GAME THREAD: KNICKS @ BLAZERS - DECEMBER 28, 2014 - SUNDAY, 6:00 PM (PST), CSN

S T A R T E R S




PG
JOSE CALDERON VS DAMIAN LILLARD

SG
TIM HARDAWAY JR. VS WESLEY MATTHEWS

SF
CARMELO ANTHONY VS NICOLAS BATUM

PF
COLE ALDRICH VS THOMAS ROBINSON

C
JASON SMITH VS JOEL FREELAND







WHEN: 6:00 PM, SUNDAY, 12/28/2014​

WHERE: Moda Center, Portland, OR ​

TV BROADCAST:





RADIO BROADCAST:


​

------------------------------------------------------



BENCH

NEW YORK KNICKS

LARKIN , PRIGIONI , SMITH

WEAR , ACY , DALEMBERT

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS

BLAKE , MCCOLLUM , CRABBE

WRIGHT , CLAVER , LEONARD




INJURIES
KNICKS
Carmelo Anthony (Left Knee): QUESTIONABLE
Samuel Dalembert (Sprained Ankle): QUESTIONABLE
J.R. Smith (Partially Torn Left Plantar Fascia): QUESTIONABLE
Amar’e Stoudemire (Sore Right Knee): DOUBTFUL
Iman Shumpert (Dislocated Left Shoulder): OUT
Andrea Bargnani (Strained Right Calf): OUT
Cleanthony Early (Injured Right Knee): OUT
TRAIL BLAZERS
Nicolas Batum (Wrist Sprain): PROBABLE
LaMarcus Aldrdige (Upper Respiratory Infection): DOUBTFUL
Chris Kaman (Personal Reasons): QUESTIONABLE
Robin Lopez (Fractured Right Index Finger): OUT



HEAD COACHES
- VS –
DEREK FISHER--- TERRY STOTTS




BLAZERS' GAME NOTES ​

GO BLAZERS!!!​

 

POR vs. NYK 12/28/14

NYK: 5-27, 4th in Titanic Division (ahead of only PHI)

Our last game: W v. PHI 12/26/14, 114-93

Their last game: L @ SAC 135-129 (OT), 12/27/14

Power Rankings:
ESPN Us: (3) The Blazers, rather remarkably, can make the case that they've actually trumped last season's 18-4 start with this one. And if the Thomas Robinson who showed up against Milwaukee can keep filling in like that for Robin Lopez, Portland might survive its first serious injury for some time just fine.

Them: (28) The Knicks lead the league in losses and are on pace to win 14 games. They're 4-16 in games decided by nine points or fewer. Carmelo Anthony has even stopped wearing hats. Why aren't we hearing more about Melo resting his sore knees at this point to only enhance New York's draft odds?

NBA.com: Us (2) Pace: 96.1 (12), OffRtg: 106.4 (8), DefRtg: 99.3 (3), NetRtg: +7.2 (5)
The Blazers will be without Robin Lopez (broken hand) for a while, but their depth has come up big as they've extended their winning streak to five games. Thomas Robinson put up 15 and 16 against the Bucks, Dorell Wright emerged from DNP-land to hit four threes in San Antonio, and Joel Freeland helped hold Anthony Davis to 3-for-14 on Saturday.

Them (29) Pace: 92.2 (29), OffRtg: 101.2 (22), DefRtg: 108.3 (27), NetRtg: -7.0 (27)
Most team presidents would stay quiet as their team was losing 15 of 16 games. But Phil Jackson is not most team presidents and took to Twitter to defend trading Tyson Chandler and to take shots at Charles Barkley. Jackson wasn't given much to work with when he was hired, but players he added or re-signed have played more than half of the team's minutes.

Covers.com: Us (3) What regression? Oklahoma City isn't catching the Blazers, who are 6-1 vs. the Northwest and currently have a 9.5 game lead in the division.

Them: (28) The Knicks now have more SU losses than Philadelphia. They've won exactly one time since beating the Sixers on November 22nd

Thoughts: The Knicks don't stop 3s, and the RainBroz are pretty good at them. The Knicks don't have much chance outside of an otherworldly game by Melo and/or great 3pt shooting, and we shut that garbage down (1st in the league in defensive 3pt%). Against a depleted squad on the second night of a back-to-back (after OT last night) there isn't much of an excuse to not hang loss Number 28 on them. I don't see them able to stop the Blazers' attack unless the entire rotation goes cold from 3. There will be a sizable contigent of Knickerbocker fans, but I think they go home saddened (unless they got to see their heroes up-close and, well, that counts for something).

Us 123
Them 99

 

Blazers allow opponents to shoot just 29.7% from 3pt line (#1 in NBA). NY allows 39.3% from 3pt line (#30 in NBA).

 

I wondered who that was in your avatar.