Post by Monika on Nov 27, 2020 17:18:57 GMT -8
Welcome to the SCtoC Portland Trail Blazers 2020-21 News Tracker. During the course of the Blazers 51st season, we will post all major news regarding the team. This will include, but not be limited to, player movement, scheduling, standout game performances and major news. Posts will appear below in descending order with the most recent news on top.
NEWS TRACKER:
May 16, 2021 - Portland's centers, Jusuf Nurkic and Enes Kanter, combine for 34 points and 28 rebounds as the Blazers close out the regular season with a 132-116 home win over the Denver Nuggets. The win secures the Blazers the sixth seed in the playoffs and avoids them having to play in the league's play-in tournament. The Blazers and Los Angeles Lakers (seventh seed) finish with identical 42-30 records, but Portland wins the tiebreaker due to their 2-1 head-to-head record over the Lakers during the season series. The Blazers will face the third-seeded Nuggets in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
April 13, 2021 - The Blazers sign forward T.J. Leaf to a two-way contract. In three NBA seasons with the Indiana Pacers, Leaf appeared in 139 games, averaging 3.3 points and 2.0 rebounds per game. The 6'10", 222-lb. Leaf attended played college ball for one season at UCLA.
April 10, 2021 - Enes Kanter snares a Blazers single-game record 30 rebounds and scores 24 points as the Blazers put away the Detroit Pistons at home, 118-103. Kanter also had two blocks, a steal and a pair of assists in the win. Damian Lillard contributed game highs of 27 points and 10 assists, and CJ McCollum added 26 points in the win. Kanter eclipsed the previous single-game record of 27 rebounds set by Sidney Wicks in a 117-116 win over the Lakers in Los Angeles on February 25, 1075.
April 9, 2021 - The Blazers sign forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson to a 10-day contract. The 6'6" forward out of Arizona was originally selected by the 2015 NBA Draft, then traded along with Steve Blake to the Brooklyn Nets for center Mason Plumlee and guard Pat Connaughton on draft night. He played four seasons with the Nets before playing with the Toronto Raptors last season. He posts career averages of 9.3 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
March 31, 2021 - Damian Lillard scores 33 points and dishes out 10 assists as the Blazers conclude a four-game road trip with a 125-101 win over the Detroit Pistons. CJ McCollum adds 24 points in the win. The Blazers win all four games on the road over the course of the trip.
March 25, 2021 - CJ McCollum pours in a game-high 35 points, and Enes Kanter has 18 points and 16 rebounds, as the Blazers open a four-game road trip with a 125-122 victory over the Miami Heat. McCollum and Damian Lillard combine for 17 assists in the win.
March 25, 2021 - Portland acquires guard Normal Powell from the Toronto Raptors in exchange for guards Gary Trent, Jr. and Rodney Hood. Powell, 6'3", was averaging 19.3 points and 1/1 steals per game this season with the Raptors. He is an unrestricted free agent following the season and is expected to test the free agency market.
March 22, 2021 - The Blazers announce that 13 of their players received the first of two dozes of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. They were able to receive the vaccines courtesy of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Rhonde. The Tribes made the vaccine available to the general public to aid the state of Oregon, as well as the United States, to get past the pandemic. "The Trail Blazers organization and players are grateful to the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde for making these vaccines available to the general public," the team said in a statement. It was not disclosed yet as to when the players may receive the second dose of the vaccine.
March 19, 2021 - CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard score 32 and 31 points, respectively, to lead the Blazers to a 125-119 win at home over the Dallas Mavericks. The duo combine for 11 of 23 shooting from beyond the arc in the win. Carmelo Anthony adds 18 points off the bench in Blazers' effort.
March 16, 2021 - Damian Lillard powers the Blazers in a last minute rally to overcome the New Orleans Pelicans in a home 125-124 win. Lillard scores 50 and dishes out 10 assists, and hits the winning free throws with 1.2 seconds left to secure the win. Gary Trent, Jr. adds 22 points off the bench in the win, which marks the return of CJ McCollum, who has been out since January 16 with a hairline fracture in his leg. McCollum scores 10 points in 26 minutes in his return. The Blazers are outrebounded 47-34, but convert on a perfect 31 of 31 from the free throw line in the win.
March 7, 2021 - Damian Lillard scores 32 points, including going eight of 16 from three-point range, to help Team LeBron defeat Team Durant in the 2021 NBA All-Star Game, 170-150. Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks wins the MVP award after leading all scorers with 35 points on an impressive 16 of 16 shooting. Stephen Curry of the Golden St. Warriors adds 28 points, making eight of 16 of his own threes. Curry drilled a 40-foot three at the end of the first half, while Lillard hit a 40-footer at the end of the game.
March 7, 2021 - Anfernee Simons becomes the first Blazer to win the NBA Slam Dunk Competition during All-Star Weekend. Simons scored 95 in the first round and edged Obi Toppin of the New York Knicks by a judges' vote of 3-2 to win the final round. Simons is pictured below with his Slam Dunk Champion Trophy (Photo via Portland Trail Blazers' official Facebook page).
March 4, 2021 - Damian Lillard scores a game-high 44 points, and Enes Kanter adds 22 points and 21 rebounds as the Blazers edge the Sacramento Kings, 123-119, in the first half season finale. After winning their third in a row (all at home), the Blazers are 21-14 and in fifth place in the NBA standings heading into the All-Star Break.
March 4, 2021 - During the All-Star draft to determine the reserves, Team LeBron (James) and Team (Kevin) Durant select the reserves for the game. The Blazers' Damian Lillard is "drafted" to Team LeBron. The game will be played Sunday, March 7.
March 2, 2021 - Damian Lillard withdraws from the Slam Dunk Contest during All-Star Weekend. The reason for the withdrawal is for rest.
March 1, 2021 - The Blazers snap a four-game skid with a 123-111 home win over the Charlotte Hornets. In a team effort, Robert Covington has 21 points and 11 rebounds, while Damian Lillard scores 23 with 10 assists. Carmelo Anthony leads the team in scoring with 29 points, and Enes Kanter scores 11 points and snares 11 boards.
February 23, 2021 - Damian Lillard is named to the Western Conference All-Star team for the sixth time in his career. The starters were named last week; Stephen Curry (Golden State), Luka Dončić (Dallas), LeBron James (L.A. Lakers), Nikola Jokić (Denver) and Kawhi Leonard (LA Clippers). In addition to Lillard, the reserves from the Western Conference are Anthony Davis (L.A. Lakers) Paul George (LA Clippers) Rudy Gobert (Utah), Donovan Mitchell (Utah), Chris Paul (Phoenix) and Zion Williamson (New Orleans).
February 1, 2021 - Making just his sixth career start, Nassir Little scores a career-high 30 points in the Blazers 136-106 loss to the Bucks in Milwaukee. Damian Lillard adds 17 points, and Enes Kanter has 10 points and 11 boards for Portland.
January 30, 2021 - Damian Lillard pours in 44 points off 15 of 26 shooting (8 of 17 from three-point range) to lead the Blazers to a 123-122 road win over the Chicago Bulls. Enes Kanter adds 22 points and 11 rebounds.
January 24, 2021 - Damian Lillard scores 39 points and dishes out eight assists as the Blazers win a barnburner over the New York Knicks, 116-113. It's the first game for the Blazers since January 18 (against the Spurs) after two game cancellations at home against the Memphis Grizzlies (see below).
January 20, 2021 - The Blazers' home games against the Memphis Grizzlies on January 20 and 22 are postponed to the the NBA health protocols. The postponements are due to unavailable players for the Grizzlies and contact tracing for other players on their roster, and in order to ensure the health and safety of players on both teams.
January 18, 2021 - For the second time in two days, the injury bug hits the Blazers. CJ McCollum goes down with what will later be determined as a hairline fracture in his left foot. McCollum is projected to be out at least four weeks, after which he will be re-evaluated.
January 14, 2021 - Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic fractures his right wrist in the third quarter of the team's 111-87 home loss to the Indiana Pacers. Nurkic is listed out indefinitely. The team likely will start Enes Kanter at center in Nurkic's place with Harry Giles III to serve as the backup.
January 13, 2021 - The Blazers win their fourth straight and move to 7-4 with a 132-126 road win over the Sacramento Kings. Its the Blazers' second win over the Kings in Sacramento in five days (see below). Damian Lillard leads the way with 40 points and 13 assists, and CJ McCollum has 28 points and 10 assists. Jusuf Nurkic scores 18 points while grabbing 13 boards, while Gary Trent, Jr. tosses in 16 points off the bench in Portland's win.
January 9, 2021 - CJ McCollum scores 37 points as the Blazers blow out the Sacramento Kings, 125-99, in California's capital city. Enes Kanter adds 11 points and 15 rebounds off the Bench in the Blazers' win.
January 1, 2021 - Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum combine for 62 points as the Blazers win the first of two games against the Golden St. Warriors, 123-98. Robert Covington snares 11 rebounds, while Derrick Jones, Jr. has eight rebounds and five steals in the effort.
December 28, 2020 - Damian Lillard scores 31 points and Gary Trent, Jr. adds 28 off the bench as the Blazers upend the Los Angeles Lakers on the road, 115-107. CJ McCollum contributes 20 points and 11 assists, and Enes Kanter has 12 points and 14 rebounds as the Blazers pick up their first road win of the season.
December 26, 2020 - CJ McCollum scores 44 points on 17/30 shoot from the field and 9/16 from three to lead the Blazers to a 128-126 over the Houston Rockets. Damian Lillard adds 34 points and 9 assists to lead the Blazers. Jusuf Nurkic added 11 points in the effort.
December 23, 2020 - The Blazers fall flat in their season opener, falling to the Utah Jazz, 120-100. CJ McCollum leads the way with a game-high 23 point, and Enes Kanter adds 14 points and 8 rebounds in his return to Portland.
December 12, 2020 - Portland blazes a trail to an impressive 127-102 win over the Sacramento Kings at the Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. Carmelo Anthony, coming off the bench, leads the way with 21 points, while Gary Trent, Jr. and Harry Giles III score 18 points apiece (also off the bench), while Giles snares 14 rebounds. Enes Kanter, starting in place of Jusuf Nurkic, grabs 11 rebounds.
December 4, 2020 - The NBA releases the first half of the season schedule for all teams. The Blazers will play 37 of their 72 regular season games in the first half; 19 at home and 18 on the road. The Blazers 2020-21 Schedule has them opening the season at home on December 23 against Northwest Division rival the Utah Jazz.
December 1, 2020 - Training camp opens around the NBA for all 30 of its teams.
November 27, 2020 - The NBA and the Blazers announce the team's 2020 pre-season schedule. Four games are on the slate for the Blazers. They have a pair of home games against the Sacramento Kings on December 11 (7 p.m.) and December 13 (6 p.m.). From there, they head to Denver to face the Nuggets on December 16 (6 p.m.) and December 18 (6 p.m.). All four games will be televised locally on NBCSNW and broadcast on Rip City Radio 620 AM.
November 23, 2020 - The Blazers announce they have signed their second round draft pick, CJ Elleby, to a rookie contract.
November 22, 2020 - Former Sacramento Kings center Harry Giles signs a free agent deal with the Blazers. The 6'11" center was initially drafted by the Blazers with the 20th overall pick in 2017, but his rights were traded to the Kings on draft night.
November 22, 2020 - Portland announces it has signed Derrick Jones, Jr. to a two-year, $21 million deal. Jones, in his fourth season, previously played for the Miami Heat. Noted for his athleticism, he is the 2019-20 NBA Slam Dunk champion from All-Star Weekend.
November 22, 2020 - The Blazers announce the re-signing of forward Carmelo Anthony for the veteran's minimum. Anthony had joined the Blazers about a quarter of the way through the 2019-20 season.
November 22, 2020 - Forward/guard Rodney Hood, who had turned down his player option to return to the Blazers, decides to return to Portland on a two-year, $21 million deal (Hood is pictured below. Photo credit unavailable).
November 20, 2020 - Center Enes Kanter, who was a primary piece of the Blazers run to the Western Conference Finals in 2019, is acquired by trade by the Blazers. Kanter had played for the Boston Celtics in 2019-20. In return, the Blazers send forward Mario Hezonjia to the Memphis Grizzlies in the three-team deal.
November 18, 2020 - The Blazers draft 6'6" wingman CJ Elleby from Washington St. with the 46th overall pick (second round) of the draft.
November 17, 2020 - Portland agrees to a deal with the Houston Rockets to bring forward Robert Covington to the Blazers. Portland will send forward Trevor Ariza, its 2020 first round draft pick (16th overall) and a future first-round protected draft pick. Covington is a versatile player who can guard anywhere from center to shooting guard positions, and is a three-point threat on offense. The future selection is lottery protected at different levels through 2027. Should the Blazers' pick through that draft fall out of the protection, it would revert to two future second round selections.
November 5, 2020 - NBA players vote to approve a 72-game season with a start date of December 22. With the resumption of the 2019-20 season pushing into September, the league and players voted to start in time to schedule games on Christmas Day, which is expected to draw additional revenue. Some teams, such as the Blazers, announce that they will begin the season without stands at the Moda Center at the Rose Quarter due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- MMM
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