http://forwardcenter.net/trail-blazers-vs-rockets-an-overview/
NICOLAS BATUM on CHANDLER PARSONS
“It’s going to be huge. I think it’s going to be huge because we all know they’ve got James Harden and Dwight (Howard) but he’s having a great season, too. People don’t really talk about him. He’s having a great season so it’s going to be huge for me to try to stop him.”
“We’re like the third option, both the third option, so we’re kind of similar, maybe … Some teams are so focused on Dwight and James Harden that sometimes he has freedom to do other things. That’s the same.”
Even those Parsons nearly put up a triple-double in Houston’s 126-113 victory versus the Blazers on Jan. 20, Batum has generally held the Rockets starting small forward in check. Parsons shot 8 of 22 from the field (36 percent) and 2 of 7 from three (29 percent) when being guarded by Batum this season.
LAMARCUS ALDRIDGE on TERRENCE JONES
“We don’t know because one game they doubled — they put Terrence in front of me and they put Dwight behind be and left RoLo open. Then one game they fronted with Dwight a couple times, which was kind of weird. They definitely have done different things on me, so we’re just watching film and trying to be ready for anything.”
“I don’t think it’s surprising anymore. I think I know what to look forward to, just watching film and seeing where my shots came from. Just trying to master my shots and go from there.”
ROBIN LOPEZ vs. DWIGHT HOWARD
“There’s not a lot of guys I can’t pull my punches against, I can be very physical with him. That’s something that I don’t always get to do. I embrace that.”
“Any time you get to play against one of the best players in the world, that’s something that’s fun … It’s a challenge. If I can slow him down a little bit, that’s a lot of help for my teammates, providing help defense in a different way.”
Lopez comported himself well defending Howard this season, holding the All-Star center to 17 of 32 shooting from the field (53 percent). However, Lopez did foul Howard 10 times in just under 30 minutes defending Houston’s big man.
BLAZERS BENCH vs. ROCKETS BENCH
“We can bring energy and just go in there and either keep the lead or try to make it go up. So our job is to come in and change the game in a positive way … I’m going to come in and do what I do: play fast, get up and down in transition, defend hard and do whatever I can do to make play … It’s the highest level of basketball. You always dream of going to the playoffs and trying to compete for a World Championship. I’ve very excited and very fortunate to be in this position.” — Will Barton
“I’m not saying we have an advantage (against Houston’s bench), say we’re going to come out there and beat them. I’m saying we’re going to come out there and try to out-work them and out-play them. I don’t have any doubt in me or the rest of the players that’s coming off the bench with me versus Houston .. The bench play has been good for the past month or so and rolling into the playoffs, everything is clicking right now.” — Thomas Robinson
