GAME THREAD: BLAZERS @ THUNDER - DECEMBER 23, 2014 - TUESDAY, 5:00 PM (PST), CSN

[Darkwebs]

PROBABLE STARTERS




PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS

THE RAINBROZ

ALLEN CRABBE (SF) , LAMARCUS ALDRIDGE (PF)

JOEL FREELAND (C)







OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER

RUSSELL WESTBROOK (PG) , ANDRE ROBERSON (SG)

PERRY JONES (SF) , SERGE IBAKA (PF)

STEVEN ADAMS (C)






WHEN: 5:00 PM, MONDAY, 12/22/2014​

WHERE: Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, OK​

TV BROADCAST:

RADIO BROADCAST:

​

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BENCH

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS

BLAKE , MCCOLLUM , CRABBE , ROBINSON , KAMAN

OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER

JACKSON , LAMB , MORROW , COLLISON , PERKINS




INJURIES
TRAIL BLAZERS
LaMarcus Aldridge (upper respiratory illness): QUESTIONABLE
Nicolas Batum (wrist): OUT
Robin Lopez (fractured right index finger): OUT
THUNDER
Kevin Durant (right ankle sprain): OUT
Mitch McGary (periostitis left tibia): OUT




HEAD COACHES

- VS –

TERRY STOTTS --- SCOTT BROOKS




BLAZERS' GAME NOTES ​

• Tuesday marks the second of four matchups between the Trail Blazers and Thunder in 2014-15.

• Portland defeated Oklahoma City, 106-89, on opening night (Dec. 29), marking its largest win over the Thunder since Apr. 13, 2009 (W, 113-83).

• In that game, LaMarcus Aldridge scored a team-high 27 points on 10-of-19 shooting. Wesley Matthews finished second on the team in scoring with 22 points and made five of his nine 3-point attempts.

• Chris Kaman scored 12 points off the bench and hauled in six rebounds against Oklahoma City on opening night, a statline he has reached 11 times this season.

• Portland has won three of the past five games against Oklahoma City after losing 10 of 12 games against the Thunder (Seven straight) from Nov. 4, 2010 to Apr. 12, 2013.

• In 28 games played against Portland, Durant is averaging 25.9 points and shooting 46% from the fi eld (37% 3-PT). Last season, Durant averaged 38 points and was 11-of-22 from three-point range in four meetings against the Trail Blazers.

• Dating back to the 2012-13 season, LaMarcus Aldridge has recorded seven double-doubles in his previous nine contests against the Thunder.

• HEAD-TO-HEAD HISTORY:
ALL TIME: Thunder lead, 112-105
IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 69-40
AT THE THUNDER: Thunder lead, 72-36

GO BLAZERS!!!​

 

[Darkwebs]

Out today/tonight for the last Disney duty of the calendar year.

Last night: Not good. With LMA and RoLo out we got torched by Harden and Brewer, 110-95, and it wasn't that close.

Their last game: L @ NOP, 101-99.

Our last meeting: Even though Westbrook had 38, he was only 1-6 for 2pts in the 4th, and we won going away. But his 4th-quarter woes are not isolated to us:

Westbrook has just 10 fourth-quarter assists this season, and he's shooting 36.2 percent. He's connecting on 48.9 percent of his field goals in the first 36 minutes.

"I'm not going to keep answering questions about me not passing now when we lose," Westbrook said. "When we won eight (actually seven) in a row, nobody said nothing about not passing, so I don't want to hear it now.

"My job is to attack when the fourth quarter comes. My job is to stay in attack mode and try to score and try to make plays happen. If I miss, I miss. I'm going to live and die by that every time, every night, regardless of what happens."

They're 6-13 without Durant, and he might be out again tonight, so "die away", Russ.

You'll have to find MM's game and the Prediction Thread on your own tonight, unless a mod can link them when they're up.

I guess I see tonight going as a bit of a score-fest...I think our team showed that without RoLo and LMA we don't have the chops to stop much penetration or transition, which will be a staple. Conversely, I can't see Lillard/Wes/Batum all throwing up another stinker, so I think our firepower and bench overcomes RW and Ibaka.

Us 123
Them 110

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

I got a feeling Lillard is gonna get some serious revenge against Westbrook.

 

[Jade Falcon]

13-15? bwahaha, they suck. But I will say Durant always plays with a chip on his shoulder whenever he goes up against Portland (gee, can't imagine why that would be....). So I'm betting Durant has 30+ points, if he even plays. I read somewhere that he's Probable for Monday's game.

 

[Eastoff]

Freeland v Adams...

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Obligatory.

 

[Sinobas]

Obligatory.

haha! I forgot about this scene, perfect fit!

 

[Magic's Johnson]

Could we get away with starting Robinson instead of Freeland? He and Adams are both equally as raw and Robinson's probably as tall as Ibaka or alittle shorter. If so, I would really like to see them start LA T-Rob vs. Adams Ibaka.

 

[riverman]

Could we get away with starting Robinson instead of Freeland? He and Adams are both equally as raw and Robinson's probably as tall as Ibaka or alittle shorter. If so, I would really like to see them start LA T-Rob vs. Adams Ibaka.

You mean the Freeland that shut down Anthony Davis in the post a couple games ago? Did you see TRobs line last night in Houston? Thunder would have a layup fest if we didn't have Joel in the paint. TRob is a spark plug on the bench but I feel better not digging a hole against them to start. Joel doesn't need to score. TRob is great for rebounding and put backs. Joel is the better rim protecter

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Durant not playing tonight. LMA is a game time decision.

 

[Strenuus]

Russell gets 30 in the first half. then 30 again in the second half.



thats a lot of turnovers, i know.

 

[Strenuus]

Batum is out with a wrist injury. Hmm, I thought he was out last night, too.

 

[illmatic99]

So our whole starting front court is out. Nice. I say rest Dame and Wes too

 

[KeepOnRollin]

So our whole starting front court is out. Nice. I say rest Dame and Wes too

Durant is out tonight. I would say we still have a legit shot of winning this game with Dame and Wes (plus it isn't official yet that Aldridge is out).

 

[magnifier661]

haha! I forgot about this scene, perfect fit!

You have been unblocked! You've become much easier to read. Good job cuz when you actually post like a normal person, you have great things to say!

Repped

 

[magnifier661]

Nic Batum will not play tonight. Aldridge is still questionable. Durant is out.

 

[Strenuus]

one big motivation for tonight: if they win, they get christmaa off. that's huge.

 

[BlayZa]

Go Blazers!

(but kinda want Adams to have a good game, he's a fellow Kiwi.)

 

[riverman]

Go Blazers!

(but kinda want Adams to have a good game, he's a fellow Kiwi.)

Hey now, hey now, don't dream it's over, I know that they won't win..(Neil Finn)

 

[Darkwebs]

Thanks for the updates, guys. Edited the first post to reflect the changes

 

[BlazerBeav]

A win pushes our lead back out to 9 games AND would put us up 2-0 in the season series. Please, oh please let LA's immune system get him ready to play.

 

[BBert]

So Batum gave it a go last night and played hurt. Might help explain why he didn't play well. I'd just as soon he sit out if he's not 100%.

Anyone else notice Batum scored last night going to the basket on the exact play that got him injured the other night? It was great to see he didn't back off, and it was nice of the Rockettes to not Ariza him. And somewhat surprising in hindsight, considering all the cheap shots they dished out over the course of the game.

 

[KeepOnRollin]

So Batum gave it a go last night and played hurt. Might help explain why he didn't play well. I'd just as soon he sit out if he's not 100%.

Anyone else notice Batum scored last night going to the basket on the exact play that got him injured the other night? It was great to see he didn't back off, and it was nice of the Rockettes to not Ariza him. And somewhat surprising in hindsight, considering all the cheap shots they dished out over the course of the game.

This would be great in the other thread but I don't blame you for not wanting to step foot into the pile.

 

[blazedanugz]

A win pushes our lead back out to 9 games AND would put us up 2-0 in the season series. Please, oh please let LA's immune system get him ready to play.

something tells me hes not that sick.....
you sit him against a rockets team that is hungry for revenge. on the 3rd game of our tough road trip. built in reason they won (no LA).
THEN you have him fresh for a more important game against division rival OKC to go 2-0 in the season series and have a 9 game lead.
my guess is he plays tonight, and plays well.

hope he does!

 

[blazedanugz]

just to add, i don tthink we would have won last night with LA. the rockets wanted that game more than us. which is why i think LA not playing was smart.

 

[KeepOnRollin]

Nothing official but LMA is playing tonight guys.

 

[magnifier661]

Aldridge has been activated for tonight's game

 

[magnifier661]

A win pushes our lead back out to 9 games AND would put us up 2-0 in the season series. Please, oh please let LA's immune system get him ready to play.

He's active tonight

 

[KeepOnRollin]

Aldridge has been activated for tonight's game

He is on the active list (you activate 13 and deactivate 2) but he isn't officially playing YET. He will play though imo.

 

[magnifier661]

He is on the active list (you activate 13 and deactivate 2) but he isn't officially playing YET. He will play though imo.

True it's not really official, but at least he's active