Game Thread GAME# 57: BLAZERS @ MAGIC - FEBRUARY 23, 2017 - THURSDAY, 4:00 PM (PST), CSNNW

[Darkwebs]

2016-17 REGULAR SEASON RECORD
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
23 - 33
(9-20 Road)
ORLANDO MAGIC
21 - 37
(9-18 Home)

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

PG

DAMIAN LILLARD VS C.J. WATSON

SG

C.J. McCOLLUM VS EVAN FOURNIER

SF

MOE HARKLESS VS JEFF GREEN

PF

ED DAVIS VS AARON GORDON

C

JUSEF NURKIC VS NIKOLA VUCEVIC

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WHEN: 4:00 PM, THURSDAY, 2/23/2017

WHERE: AMWAY CENTER, ORLANDO, FL

TV BROADCAST:

RADIO BROADCAST:

​

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

NAPIER , QUARTERMAN , CONNAUGHTON

CRABBE , LAYMAN

AMINU , VONLEH , LEONARD

------- ORLANDO MAGIC -------

PAYTON , AUGUSTIN

ROSS , HEZONJA

RUDEZ , BIYOMBO , ZIMMERMAN


INJURIES
TRAIL BLAZERS
Evan Turner (right hand fracture, third metacarpal): OUT
Festus Ezeli (Left Knee): OUT
MAGIC
Jodie Meeks (right thumb repair): OUT
C.J. Wilcox (left Achilles tendinitis): OUT


HEAD COACHES

- VS –

TERRY STOTTS --- FRANK VOGEL



MAGIC'S OFFICIAL GAME NOTES
BLAZERS' OFFICIAL GAME NOTES ​

• Thursday marks the second and final regular season matchup between the Trail Blazers and Magic in 2016-17.

• LAST MEETING: Orlando defeated Portland, 115-109, at the Moda Center on Jan. 13. Nikola Vucevic recorded 30 points (13-18 FG) and 10 rebounds, while Damian Lillard scored a game-high 34 points.

• Orlando has won three of its last four games against Portland.

• The Magic has won four consecutive home games against the Trail Blazers dating back to the 2012-13 season.

• Portland has held Orlando to less than 100 points in eight of the past 14 matchups dating back to the start of the 2009-10 season.

• Nikola Vucevic has scored at least 20 points in each of his last five games against the Trail Blazers. Vucevic is averaging 26.6 points and 11.0 rebounds during that five-game stretch (four double-doubles).

• Nikola Vucevic has recorded six double-doubles in seven career games vs. Portland (two straight).

• Damian Lillard’s 34-point performance against Orlando earlier this season on Jan. 13 marks the first time that he has scored more than 20 points in nine career games vs. the Magic.

• CJ McCollum has averaged 21.5 points on 51.5% shooting over his last four games against the Magic. McCollum has shot 47.8% (11-23 3-PT) from beyond the arc during that stretch.

• TEAM RANKS: The Trail Blazers are ranked ninth in the NBA in scoring (107.3 ppg), while Orlando is averaging 99.5 points per game (29th in NBA).

• CONNECTION: Maurice Harkless played his first three NBA seasons with the Magic, averaging 6.8 points and 3.5 rebounds in 201 games (104 starts).

• CONNECTION: Shabazz Napier produced 3.7 points and 1.8 assists in 55 games during his lone season with Orlando in 2015-16.

• CONNECTION: Jake Layman’s draft rights were acquired by Portland (from Orlando) in the second round (47th overall) of the 2016 NBA Draft.

• HEAD-TO-HEAD HISTORY:
ALL TIME: Trail Blazers lead, 29-25
IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 17-11
AT THE MAGIC: Magic lead, 14-12

​

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Start Nurkic!!!

 

[TBpup]

Still starting Biebs...that means we ARE tanking.

 

[KingSpeed]

Still starting Biebs...that means we ARE tanking.

Who said we are starting Leonard? Is this offficial?

 

[Chris Craig]

We better start Nurkic or we are just a big jokic

 

[Strenuus]

We better start Nurkic or we are just a big jokic

Oh god. That'll never get old. And it works whether Nurkic does well here or not.

And for that reason, this is one of the best trades ever.

 

[OSUBlazerfan]

Can't start Leonard if he's not on the team

 

[Chris Craig]

Can't start Leonard if he's not on the team

Touche

 

[Mediocre Man]

Is John Holmes seriously still starting?

 

[TBpup]

Who said we are starting Leonard? Is this offficial?

It was just a comment on the pictures in the OP. No proclamation handed down from Moses or anything like that.

 

[Blazers Roy]

DAMIAN LILLARD VS C.J. WATSON ?

I hope Watson won't drop 30 on us

 

[Cippy91]

Powerful mike rice

 

[Mediocre Man]

Powerful mike rice

Fuck winning.

 

[illmatic99]

Wooo. Glad we have a game tonight. And that too, at a decent time

 

[Scalma]

Good to have actual basketball back.

 

[riverman]

Gotta build some value now for the summer swap meet....Go Meyers!!!! Have a career night! Go Ed!!!! Double double tonight! I couldn't even watch the allstar game highlights,

 

[stampedehero]

Two evenly matched below .500 teams. I hope we win by 10+ and establish hunger for a playoff run. If its a loss, then all hell will break lose./

 

[Jade Falcon]

Rooting for the team, of course, but not expecting a win. I'm watching the game purely to see if Nurk can build off of his good start. All eyes should be on him.

Oh, and Dame...to see how he's doing with that ankle.

 

[Cippy91]

can I comment on here tonight or are all the oldies gonna think I am super angry and get offended?

 

[jlprk]

I am fucking pissed that you called me old.

 

[Chris Craig]

I hope Nurkic drops career highs tonight. I hope he goes to war with Vuceivic

 

[Cippy91]

Nurkic Kingspeed prediction. 30/20

Oh and Aminu is god

 

[Chris Craig]

Rooting for the team, of course, but not expecting a win. I'm watching the game purely to see if Nurk can build off of his good start. All eyes should be on him.

Oh, and Dame...to see how he's doing with that ankle.

I expect win every game, no true fan should expect less, even if that is not the end result

 

[Chris Craig]

Nurkic Kingspeed prediction. 30/20

Oh and Aminu is god

But, Aminu is God

 

[Reep]

I hope Nurkic drops career highs tonight. I hope he goes to war with Vuceivic

I was kind of hoping to see Vuceivic head to the bench in tears at some point in the game. Honestly, I would be happy with a 12 pt, 8 reb, 1 blk night from Nurk, but with a big load of toughness and attitude left on the court.

 

[Jade Falcon]

I expect win every game, no true fan should expect less, even if that is not the end result

Good for you. While I'm not Tunchi downer, I'm also realistic and far from Kingspeed positivity.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

 

[Jade Falcon]

Thank you Jesus!

 

[Rastapopoulos]

...and Meyers Leonard starts at Point Guard!

 

[TBpup]

^^^ that didn't take long. Even Wheels said he didn't see anyone in the way of Nurkic starting soon if it wasn't tonight. It was kind of funny the way he said it because he probably wasn't trying to dis Meyers but it sure came across that way.