Game Thread GAME# 79: BLAZERS @ NUGGETS - APRIL 5, 2019 - FRIDAY, 7:30 PM, ESPN & NBCSNW (1 Viewer)

[Darkwebs]

2018-19 REGULAR SEASON RECORD
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
50 - 28
(20-19 Road)
DENVER NUGGETS
52 - 26
(32-7 Home)

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

PG

DAMIAN LILLARD VS JAMAL MURRAY

SG

RODNEY HOOD VS GARY HARRIS

SF

MOE HARKLESS VS WILL BARTON

PF

AL-FAROUQ AMINU VS PAUL MILLSAP

C

ENES KANTER VS NIKOLA JOKIC

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WHEN: 7:30 PM (PDT), FRIDAY, 4/3/2019

WHERE: PEPSI CENTER, DENVER, CO

TV BROADCAST:

AND

RADIO BROADCAST:

​

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

CURRY , SIMONS , TURNER

TRENT Jr. , LAYMAN

LABISSIERE , COLLINS , LEONARD


- DENVER NUGGETS-

THOMAS , GOODWIN , MORRIS

BEASLEY , CRAIG , VANDERBILT

HERNANGOMEZ , LYDON , LYLES

PLUMLEE , WELSH


INJURIES
TRAIL BLAZERS
C.J. McCollum (left leg injury): OUT
Jusuf Nurkic (left leg injury): OUT
NUGGETS
Michael Porter Jr. (low back surgery): OUT




HEAD COACHES

- VS –

TERRY STOTTS --- MICHAEL MALONE

OFFICIAL NUGGETS' GAME NOTES
OFFICIAL BLAZERS' GAME NOTES ​

• Friday’s game marks the third of four meetings between the Trail Blazers and the Nuggets during the 2018-19 season. Denver leads the season series, 2-0.

• LAST MEETING: The Nuggets edged out the Trail Blazers in Denver on Jan. 13, 116-113, in a game that featured 19 lead changes and 14 ties. Denver was led by Nikola Jokic, who finished with 40 points (15-23 FG, 4-7 3-PT, 6-8 FT), 10 rebounds and eight assists while Damian Lillard led the Trail Blazers with 26 points (8-21 FG, 2-10 3-PT, 8-8 FT), four rebounds and seven assists.

• Evan Turner logged 13 points (4-5 FG, 5-6 FT), two rebounds and five assists in 28 minutes off the bench against Denver on Jan. 13.

• In two games against Denver this season, Al-Farouq Aminu has averaged 14.5 points (56.3% FG, 33.3% 3-PT, 100% FT), 9.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.00 steal.

• Jamal Murray has averaged 17.0 points (35.5% FG, 22.2% 3-PT, 83.3% FT), 3.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists in two games against the Trail Blazers this season.

• HEAD-TO-HEAD HISTORY:
ALL TIME: Trail Blazers lead, 97-81
IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 68-22
AT THE NUGGETS: Nuggets lead, 59-29

 

[Darkwebs]

The Blazers completed quite a few accomplishments in their win last night against the Grizzlies.

• Portland bests last season's 49 wins, reaching the 50-win plateau for the 14th time in franchise history.

• Tuner is the only NBA player EVER to get consecutive triple-doubles off the bench

• Turner is only one of two Blazers ever to get a back-to-back triple-double (Drexler in 1989-90).

• It was the first time a trio (Lillard, Kanter, and Turner) all achieved a double-double for two straight games in franchise history since 1990 (Porter, Drexler, and Kersey).

Now the Blazers are headed to Denver for the first game of an away-and-home series against the Nuggets. If Portland somehow (through sheer miracle or Paul Allen's ghost) manages to sweep these 2 games against Denver, they'll have a legitimate shot at the 2nd seed! Of course, that's a very daunting task, as the Nuggets have the 2nd best home record in the NBA (Bucks is currently #1).

Win or lose, the Blazers need to close out the season strong and get at least home court for the Playoffs!

 

[Darkwebs]

WESTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFFS RACE

As of 4/3/2019
​

Remaining Schedules for
PORTLAND ___ DENVER ___ HOUSTON

 

[BBert]

Sunday?

 

[Darkwebs]

Sunday?

Edited. Thanks for the correction.

 

[BonesJones]

I feel like we're about to give up 130 points.

 

[hoopsjock]

Are those really the Nuggets jerseys? It looks like some kid made them with some craft letters from Michael's.

 

[Darkwebs]

Are those really the Nuggets jerseys? It looks like some kid made them with some craft letters from Michael's.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

I feel like we're about to give up 130 points.

As long as we have 131

 

[illmatic99]

We've played some rat teams lately. Finally some competition.

 

[kjironman1]

Probably should get tickets for this one.

Edit- the home game. Not this one.

 

[illmatic99]

Even if we win both our games vs DEN, we will most likely finish 4th below DEN and HOU. The only thing we need to be fighting for is to keep Utah off our backs for HCA. Magic number for that is 3 (# of our wins + Utah losses). The only way this changes is if we win both vs DEN AND they drop a game somewhere else, then we can have a chance at the #2 seed as we'd have tiebreaker vs HOU.

Our coaches need to start prepping for the Jazz as is-- pretty much set that we play them, the only question remaining will be where game 1 will be played.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Even if we win both our games vs DEN, we will most likely finish 4th below DEN and HOU. The only thing we need to be fighting for is to keep Utah off our backs for HCA. Magic number for that is 3 (# of our wins + Utah losses). The only way this changes is if we win both vs DEN AND they drop a game somewhere else, then we can have a chance at the #2 seed as we'd have tiebreaker vs HOU.

Our coaches need to start prepping for the Jazz as is-- pretty much set that we play them, the only question remaining will be where game 1 will be played.

If we beat the Nuggets twice the last two are winnable as well, doesnt that mean we win out? Which is the 3 seed right ?

 

[joeBlazers]

Just win the next game baby. When is CJ coming back? Will he come off the bench? will coach still let him shoot 30 times per game?

 

[PtldPlatypus]

If we beat the Nuggets twice the last two are winnable as well, doesnt that mean we win out? Which is the 3 seed right ?

If we and Houston both win out, and Denver wins their final two after losing two to us, then all 3 teams finish 54-28. We'd lose the 3-way tie-break because we'd be the only one that is not a division winner (or because we'd have the worst conference record--either way, we lose).

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

If we and Houston both win out, and Denver wins their final two after losing two to us, then all 3 teams finish 54-28. We'd lose the 3-way tie-break because we'd be the only one that is not a division winner (or because we'd have the worst conference record--either way, we lose).

It's interesting that 49 wins got the 2 last year and 54 could be the 4 this year.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

It's interesting that 49 wins got the 2 last year and 54 could be the 4 this year.

Eerily reminiscent of 2009. That year we ended up tied with Denver and San Antonio at 54-28, and ended up the 4 seed against Yao's 53-29 Rockets.

That didn't end well for us.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Eerily reminiscent of 2009. That year we ended up tied with Denver and San Antonio at 54-28, and ended up the 4 seed against Yao's 53-29 Rockets.

That didn't end well for us.

Nope don't like that.

 

[KingSpeed]

It's interesting that 49 wins got the 2 last year and 54 could be the 4 this year.

49 wins got the 3 last year

 

[BBert]

Just win the next game baby. When is CJ coming back? Will he come off the bench? will coach still let him shoot 30 times per game?

Inquiring minds want to know

 

[hoopsjock]

None of the seeding talk means much if we don't take care of this game first.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

49 wins got the 3 last year

Yeah I typo’d that.

 

[illmatic99]

If we beat the Nuggets twice the last two are winnable as well, doesnt that mean we win out? Which is the 3 seed right ?

No. We'd invoke a three way tiebreaker. If we win out, we are still only guaranteed 4th and will have to rely on DEN/HOU to lose a game or two to get up to 2/3.

 

[kjironman1]

None of the seeding talk means much if we don't take care of this game first.

Not sure i follow. Why is a game on the road against the #2 seed so important? Even more so without both CJ and Nurk? This game is all but over already on paper. Will take a huge effort to win it.

 

[blue9]

Eerily reminiscent of 2009. That year we ended up tied with Denver and San Antonio at 54-28, and ended up the 4 seed against Yao's 53-29 Rockets.

That didn't end well for us.

Weren't we the 4 seed, but HOU had HCA? That was weird.

 

[Labinot41]

No matter where we finnish, i dont want to play OKC in the Playoffs, give me the Clippers, Jazz or San Antonio, but not OKC

 

[blue9]

This will be the first good team we've played since...IND on 3/18. Reality is about to come crashing through that door.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Weren't we the 4 seed, but HOU had HCA? That was weird.

No, not that year. We had home court, but gave it up immediately in game 1.

 

[Shaboid]

No, not that year. We had home court, but gave it up immediately in game 1.

They changed the tiebreaker rules after that season, didn't they?

 

[Ripcity4life77]

I cannot wait for this game and at this point sit CJ til last game of season then play him like 20 to 25min and let him get some game action to be rdy for the playoffs. After Nurks injury my hope was best case maybe they sneak into round 2 but i think this team has a chance to make it to the finals of the conference if the bench players continue to play like they have in the past few games.