Game Thread GAME# 64: BLAZERS @ RAPTORS - MARCH 15, 2015 - SUNDAY, 4:00 PM (PST), CSNNW

The Blazers road record kind of bothers me. 15-14 isn't that great. This is going to be another tough road win.

 

.500 on the road is actually good. 80% at home and 50% on the road = 54 wins.

 

This ought to be a good game to watch. Lots of good matchups. Lowry vs Lillard, Valanciunas vs Lopez, Afflalo vs Derozan are really going to be fun to watch. Blazers have the advantage on most nights at PF and this game is no exception.

The Raptors were red hot when they came to Portland at the end of December and were playing with lots of confidence. That game went to OT and was eventually won by the home team. That was the first game back for Aldridge after the dreaded "Respiratory Illness" that was going around. Blazers came out slow and Toronto held the lead much of the game. But their true colors were beginning to show. The Raptors had been the beneficiaries of what many call the softest schedule of any team in the league to that point. They are young and struggle to close out games. Good teams would peck away at them and expose their weaknesses on defense. After the loss in Portland the Raptors would go on to lose 7 of their next 10.

Since the All-Star break it has been even worse for these guys. They were 37-17 at one point but now sit at 39-26. Their problem is not scoring as they have players that can put the ball in the hoop. It is playing as a team and playing solid defense. This team has all the makings of a good team and can win on any given night against any team in the league but as the season gets closer to the Playoffs teams start playing "Playoff Basketball" and that is what the Raptors have got to learn.

The Raptors don't defend the 3 particularly well and they have a tendency to foul so these things could very well decide the game for Portland. Look for Lillard to get open looks and for Afflalo to try to post up and or drive and get to the line. They will most likely double Aldridge because he will torch them if they don't. Johnson will not be able to cover him and if he tries alone he will have to foul LA.

Derozan will try to score at the rim and get some highlight reel stuff but he doesn't shoot well from anywhere but above the rim really. The key will be to stop him from getting the crowd going.

As far as bench production goes Portland has better solidarity and the roles are more defined. The Rators however do have some front court players that can do damage. Patterson rebounds well and James Johnson can score. When they bring in Tyler Hansbrough he immediately jacks up the energy and he usually commits a few hard fouls. Freeland will not be playing so i expect to see Meyers out there. Mike Rice talks about Stotts being the kind of coach that plays the Players that earn it. Well if there is a player on the bench that has earned some time it would be Meyers. He seems to be meshing well with Kaman and Blake so bring it on.

Batum's averages are going up with every game. Nice to see. Not just his PPG but his RPG have seen a jump. The constant has been APG. I would look again for Nic to work the two man game with RoLo and then Lopez to get to the free throw line.

Pick tonight is a crap shoot? Lets go with Lillard. This team will try to stop Aldridge i would guess.

They are saying Gee is day to day but my Wisdom teeth would not have kept me out of a game two days after being removed.

Go Blazers!

kjironman is a fan!!!

 

We were 12-5 on the road this year at one point, but have gone 3-9 in the last 12. Similarly, we started out 15-5 on the road last season, but went 8-11 from that point. That 8-11 includes a 4 game road win streak to finish the season (at one point we had lost 11/15 and road trips were nightmarish). The point is we are streaky on the road. 5-0, 0-5, or anything in between is plausible. We have won 2 of our last 3 roadies, so at least we're trending in the right direction.

 

Thanks Sly. They are fun to do.....Now what do i owe you?

 

She is 21 but pretty ornery. And she is very very expensive! You are better off going for the Russian Mail Order types.

 

Yes I totally dig reading them

 

I'll hold you to this if you freak out over a loss. I say 4-1 with the one loss in Florida.

Great post, thanks.

 

Anyone have a link so I can watch on the plane to DC?


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Refs: Bill Spooner, Courtney Kirkland, Leon Wood