Game Thread GAME# 70: BLAZERS @ CLIPPERS - MARCH 18, 2018 - SUNDAY, 7:30 PM (PST), NBATV & NBCSNW

[Darkwebs]

2017-18 REGULAR SEASON RECORD
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
43 - 26
(18-15 Road)
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
37 - 31
(20-14 Home)


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

PG

DAMIAN LILLARD VS AUSTIN RIVERS

SG

C.J. McCOLLUM VS LOU WILLIAMS

SF

MAURICE HARKLESS VS SINDARIUS THORNWELL

PF

AL-FAROUQ AMINU VS TOBIAS HARRIS

C

JUSUF NURKIC VS DeANDRE JORDAN




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WHEN: 7:30 PM, SUNDAY, 3/18/2018

WHERE: STAPLES CENTER, LOS ANGELES, CA

TV BROADCAST:

AND

RADIO BROADCAST:

​

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

NAPIER , BALDWIN IV , CONNAUGHTON

TURNER , LAYMAN

SWANIGAN , COLLINS

DAVIS , LEONARD , PAPAGIANNIS


- LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS-

EVANS , KILPATRICK , TEODOSIC

WILLIAMS , JOHNSON , DEKKER

HARRELL , MARJANOVIC



INJURIES
TRAIL BLAZERS
C.J. Wilcox (G-League): OUT
CLIPPERS
Avery Bradley (adductor/rectus abdominus surgery): OUT
Patrick Beverley (right knee surgery): OUT
Danilo Gallinari (right hand contusion/non-displaced fracture): OUT



HEAD COACHES

- VS –

TERRY STOTTS --- DOC RIVERS

OFFICIAL CLIPPERS' GAME NOTES
OFFICIAL BLAZERS' GAME NOTES ​

• Sunday’s game marks the third of four regular season meetings between the Trail Blazers and the Clippers during the 2017-18 season.

• LAST MEETING: The Trail Blazers outscored the Clippers in the third quarter, 30-16, on their way to a 104-96 victory in Los Angeles. Damian Lillard led the Trail Blazers with 28 points, four rebounds and seven assists while Lou Williams paced the Clippers with 20 points and five assists off the bench.

• Jusuf Nurkic had 14 points (7-17 FG), 20 rebounds and two steals against the Clippers on Jan. 30. Nurkic hauled in 16 rebounds in the second half alone, tying the franchise record for rebounds in a half.

• CJ McCollum had 16 points (5-18 FG, 3-7 3-PT, 3-3 FT), five rebounds, two assists and three steals against the Clippers on Jan. 30. In two games against Los Angeles this season, McCollum has averaged 19.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists.

• Damian Lillard has averaged 26.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 6.5 assists in two games against the Clippers this season.

• HEAD-TO-HEAD HISTORY:
ALL TIME: Trail Blazers lead, 142-77
IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 86-23
AT THE CLIPPERS: Trail Blazers lead, 56-54

 

[Darkwebs]

If the Blazers' streak reach a baker's dozen, they will be hotter than a commercial oven!

 

[DDolla]

Just Win Blazers!

 

[blazerkor]

Dame>Lou, CJ>Austin, Moe>Sindarius, Chief=Tobias, Nurk<DeAndre and our bench is far better than theirs. Jordan won't carry them to a win. We'll get big games from Dame and CJ and it will be too much for them to handle. GO BLAZERS!!!

 

[H.C.]

Not to jinx it, but Portland hasn't lost on march 18th in quite a long time If memory serves me right.

 

[theprunetang]

I love you @Darkwebs , but I hate that you made Portland's design look like the shitty Clippers design. @HCP , you down to make a game thread, fams?

 

[THE HCP]

I love you @Darkwebs , but I hate that you made Portland's design look like the shitty Clippers design. @HCP , you down to make a game thread, fams?

I am here for my people. Just say the word, and I’ll put this thread on blast!

 

[Labinot41]

Dame>Lou, CJ>Austin, Moe>Sindarius, Chief=Tobias, Nurk<DeAndre and our bench is far better than theirs. Jordan won't carry them to a win. We'll get big games from Dame and CJ and it will be too much for them to handle. GO BLAZERS!!!

Harris is much better than Aminu

 

[H.C.]

Both teams are playing 3 in 4.
Clippers at home with a days rest. While Portland is coming in on a b2b.
Seems like a game where players other than CJ/Lillard will need to step up.
But they say. 'Have defense will travel.'
Lets see if it holds true tonight.

 

[Titan]

A win on the road against a team with a winning record to keep the streak going will add a lot more credibility to it. Let’s put another notch on the belt, RIPCITY!!!

 

[stampedehero]

Both teams are playing 3 in 4.
Clippers at home with a days rest. While Portland is coming in on a b2b.
Seems like a game where players other than CJ/Lillard will need to step up.
But they say. 'Have defense will travel.'
Lets see if it holds true tonight.

>Perhaps another good job from Turner and Meyers.

 

[kjironman1]

>Perhaps another good job from Turner and Meyers.

Turner has shown he is making a difference and that game last night is exactly what this team needs from Meyers at this point.

 

[TBpup]

The team probably got to their hotel around 3:00-4:00 a.m. this morning. Hopefully they cant get enough rest to win this game even if it is ugly.

 

[Orion Bailey]

The team probably got to their hotel around 3:00-4:00 a.m. this morning. Hopefully they cant get enough rest to win this game even if it is ugly.

Can. Can.

Very pivital typo there. And thats coming from the typo king.

 

[stampedehero]

Put fresh legs in the mid second Q. I say give Swanigan and Papa G some minutes.

 

[Boob-No-More]

Gut check tonight. The guys really need to bring it after playing last night in Portland. FiveThirtyEight only gives the Blazers a 38% chance of winning and had the Clippers 3 point favorites. Basketball-Reference has it at 45%/55% in favor of the Clippers. Time to defy the odds and extend the winning streak to 13 games.

BNM

 

[rotary111]

Gut check tonight. The guys really need to bring it after playing last night in Portland. FiveThirtyEight only gives the Blazers a 38% chance of winning and had the Clippers 3 point favorites. Basketball-Reference has it at 45%/55% in favor of the Clippers. Time to defy the odds and extend the winning streak to 13 games.

BNM

Non believers!

 

[Shaboid]

Make this a quick trip south, take care of business. Get back for a home cooked meal and get ready for the rockets. One game at a time, let's seal up HCA. No letdowns!

 

[BrunoSOC]

Must win game. Huge one coming tuesday. We need to face them extremly hot.

 

[kjironman1]

Must win game. Huge one coming tuesday. We need to face them extremly hot.

Must win seems to be your signature post. Not that I disagree.

 

[crandc]

Lucky 13

 

[BrunoSOC]

Must win seems to be your signature post. Not that I disagree.

In a game like that, yes. We cant count win against the Rockets and the Celtics. We can beat them but we need to face them hot. I expect a good game tonight. Dame and CJ like to play in starples center.

 

[BBert]

Turner has shown he is making a difference and that game last night is exactly what this team needs from Meyers at this point.

I could see a repeat of early Nurk foul trouble, and Meyers coming in and banging for 5 minutes until it's time for ZEd, or The Big EZ, or whatever we're calling them

Plus Meyers can either pull DJ away from the basket, or make him pay for not coming out.

 

[BBert]

Must win seems to be your signature post. Not that I disagree.

@BrunoSOC should consider that for his signature for the rest of the season and all through the playoffs

So far, it's working !

 

[PHXBlazer1]

Even though we played last night and got in late, I'm still surprised the Clippers are favored. Wake up Vegas we've won 12 straight bitches!

 

[crandc]

Considering it's a fairly short flight to LA, why don't they sleep in their beds, take a 10 AM flight and arrive midday? Instead of 3 AM?

 

[BlazerBeav]

BTW, @Darkwebs, love the logo steal.

 

[hoopsjock]

Considering it's a fairly short flight to LA, why don't they sleep in their beds, take a 10 AM flight and arrive midday? Instead of 3 AM?

I'm not 100% sure but I just heard a story yesterday on ESPN radio (never did hear who it was that was saying this) but he said that they had inclement weather causing turbulence and thought they were going to die on a plane. A few days later they were playing in Milwaukee and they decided to fly the day of which he says was against NBA rules but they did it anyway and the team paid the fine. Well in the air the airport closed down due to weather and what should have been an hour flight turned into 7 hours of circling around trying to find somewhere to land. I guess they made it to the arena about 5 minutes before game time.

Anyway, I'm assuming if his story is accurate that the NBA requires that flights not be on game day.

 

[SportsAndWhine]

Gut check tonight. The guys really need to bring it after playing last night in Portland. FiveThirtyEight only gives the Blazers a 38% chance of winning and had the Clippers 3 point favorites. Basketball-Reference has it at 45%/55% in favor of the Clippers. Time to defy the odds and extend the winning streak to 13 games.

BNM

This is a big “prove it” game. I hope we can!

 

[SportsAndWhine]

Turner has shown he is making a difference and that game last night is exactly what this team needs from Meyers at this point.

If Meyers can master the “play good enough that we don’t regret Nurk getting into early foul trouble” role, I honestly will be fine with his contract. A +6 in three minutes is pretty awesome against a beefy team like Detroit.