Game Thread GAME# 2: BLAZERS @ SUNS - OCTOBER 30, 2015 - FRIDAY, 7:30 PM (PST), CSNNW

[Darkwebs]

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

PG

DAMIAN LILLARD VS ERIC BLEDSOE

SG

C.J. McCOLLUM VS BRANDON KNIGHT

SF

AL-FAROUQ AMINU VS P.J. TUCKER

PF

MEYERS LEONARD VS MARKIEFF MORRIS

C

MASON PLUMLEE VS TYSON CHANDLER



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WHEN: 7:30 PM, FRIDAY, 10/30/2015

WHERE: TALKING STICK RESORT ARENA, PHOENIX, AZ

TV BROADCAST:

RADIO BROADCAST:

​

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

FRAZIER , CRABBE , CONNAUGHTON , MONTERO

HARKLESS , VONLEH , DAVIS , KAMAN

PHOENIX SUNS

PRICE , GOODWIN , BOOKER , WEEMS

WARREN , TELETOVIC , LEUER , LEN



INJURIES
TRAIL BLAZERS
Cliff Alexander (left knee): OUT
Gerald Henderson (left hip): OUT
SUNS
NONE




HEAD COACHES

- VS –

TERRY STOTTS --- JEFF HORNACEK




BLAZERS' OFFICIAL GAME NOTES ​

• Friday marks the first of three regular season matchups between the Trail Blazers and Suns in 2015-16. Two of the three games in the season series will be played in Phoenix.

• After dropping its first game against the Suns in 2014-15, Portland won the final three contests to take the season series (3-1).

• 2014-15 marked Portland’s first series victory over Phoenix in the past four years. The Suns took the season series from Portland each season from 2011-12 to 2013-14.

• The last time the Trail Blazers won four consecutive games against the Suns was from 3/25/99 to 12/5/99 (Current streak: W3).

• Portland is 1-7 in its past eight regular season games played in Phoenix dating back to the 2010-11 season. Portland’s lone win during that time came in its most recent outing against the Suns in Phoenix on March 27, 2015 (W, 87-81).

• The Suns have won the first contest played between these two teams in each of the past four seasons. All four of those games were played in Phoenix.

• Damian Lillard has averaged 19.3 points on 40.8% shooting from the field in 11 career games against the Suns. Lillard has made at least two three-pointers in nine of those 11 contests.

• Portland is 10-2 in its past 12 regular season games played at home against the Suns dating back to the 2008-09 season.

• Al-Farouq Aminu and Phoenix guard Eric Bledsoe were teammates on the Clippers in 2010-11.

• HEAD-TO-HEAD HISTORY:
ALL TIME: Suns lead, 117-95
IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 65-42
AT THE SUNS: Suns lead, 75-30

SUNS' OFFICIAL GAME NOTES



GO BLAZERS!!!​

 

[riverman]

Ronnie Price sighting! Go good guys!

 

[Scalma]

They don't scare me as much as they did in years past. Mainly because Dragic is gone and Portland is much more athletic this year.

I'm sure markieff will go off though.

 

[Strenuus]

We may actually beat PHX for once. Maybe.

(For the semantical in you, I know we've beat them lately.)

 

[THE HCP]

Damn you DarkWingDuck! You beat me to creating to the thread again!

 

[THE HCP]

You didn't mention the illuminati SUNS logo on the court in your game notes!

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Looking at the suns roster, it blows my mind why people thought they would be better than us.

 

[Sinobas]

The suns roster looks crappy. I know many people are saying that about ours.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Looking at the suns roster, it blows my mind why people thought they would be better than us.

I'm thinking the same. Bledsoe/Knight/Morris is one of the worst "big 3's" in the league.

Then again, is it any worse than Dame/CJ/Nards?

 

[blue32]

Go Blazers!

 

[rasheedfan2005]

Ill be asleep but I expect to wake up to espn app telling me victory

 

[Sinobas]

The only players on that team I would want is Bledsoe and Chandler.

 

[BlazerBeav]

I've gotten so tired of losing to them. We need to sweep this home-and-home and build some momentum before the tough stretch coming up.

 

[Draco]

I've gotten so tired of losing to them. We need to sweep this home-and-home and build some momentum before the tough stretch coming up.

We were 3-1 against them last year.

1-3 the year before, but they had a Plumlee. Now we have a Plumlee.

 

[Strenuus]

We were 3-1 against them last year.

1-3 the year before, but they had a Plumlee. Now we have a Plumlee.

And you get a plumlee, and you get a plumlee! EVERYONE GETS A PLUMLEE!

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

I'm thinking the same. Bledsoe/Knight/Morris is one of the worst "big 3's" in the league.

Then again, is it any worse than Dame/CJ/Nards?

Yeah but I think we will be deeper. And dame is better than any of those guys by far.

 

[Boise Blazer]

 

[HomerLovesKoolAid]

They don't scare me as much as they did in years past. Mainly because Dragic is gone and Portland is much more athletic this year.

I'm sure markieff will go off though.

I used to be scared of them because it always felt like their big men were always outhustling/outworking ours. I don't feel that so much now.

 

[kjironman1]

Blazers vs Suns

At the beginning of every season i usually look through the schedule and i give each game a quick look at wins or losses +-or =. This game i have as an = on the road. The Mavs put a pretty good beat down on these guys a couple days ago and i would suspect they will be looking for their first win against a team that they have a history of playing well against and has a roster of young unknowns. The Suns however simply don't have a good team this year. The Morris brothers have been split up and Markieff isn't real happy about it. I wonder if he is letting it have an effect on his play?

Seems funny to me they would choose to induct Nash on the second game of the season instead of the first like most teams? That alone would tell me there is a little disrespect flowing for the Portland TrailBlazers. There is also the point that this is the first of a B2B an a back and forth same team combination. So it will be Phoenix again here tomorrow night. Getting the first one there is important. The Blazers have the energy and players to get this win. Just not sure how they will play on the road yet?

Here are some things to look at tonight. Damian Lillard is doing all the right things for this team. He is playing with the stable collective demeanor that a leader must play with. He may not be the leading scorer every game and he may not be flashy but this guy will do what he needs to do to get a win. I don't mind seeing CJ as the leading scorer when Dame gets 11 dimes. Meyers Leonard is a very good passer. He is not only a deep threat but when the Pelicans started to try to defend his shot he made some really good decisions passing out of the defense. Meyers ended up with 3 assists but could very well have ended up with 8-10 if some shots fell. He also ended up with 12 points with a number of 3 pt shots rimming out. He is going to have a great game at some point. It's just a matter of time before he explodes for a triple double. The rebounding and points are no question. Too early to make any proclamations on Aminu but at this point he is leading the team in blocks and he seems to reek havoc on teams in the paint. This guy grabbed 8 rebounds while on the court with not only Ed Davis but Anthony Davis also. There is something to be said for that. Cj Cj Cj! What can you say? This kid scores the ball. We now all know it and i would think the rest of the league does too. Eventually teams are going to scout him. Good players are going to learn how to defend him. But the advantage is CJ is also a very good student. He knows other players tendencies also. This is going to play out very well. CJ is the real deal and we are going to have some fun watching him light it up this year.

I don't have much on other teams yet but i can assure you i am watching and learning. This is what i do know. Tyson Chandler is a good center and he will always bring a good game. I think Plumlee is more mobile and i think Davis is tougher. Bledsoe is going to try to score but Damian's defense is notably better this year. So we will have to watch what happens here. Brandon Knight is always a threat but CJ also is playing decent defense. I think it has a lot to do with the team energy. Defense is the key on the road. There will not be many road wins this year most likely but this could be one....

Go Blazers!
kjironman is a fan!!!

 

[Strenuus]

Blazers vs Suns

At the beginning of every season i usually look through the schedule and i give each game a quick look at wins or losses +-or =. This game i have as an = on the road. The Mavs put a pretty good beat down on these guys a couple days ago and i would suspect they will be looking for their first win against a team that they have a history of playing well against and has a roster of young unknowns. The Suns however simply don't have a good team this year. The Morris brothers have been split up and Markieff isn't real happy about it. I wonder if he is letting it have an effect on his play?

Seems funny to me they would choose to induct Nash on the second game of the season instead of the first like most teams? That alone would tell me there is a little disrespect flowing for the Portland TrailBlazers. There is also the point that this is the first of a B2B an a back and forth same team combination. So it will be Phoenix again here tomorrow night. Getting the first one there is important. The Blazers have the energy and players to get this win. Just not sure how they will play on the road yet?

Here are some things to look at tonight. Damian Lillard is doing all the right things for this team. He is playing with the stable collective demeanor that a leader must play with. He may not be the leading scorer every game and he may not be flashy but this guy will do what he needs to do to get a win. I don't mind seeing CJ as the leading scorer when Dame gets 11 dimes. Meyers Leonard is a very good passer. He is not only a deep threat but when the Pelicans started to try to defend his shot he made some really good decisions passing out of the defense. Meyers ended up with 3 assists but could very well have ended up with 8-10 if some shots fell. He also ended up with 12 points with a number of 3 pt shots rimming out. He is going to have a great game at some point. It's just a matter of time before he explodes for a triple double. The rebounding and points are no question. Too early to make any proclamations on Aminu but at this point he is leading the team in blocks and he seems to reek havoc on teams in the paint. This guy grabbed 8 rebounds while on the court with not only Ed Davis but Anthony Davis also. There is something to be said for that. Cj Cj Cj! What can you say? This kid scores the ball. We now all know it and i would think the rest of the league does too. Eventually teams are going to scout him. Good players are going to learn how to defend him. But the advantage is CJ is also a very good student. He knows other players tendencies also. This is going to play out very well. CJ is the real deal and we are going to have some fun watching him light it up this year.

I don't have much on other teams yet but i can assure you i am watching and learning. This is what i do know. Tyson Chandler is a good center and he will always bring a good game. I think Plumlee is more mobile and i think Davis is tougher. Bledsoe is going to try to score but Damian's defense is notably better this year. So we will have to watch what happens here. Brandon Knight is always a threat but CJ also is playing decent defense. I think it has a lot to do with the team energy. Defense is the key on the road. There will not be many road wins this year most likely but this could be one....

Go Blazers!
kjironman is a fan!!!

Good to have you back man! Thank you for the contribution!

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

The only players on that team I would want is Bledsoe and Chandler.

I'd actually like knight. I think a three man Pg sg rotation with those three could actually work out where each get 30+ minutes

By those three I meant lillard, Cj and knight

 

[Draco]

Before the season started I picked Phoenix to win this game. Now I'm thinking it's either a push em or we have the advantage.

1 Our team practicing a month before the season really helped. We have amazing chemistry for a group with so many new faces. That bodes well for us the first month of the season when the rest of the league is not at their peak. Physically all our players are in excellent shape; better than the rest of the league at this point of the season.

2 Phoenix has some new pieces and never successfully integrated the Bledsoe/Knight tandem. It will take them time to develope that chemistry. While Markieff might be on board now his trade demands certainly delayed training camp and early season preparations.

3 Home court advantage has largely been eliminated in the last few years. Previously refs had an impact from the crowd but the NBA has much stricter protocols now. Teams now only have an advantage from travel and being more rested at home. In the regular season often the road team is on a back to back or arrived late while the home team is rested. Neither of those apply to this game. So far this season home teams are 9-11. That trend continued months into last season.

Go Blazers!

 

[kjironman1]

Good to have you back man! Thank you for the contribution!

Absolutely no problem. Not sure how long it will last though. I have been working for Kenny Carr on the Sellwood bridge for the last 6 months. Sounds like i might be going back onto the project for a bit. Time becomes tough to come by when work take precedence.
While i got time i love doing these.

 

[Strenuus]

Absolutely no problem. Not sure how long it will last though. I have been working for Kenny Carr on the Sellwood bridge for the last 6 months. Sounds like i might be going back onto the project for a bit. Time becomes tough to come by when work take precedence.
While i got time i love doing these.

Totally understand. Hope all is well!

 

[PDXFonz]

It's going to be so fun seeing CJ go off one night, and then Dame go off the next. I hope tonight is a good example of that!

 

[dviss1]

I first put Dame. But then I saw that matchup CJ has.

CJ is gonna eat his fuckin' LUNCH tonight!!!

 

[Reep]

In a vacuum I think Dame score more, but Dame seems to draw more attention and the better defender, which leaves CJ open for better opportunities. I'm guessing CJ.

Dragic was our biggest problem in the past. Without him the kryptonite is gone. Some suspect Morris is dogging it because of the trade of his brother. We will see tonight.

 

[blue9]

CJ is gonna eat his fuckin' LUNCH tonight!!!

Wouldn't that be dinner, then? Or are you saying that Knight is going to barf up his lunch on the court, and CJ's gonna eat it up like a dog?
CJ "Mad Dog 20/20" McCollum.

 

[dviss1]

Absolutely no problem. Not sure how long it will last though. I have been working for Kenny Carr on the Sellwood bridge for the last 6 months. Sounds like i might be going back onto the project for a bit. Time becomes tough to come by when work take precedence.
While i got time i love doing these.

Huh? THE Kenny Carr? Doing what? Does he own a contracting company?

 

[BigGameDamian]

They never did this kind of thing for Charles Barkley.