting to stay attached to SAC for our pick.

i don't think there's any way CJ shoots less than 25 times this game.

We need the Pelicans to lose a couple. I was praying the Blazers would lose last night so I could root for a win against the Pels.

 

[Scalma]

We need the Pelicans to lose a couple. I was praying the Blazers would lose last night so I could root for a win against the Pels.

Didi clamping CJ lol imagine.

He’ll probably score 40 though. This is his finals. Would be hilarious if it came in a loss.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

The one reason i could see CJ not score 30 would be because he won't need to play the whole game.

 

[DDolla]

Question… do we need to win this one?

 

[OneSport3]

 

[Fairly-Hard]

Question… do we need to win this one?

Bring Nurk, Ant and Hart back for a game?

 

[blazerkor]

Question… do we need to win this one?

No, our pick is in our control but I don't think we can keep the Pelicans out of the playoffs on our own. I think we control what we can and get the best lotto odds possible by losing every game the rest of the season. Let the Pelicans' situation sort itself out. It's very unlikely that they beat the Wolves or Clippers in the second play in game if they get through the first one. There's also the possibility that the Lakers get really hot when AD comes back, which might be their next game.

What I'm concentrating on is the fact that the Kings play the harder tanking Rockets tonight so this is our chance to tank past them and not look back. Also, unless you want to activate a bunch of guys that I'm sure have been told are done for the season, how do you propose we beat a team starting CJ, Ingram, Herb Jones, Hayes and JV? We don't have the guys to do it that haven't already been told to start getting ready for next season. What we should do now that we have Reggie Perry is tell McLemore that we want to preserve the great year he's had so he has a great chance at a nice contract next season and he can now rest his aching whatever.

 

[BBert]

The one reason i could see CJ not score 30 would be because he won't need to play the whole game.

Good point.

 

[THE HCP]

He’s had 50 in only 3 quarters before…..I think we see it again tonight. You KNOW they are running players for him EVERY trip down.

 

[wizenheimer]

Question… do we need to win this one?

no...harming the value of a better asset to try and improve the value of a lesser asset would be kind of dumb

 

[HailBlazers]

Actually excited to see

 

[Scalma]

Brown is starting too

 

[blazerkor]

Actually excited to see

Better get every minute we've been giving Ben.

 

[BigGameDamian]

i'm torn between wanting to win this to worsen NO's play-in standing, while also wanting to stay attached to SAC for our pick.

i don't think there's any way CJ shoots less than 25 times this game.

 

[Strenuus]

standing O for CJ.

 

[Strenuus]

Well deserved. I had my issues with him as a player but he deserves this.

 

[Strenuus]

Lmaaaao mark Mason goes "and you're the sixth man...' and the place went quiet lol

 

[illmatic99]

Man, how does the broadcast not show the crowd and the CJ starting lineup announcement? Come on. We really needed to see that Roy Rogers recorded interview instead?

 

[Strenuus]

CJ as a person is top tier. That was really awesome.

 

[illmatic99]

Lmaaaao mark Mason goes "and you're the sixth man...' and the place went quiet lol

did he announce CJ like he used to, or did he give him the normal road player monotone treatment?

 

[MickZagger]

So do we want to win this or lose?

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

I'd like to somehow win one of these games against Pels.