POR vs. NYK 12/28/14
NYK: 5-27, 4th in Titanic Division (ahead of only PHI)
Our last game: W v. PHI 12/26/14, 114-93
ESPN said:
The Blazers (24-7) rank in the top five in 3-pointers made and attempted while shooting 37.5 percent from behind the arc, numbers that Aldridge has contributed to while hitting 15 of 32 from distance.
But with Aldridge sitting out for the second time in three games Friday due to an upper respiratory illness, and fellow big men Robin Lopez (fractured right hand) and Chris Kaman (birth of his child) also out, Portland relied even more heavily on the perimeter game.
Damian Lillard scored 28 points and Wesley Matthews added 25 as the Blazers hit a season-high 18 3s on a franchise-record 43 attempts in a 114-93 win over Philadelphia.
Portland has won seven of eight overall and five straight at home. It's 13-2 home start is its best since winning 14 of 15 to begin the 1998-99 season.
"We knew we were short-handed, obviously without LA and (Lopez), so we knew it was going to be a different type of game," Lillard said. "I thought we went out there and did what we needed to do."
Matthews made 7 of 14 and Lillard hit 3 of 8 from long range.
"They were mostly good 3s," coach Terry Stotts said. "I want us to take 3. I don't care how many 3s we take, as long as they're in rhythm, preferable off the pass rather than off the dribble and they're in the flow of the game."
Center Joel Freeland filled in down low and grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds in his fifth straight start. Kaman is expected to be back for this contest, but Aldridge did not practice Saturday and likely won't play.
Their last game: L @ SAC 135-129 (OT), 12/27/14
ESPN said:
New York (5-27) ranks last in the NBA in defending the 3, allowing opponents to shoot 39.3 percent from behind the arc. The Knicks began a three-game West Coast swing Friday by permitting Sacramento to shoot 8 of 16 from 3-point range in a 135-129 overtime loss.
Carmelo Anthony is averaging 30.8 points over his last four after netting 36 for the Knicks, who have lost 17 of 18.
Tim Hardaway Jr. hit a layup with 20 seconds remaining in regulation to send it to overtime and finished with 19 points. Quincy Acy served a one-game suspension for his flagrant foul in Thursday's loss to Washington.
Amar'e Stoudemire (right knee soreness) and J.R. Smith (partially torn left plantar fascia) also sat out.
"We stayed committed to each other as teammates no matter what the circumstances were," coach Derek Fisher said. "They kept fighting out there. You have to have that in order to give yourself a chance to win."
Power Rankings:
ESPN Us: (3) The Blazers, rather remarkably, can make the case that they've actually trumped last season's 18-4 start with this one. And if the Thomas Robinson who showed up against Milwaukee can keep filling in like that for Robin Lopez, Portland might survive its first serious injury for some time just fine.
Them: (28) The Knicks lead the league in losses and are on pace to win 14 games. They're 4-16 in games decided by nine points or fewer. Carmelo Anthony has even stopped wearing hats. Why aren't we hearing more about Melo resting his sore knees at this point to only enhance New York's draft odds?
NBA.com: Us (2) Pace: 96.1 (12), OffRtg: 106.4 (8), DefRtg: 99.3 (3), NetRtg: +7.2 (5)
The Blazers will be without Robin Lopez (broken hand) for a while, but their depth has come up big as they've extended their winning streak to five games. Thomas Robinson put up 15 and 16 against the Bucks, Dorell Wright emerged from DNP-land to hit four threes in San Antonio, and Joel Freeland helped hold Anthony Davis to 3-for-14 on Saturday.
Them (29) Pace: 92.2 (29), OffRtg: 101.2 (22), DefRtg: 108.3 (27), NetRtg: -7.0 (27)
Most team presidents would stay quiet as their team was losing 15 of 16 games. But Phil Jackson is not most team presidents and took to Twitter to defend trading Tyson Chandler and to take shots at Charles Barkley. Jackson wasn't given much to work with when he was hired, but players he added or re-signed have played more than half of the team's minutes.
Covers.com: Us (3) What regression? Oklahoma City isn't catching the Blazers, who are 6-1 vs. the Northwest and currently have a 9.5 game lead in the division.
Them: (28) The Knicks now have more SU losses than Philadelphia. They've won exactly one time since beating the Sixers on November 22nd
Thoughts: The Knicks don't stop 3s, and the RainBroz are pretty good at them. The Knicks don't have much chance outside of an otherworldly game by Melo and/or great 3pt shooting, and we shut that garbage down (1st in the league in defensive 3pt%). Against a depleted squad on the second night of a back-to-back (after OT last night) there isn't much of an excuse to not hang loss Number 28 on them. I don't see them able to stop the Blazers' attack unless the entire rotation goes cold from 3. There will be a sizable contigent of Knickerbocker fans, but I think they go home saddened (unless they got to see their heroes up-close and, well, that counts for something).
Us 123
Them 99
- VS –
BLAZERS' GAME NOTES 
