Game Thread GAME# 81: BLAZERS @ LAKERS - APRIL 9, 2019 - TUESDAY, 7:30 PM, NBCSNW

[Darkwebs]

2018-19 REGULAR SEASON RECORD
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
51 - 29
(20-20 Road)
LOS ANGELES LAKERS
36 - 44
(21-18 Home)


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

PG

DAMIAN LILLARD VS RAJON RONDO

SG

C.J. McCOLLUM VS KENTAVIOUS CALDWELL-POPE

SF

MOE HARKLESS VS ALEX CARUSO

PF

AL-FAROUQ AMINU VS MORITZ WAGNER

C

ENES KANTER VS JaVALE McGEE


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------- JERSEYS -------

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WHEN: 7:30 PM (PDT), TUESDAY, 4/9/2019

WHERE: STAPLES CENTER, LOS ANGELES, CA

TV BROADCAST:

RADIO BROADCAST:

​

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

CURRY , SIMONS , HOOD

TURNER , TRENT Jr. , LAYMAN

LABISSIERE , COLLINS , LEONARD


- LOS ANGELES LAKERS-

BONGA , JONES , BULLOCK

STEPHENSON , WILLIAMS

MUSCALA , CHANDLER



INJURIES
TRAIL BLAZERS
Jusuf Nurkic (left leg injury): OUT
LAKERS
Reggie Bullock (neck stiffness): QUESTIONABLE
Kyle Kuzma (left foot peroneal tendinitis): DOUBTFUL
LeBron James (sore left groin): OUT
Lonzo Ball (left ankle sprain): OUT
Brandon Ingram (thoracic outlet decompression surgery, right arm): OUT
Josh Hart (right knee debridement procedure): OUT



HEAD COACHES

- VS –

TERRY STOTTS --- LUKE WALTON

OFFICIAL LAKERS' GAME NOTES
OFFICIAL BLAZERS' GAME NOTES ​

• Tuesday’s game marks the fourth and final meeting between the Trail Blazers and the Lakers during the 2018-19 season. Los Angeles leads the season series, 2-1.

• LAST MEETING: The Lakers defeated the Trail Blazers at Staples Center on Nov. 14, 126-117. LeBron James led Los Angeles with 44 points (13-19 FG, 5-6 3-PT, 13-15 FT), 10 rebounds, nine assists and three blocks while Damian Lillard paced the Trail Blazers with 31 points (8-23 FG, 3-9 3-PT, 12-13 FT), eight rebounds and 11 assists.

• In three games against the Lakers this season, Damian Lillard has averaged 29.7 points (40.3% FG, 28.0% 3-PT, 96.6% FT), 6.0 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.30 steals.

• Al-Farouq Aminu recorded 18 points (7-11 FG, 4-7 3-PT) and five rebounds at the Lakers on Nov. 14. He has averaged 9.0 points and 8.0 rebounds in three games against the Lakers this season.

• In three games against the Trail Blazers this season, JaVale McGee has averaged 15.0 points (76.9% FG, 62.5% FT), 7.0 rebounds and 3.70 blocks.

• HEAD-TO-HEAD HISTORY:
ALL TIME: Lakers lead, 120-106
IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 70-43
AT THE LAKERS: Lakers lead, 77-36

​

 

[Darkwebs]

WESTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFFS RACE

As of 4/7/2019
​

 

[kjironman1]

Another team playing for pride. These are not easy games and the Blazers need this win. If they can get it? They could sit the starters for the game Wednesday. That would be a really good thing.

 

[H.C.]

KCP, McGee, and the bald white guy destroyed Utah tonight.
Need to take these guys seriously or they'll put one on you.
KCP is a FA this off-season. He's looking for a paycheck.

 

[Darkwebs]

We need to beat Satan's favorite team. Whatever it takes!

 

[Pinwheel1]

WESTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFFS RACE
​

As of 4/7/2019
​

Please add a loss to the jazz.

 

[Darkwebs]

Please add a loss to the jazz.

Done

 

[kjironman1]

Done

Dang you are quick!

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

This is maybe just fulfilling a narrative thats entirely in my head and isnt reality in the slightest but I wonder if some of these guys for the Lakers are kind of showing up Lebron a bit with this recent streak, kind of saying hey we can play, quit making the narrative how bad all Lebrons teammates are.

 

[THE HCP]

I'm kinda' torn on this game to be honest.

 

[Pinwheel1]

This is maybe just fulfilling a narrative thats entirely in my head and isnt reality in the slightest but I wonder if some of these guys for the Lakers are kind of showing up Lebron a bit with this recent streak, kind of saying hey we can play, quit making the narrative how bad all Lebrons teammates are.

Except most of them are not playing either. I think the three players that are playing well are just happy to be getting minutes again. (Caldwell-Pope, McGee, and Caruso)

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Except most of them are not playing either. I think the three players that are playing well are just happy to be getting minutes again. (Caldwell-Pope, McGee, and Caruso)

MCP was in trade rumors earlier this year I think.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

I'm kinda' torn on this game to be honest.

Keep posting like that, son, and youre going have a lot more people putting you on ignore...

 

[andalusian]

I'm kinda' torn on this game to be honest.

Your troll game is strong

 

[BigGameDamian]

I'm kinda' torn on this game to be honest.

You think Dame should rest?

 

[BlazerBeav]

Losing two games to this crappy franchise kept us out of the #2 seed. Make them pay!

 

[BigGameDamian]

I'm kinda' torn on this game to be honest.

 

[BBert]

My God Lebron James deserves zero respect. He'll only play on super teams. Or in the case of LA, where he believes he can put one together. But it seems like a lot of guys might not want to play with him. Now he fakes being hurt so he can try to get the number one pick. Pathetic.

I'll take Dame over that guy every day.

Oh yeah. Fuck the Lakers.

 

[Labinot41]

If okc loose against the Rockets, we will play against Utah in the Playoffs

 

[Lukee]

Rest our starters. Houston will rest, OKC too.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

If Houston wins and Utah loses we get locked into the 4 seed and this game doesn't matter.

Those games will be 1 hr and 1.5 hr over at tipoff

 

[BonesJones]

Rest our starters. Houston will rest, OKC too.

What? OKC doesnt want Golden State round 1. They wont rest. We can get the 3 seed, why should we rest?

 

[kjironman1]

I'm kinda' torn on this game to be honest.

Torn like the Kobe achilles.....

 

[Labinot41]

What? OKC doesnt want Golden State round 1. They wont rest. We can get the 3 seed, why should we rest?

If we get the 3rd seed, we probably play okc in the Playoffs, do you really want okc in the 1st round? Our nightmare matchup this year

 

[illmatic99]

We are relying on Houston to lose their game (@ OKC) and Denver to lose at least one more (@ UTA, vs MIN b2b) and us to win both our games (@ LAL, vs SAC b2b) to get the 3 seed. It's not completely unlikely, but let's not get our hopes up. We should know a lot by halftime of our game on Tuesday. Even then, the team most likely to get 6 is OKC. No thank you.

 

[kjironman1]

If Houston wins and Utah loses we get locked into the 4 seed and this game doesn't matter.

Those games will be 1 hr and 1.5 hr over at tipoff

Just win this game. Kind of seems like Lillard can get a little more rest than he got in the Denver game. Not sure he will need to log 37+ minutes. CJ played 24+ minutes and got 6 assists. One more than Lillard. How many times has that happened?
Turner played another good game against Denver. 8 points, 6 assists, 6 rebounds and 2 steals. He didn't shoot great but he got to the line a few times.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

We are relying on Houston to lose their game (@ OKC) and Denver to lose at least one more (@ UTA, vs MIN b2b) and us to win both our games (@ LAL, vs SAC b2b) to get the 3 seed. It's not completely unlikely, but let's not get our hopes up. We should know a lot by halftime of our game on Tuesday. Even then, the team most likely to get 6 is OKC. No thank you.

We don't need Denver to lose one more--we need them to win at least 1 more to avoid a 3-way tie.

However, as has been stated, if OKC beats Houston, they're probably getting the 6 (since Milwaukee has nothing left to play for) so the reward for the 3 seed is a team that swept us this season.

 

[illmatic99]

We don't need Denver to lose one more--we need them to win at least 1 more to avoid a 3-way tie.

If Denver loses both, and we win both and HOU loses, we get into a three way tie and we get 4th. If they lose one and HOU loses and we win both, we are 3rd. If they lose both and HOU wins, we get 4th if we win one game. We need Den to win at least one.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

We need Den to win at least one.

Yes--that is what I said.

We are relying on...Denver to lose at least one more (@ UTA, vs MIN b2b)

We don't need Denver to lose one more--we need them to win at least 1 more to avoid a 3-way tie.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Should also be noted that if OKC beats Houston, but then loses at Milwaukee, Spurs will take the 6 seed if they beat the Mavs. Is that the best-case scenario?