Game Thread GAME# 79: TIMBERWOLVES @ BLAZERS - APRIL 6, 2017 - THURSDAY, 7:30 (PDT), TNT

[Darkwebs]

2016-17 REGULAR SEASON RECORD
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
31 - 45
(11-25 Road)
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
38 - 40
(22-15 Home)


______________________________
---------PROBABLE STARTERS---------

PG

RICKY RUBIO VS DAMIAN LILLARD

SG

BRANDON RUSH VS C.J. McCOLLUM

SF

ANDREW WIGGINS VS MAURICE HARKLESS

PF

GORGUI DIENG VS AL-FAROUQ AMINU

C

KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS VS NOAH VONLEH


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WHEN: 7:30 PM (PDT), THURSDAY, 4/6/2017 ​

WHERE: Moda Center, Portland, OR

TV BROADCAST:

RADIO BROADCAST:

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--------------BENCH--------------

MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES

JONES , DUNN

MUHAMMAD , PAYNE

HILL , ALDRICH

---- PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS ----

NAPIER , QUARTERMAN , CONNAUGHTON

TURNER , CRABBE

LAYMAN , LEONARD


INJURIES
TIMBERWOLVES
Zach LaVine (torn anterior cruciate ligament): OUT
Nemanja Bjelica (fractured navicular bone, left foot): OUT
Nikola Pekovic (right ankle): OUT
TRAIL BLAZERS
Jusuf Nurkic (right leg, non-displaced fibular fracture): OUT
Ed Davis (left shoulder): OUT
Festus Ezeli (left knee): OUT



HEAD COACHES

- VS –

TOM THIBODEAU --- TERRY STOTTS



OFFICIAL TIMBERWOLVES' GAME NOTES
OFFICIAL BLAZERS' GAME NOTES ​

• Thursday’s game marks the fourth of four regular season matchups between the Trail Blazers and the Timberwolves in 2016-17. Portland leads the season
series, 2-1.

• LAST MEETING: Damian Lillard missed a last-second jump shot as the Trail Blazers fell to the Timberwolves, 110-109. Karl-Anthony Towns led Minnesota with 34 points and 12 rebounds while Andrew Wiggins added 29 points.

• Damian Lillard has scored 20+ points in seven of his last nine games against the Timberwolves. Lillard is averaging 23.0 points and 7.0 assists in two games against Minnesota this season.

• CJ McCollum has scored 15+ points in seven straight matchups with the Timberwolves. McCollum scored a career high 43 points against Minnesota on Jan. 1 and is averaging 30.7 points against Timberwolves for the season.

• Karl-Anthony Towns has recorded a double-double in five of his seven career games played against the Trail Blazes. For the season, Towns is averaging 20.3 points and 10.0 rebounds against Portland.

• HEAD-TO-HEAD HISTORY:
ALL TIME: Trail Blazers lead, 78-31
IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 43-12
AT THE TIMBERWOLVES: Trail Blazers lead, 35-19

​

 

[Darkwebs]

WESTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFFS RACE

 

[Darkwebs]

LOTTERY STANDINGS

 

[Darkwebs]

Our magic number is still 4. And we have 4 games left in the season, so that means we still control our destiny (i.e., even if Denver wins their remaining 5 games, we can still make the playoffs if we win our remaining ones).

 

[BrunoSOC]

Number Magic is 4. Win/ denver loses. Rockets have to win twonorrow to cut to 3, and us winning thursday to go for 2.

Still Believe but very worried

 

[Darkwebs]

No more road games and no more back-to-backs in the remainder of the regular season for us.

 

[Strenuus]

No matter who we put out there at center - we're pretty much playing 4v5.

 

[BigGameDamian]

LoL They couldn't find a better game for TNT?

 

[Strenuus]

LoL They couldn't find a better game for TNT?

It's literally the only game on the west coast.

Quick google searches are your friend.

 

[BigGameDamian]

 

[THE HCP]

Bro, you post another tweet by this person you will be banned

 

[TBpup]

Bro, you post another tweet by this person you will be banned

Better than the Clown.

 

[illmatic99]

The margin for error w/o Nurk is unbelievable. Dame and CJ have to be hot for us to have a chance.

 

[BrunoSOC]

number magic is: 3.

 

[Jade Falcon]

I wonder how many times the TNT crew with blow their load when Towns gets the ball?

 

[THE HCP]

I'm working this game. I will do my usual of trying not to show too much of the bad guys!

 

[Dougnsalem]

I'm working this game. I will do my usual of trying not to show too much of the bad guys!

I'd be ok with you skipping the keys of the game. We already know what they are....

 

[TBpup]

I'm working this game. I will do my usual of trying not to show too much of the bad guys!

Just show Blazer highlights while they score.

 

[Hobbesarable]

Thank you for putting all of that together, Darkwebs. You're an awesome Blazer fan!

Sly, I think we need an Official Darkwebs Appreciation thread.

 

[H.C.]

@Darkwebs I'm writing in Nurk's dad for the pole. Please update accordingly.

 

[LuckyShot]

Fuck it, small ball time. Let's extend our defense and trap the shit out of the ball on ball screens, and launch a shit load of 3s on offense.

 

[BigGameDamian]

 

[H.C.]

Whatever happens, need to stop Rubio from getting everyone involved.
16 assists against Portland last game.
Can't let him lead the team again.

 

[LuckyShot]

Speaking of our center depth... what's Chris Kaman up to these days? Can't be worse than what we've been seeing since Nurk got hurt...

 

[BlazerBeav]

Speaking of our center depth... what's Chris Kaman up to these days? Can't be worse than what we've been seeing since Nurk got hurt...

Interestingly enough, he was spotted at PDX today per a retweet from Casey.

 

[Driew]

Interestingly enough, he was spotted at PDX today per a retweet from Casey.

Well we'd go into luxury tax if we signed him right? Must mean they are comfortable that Nurk will be back early in the first round.

 

[Dougnsalem]

You do realize that Blazers Edge is a competing site, right?

 

[PDXFonz]

You do realize that Blazers Edge is a competing site, right?

Yes, much like the Lakers are a competing team. I wish Blazers Edge "Happy Summer".

 

[oldfisherman]

Whatever happens, need to stop Rubio from getting everyone involved.
16 assists against Portland last game.
Can't let him lead the team again.

I would not mind if we made a trade for Rubio. Maybe Crabbe and a first or two.

Minny might consider trading Rubio if they can draft Frank Ntilikina with their own pick.

This trade would save us $7-9 million in cap space when you consider the pick salary. And we would have a solid rotation player ready to play now. A Dame/CJ/Rubio rotation would be a nice upgrade.

 

[noknobs]

The three starting centers we've played in those three games average 15.6 points, 10.5 rebounds and 57% shooting, so those numbers don't seem that tweet-worthy. I'm surprised the points/rebs aren't higher to be honest.