GAME THREAD: HEAT @ BLAZERS - 12/28/13, SATURDAY, 7 PM (PST), KGW

[Darkwebs]

WHEN: 7:00 PM, SATURDAY, 12/28/2013​

WHERE: Moda Center, Portland, OR

TV BROADCAST:

RADIO BROADCAST:

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S T A R T E R S

MIAMI HEAT

MARIO CHALMERS (PG) , DWYANE WADE (SG)

LEBRON JAMES (SF) , SHANE BATTIER (PF)

CHRIS BOSH (C)




PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS

DAMIAN LILLARD (PG) , WESLEY MATTHEWS (SG)

NICOLAS BATUM (SF) , LAMARCUS ALDRIDGE (PF)

ROBIN LOPEZ (C)





B E N C H

MIAMI HEAT

COLE , ALLEN , LEWIS , HASLEM , ANDERSEN


PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS

WILLIAMS , WRIGHT , FREELAND , LEONARD



INJURIES
HEAT
Greg Oden (knee)
TRAIL BLAZERS
C.J. McCollum (left foot)



HEAD COACHES

- VS –

ERIK SPOELSTRA---- TERRY STOTTS






BLAZERS' GAME NOTES ​

• The Trail Blazers came back to defeat the Heat on Jan. 10, 2013 92-90. Wesley Matthews made two 3-pointers with less than a minute remaining, as Portland rallied from 13-points down in the second half to win.

• The March 24 game in Miami marks the first time the Trail Blazers will have played in Miami in over three years. The last meeting in Miami was on March 8, 2011, a 105-96 win for Portland.

• Five of the last seven meetings between the Trail Blazers and Heat have been decided by nine points or fewer.

• The 92-90 final between the two teams on Jan. 10, 2013 was the first time in the season series since Jan. 18, 2008 (8 games) that neither team scored over 100 points.

• Miami Head Coach Erik Spoelstra attended Portland’s Jesuit High School, and played basketball at the University of Portland.

• Heat center Greg Oden was a member of the Trail Blazers from 2007-12, averaging 9.4 points and 7.3 rebounds in 82 games.

• Dorell Wright spent the first six seasons of his career with Miami, from 2004-10, averaging 6.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 19.5 minutes in 211 appearances.

• Earl Watson and Heat guard Ray Allen were teammates together on the Seattle SuperSonics for part of the 2005-06 season and all of the 2006-07 season.

• Miami guard Mario Chalmers and Trail Blazers forward Thomas Robinson both played collegiately at Kansas

• HEAD-TO-HEAD:
ALL TIME: Trail Blazers lead, 33-16
IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 15-10
IN MIAMI: Trail Blazers lead, 18-6

GO BLAZERS!!!​

 

[THE HCP]

AAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHH!

Mine was almost ready to post!

 

[THE HCP]

Hope he plays! Want to beat the best!

 

[dreamcloud]

Hope he plays! Want to beat the best!

[video=youtube;LcuQwiAidQc]

Same, I want this to be an epic game

 

[Blazer Fanatic]

I hope he doesn't. I agree with Tone. Philosophically, sure, I want him to play. Reality, no way. Wins are all the matter to me. "NBA Champion" doesn't have an asterisk next to it.

 

[Strenuus]

I'm with HCP. I want him to play too. I want us to win badly... but he's the best player of our generation, without a shadow of a doubt.

Also. I think the biggest key to this game for us winning is Lopez. Rebounding and second chance points are going to keep us in it and could get us this win... its our biggest advantage.

 

[Natebishop3]

If we beat the Heat without James, it will be just another asterisk.

A win is a win, but it will be a win with an asterisk.

 

[BBert]

I don't believe in "asterixeseses" (sp?)

Every team has wins and losses with "extenuating circumstances", like so and so was hurt, or didn't play, or was ejected, or was sick. Every single team would need asterixeseses next to their season records.

So how about we just leave them off.

 

[THE HCP]

Bet he at least gives it a go. Hammy pulls are scary man. One little move and it's done!

Bet he comes out all limping and dramatic in warmups for all the Nike VIPs!

 

[BigGameDamian]

Hope he plays! Want to beat the best!

Me to but you can't really consider them the best unless all of the heat players play. I hope DWade and Bosh play to.

 

[BigGameDamian]

I hope he doesn't. I agree with Tone. Philosophically, sure, I want him to play. Reality, no way. Wins are all the matter to me. "NBA Champion" doesn't have an asterisk next to it.

Are you kidding? I want a championship more than I want regular season wins!

 

[Carlito]

Hmmm wonder what brad Pitt would say.

Smh....

 

[BigGameDamian]

Tom Cruise likes basketball to.

 

[noknobs]

Any news lately on when CJ might make his debut?

 

[Draco]

Any news lately on when CJ might make his debut?

I'd speculate after the New Year when we have all those home games against the east in early January. They probably won't announce anything because his first game he plays will only be once there is a blow out.

Once we see him active in a jersey for a game his debut should be coming soon.

 

[-Ace-]

• The March 24 game in Miami marks the first time the Trail Blazers will have played in Miami in over three years. The last meeting in Miami was on March 8, 2011, a 105-96 win for Portland.

Interesting, considering we played them last season in Miami.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/201302120MIA.html

 

[MARIS61]

If we beat the Heat without James, it will be just another asterisk.

A win is a win, but it will be a win with an asterisk.

Sometimes an asterisk is just an asterisk.

 

[Samuel]

Any news lately on when CJ might make his debut?

Last I heard from the team (Courtside this week) was 2-4 weeks. Sounds like they want to give him a bit of run with the second unit in practice and there's a stretch of home dates/days off leading up to the Texas road trip that should get him comfortable out there.

 

[Darkwebs]

Interesting, considering we played them last season in Miami.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/201302120MIA.html

I blame the Blazers' official game notes.

 

[riverman]

I think the Blazers are due to blow somebody out for a change and why not make it Miami? Hope to see the 3rd string play most of the 4th...Go Blazers!!

 

[magnifier661]

I think the Blazers are due to blow somebody out for a change and why not make it Miami? Hope to see the 3rd string play most of the 4th...Go Blazers!!

That would be really nice!

 

[Draco]

LaMarcus said he didn't feel well yesterday and today he feels worse.

 

[Blazer Fanatic]

I don't believe in "asterixeseses" (sp?)

Every team has wins and losses with "extenuating circumstances", like so and so was hurt, or didn't play, or was ejected, or was sick. Every single team would need asterixeseses next to their season records.

So how about we just leave them off.

Preach.

 

[Blazer Fanatic]

LaMarcus said he didn't feel well yesterday and today he feels worse.

He's been eating soup and a steady diet of government cheese for a week. No one is talking about it, although Arnovitz did mention it in his Daily Dime post Clippers game. I guess we should put an astrisk by Griffin's line since LA had surgery on his mouth and ate only soup for 4 days prior to that game. AmIRight?

 

[Mediocre Man]

The numbers that matter

-25.4/-6.9/-6.5
7-6

 

[Blazer Fanatic]

I saw Arnovitz (epsn guy) standing in the back ground of a post practice, video interview with his audio recorder. Looks like ESPN scrambled the jets and sent him to Portland to get some actual information about the Blazers so they can at least pretend to sound credible. It certainly explains his Daily Dime post and his lengthy article on the starting line up (link).

A reoccurring theme: "The more I watch this team, the more I am impressed..." Imagine that. I read this and heard this from a dozen National "experts". Watching the team leads to an informed opinion. A band of delicate genius' over there at the e-spin.

 

[julius]

I think Chris Bosh is the difference maker in this game. If the Blazers can contain him.

 

[magnifier661]

I think Chris Bosh is the difference maker in this game. If the Blazers can contain him.

I wonder what heat fans are saying what it will take to get a win?

 

[Strenuus]

Chris Anderson not playing, as well.

Is it just me, or does Erik Spolstera sound like Tiger Woods at times?

 

[magnifier661]

Chris Anderson not playing, as well.

Is it just me, or does Erik Spolstera sound like Tiger Woods at times?

Like a nerdy white guy? Yeah