Post by DiamondThief on Feb 26, 2015 21:10:27 GMT -8
Oklahoma City Thunder at Portland Trail Blazers
What: The Thunder are in the Rose City for the final time this season to take on the Blazers.
When: Friday, Feb. 27 at 7:30 p.m. (PT).
Thunder Media: TV - FS Oklahoma - Radio - WWLS 98.1FM OKC.
Blazers Media: TV - CSNNW; Radio - Rip City Radio 620 AM.
National Media: TV - ESPN.
Previous: Oct. 29 - Blazers, Thunder 89. Dec. 23 - Blazers 115, Thunder 111 (OT).
Schedule: April 13 - Blazers at Thunder.
Note: The Blazers can win the season and potential division title tiebreaker with a win in this game.
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The Thunder are 32-26, 13-18 on the road and 7-4 in Northwest Division play. They are coming off a 117-113 overtime loss on the road to the Suns on Feb. 26. They are scoring 101.3 (12th in the NBA) and allowing 98.5 (10th). The Thunder, who have won nine of their last 10, are second in the Northwest Division and eighth in the Western Conference.
The Blazers are 37-19, 24-6 at home and 7-2 in Northwest Division play. They are coming off a 111-95 home win over the Spurs on Feb. 25. They are averaging 102.1 points (9th in the NBA) and allowing 97.2 (6th). The Blazers, who are 5-3 in their last eight games, are first in the Northwest Division and fourth in the Western Conference.
Thunder's Russell Westbrook; Blazers' Damian Lillard
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
PROJECTED STARTERS
SF - 5 Kyle Singler
PF - 9 Serge Ibaka
C - 34 Enes Kanter
SG - 21 Andre Roberson
PG - 0 Russell Westbrook
RESERVES
G - 14 D.J. Augustin; 11 Jeremy Lamb; 2 Anthony Morrow; 23 Dion Waiters
F - 4 Nick Collison; 3 Perry Jones; 33 Mitch McGary
INJURY REPORT
F - 35 Kevin Durant (foot) - out
F - 6 Steve Novak (appendectomy) - out
C - 12 Steven Adams (hand) - out
HEAD COACH
Scott Brooks
STATISTICAL LEADERS (per game)
Points - Russell Westbrook 25.9
Rebounds - Serge Ibaka 7.9
Assists - Russell Westbrook 8
Blocks - Serge Ibaka 1.8
Steals - Russell Westbrook 2.0
FG - Kevin Durant 51.0%
FT - D.J, Augustin 86.9% (overall)
3pt - Kyle Singler 40.5% (overall)
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
PROJECTED STARTERS
SF - 88 Nicolas Batum
PF - 12 LaMarcus Aldridge
C - 42 Robin Lopez
SG - 2 Wesley Matthews
PG - 0 Damian Lillard
RESERVES
G - 4 Arron Afflalo; 5 Steve Blake; 23 Allen Crabbe; 3 CJ McCollum
F - 33 Alonzo Gee; 1 Dorell Wright
C - 35 Chris Kaman; 11 Meyers Leonard
INJURY REPORT
C - 19 Joel Freeland (shoulder) - out
HEAD COACH
Terry Stotts
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Points - LaMarcus Aldridge 23.1
Rebounds - LaMarcus Aldridge 10.3
Assists - Damian Lillard 6.2
Blocks - Robin Lopez 1.6
Steals - Damian Lillard 1.4
FG - Meyers Leonard 54.2%
FT - LaMarcus Aldridge 86.9%
3pt - Wesley Matthews 39.2%
ANGI'S TAKE
The Thunder have retooled themselves over the past couple of months and especially at the trade deadline last week, and they are rolling. Westbrook is playing the best basketball of his career and will be tough to slow down. He had a team-high 40 points to go along with 10 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals on Dec. 23 against the Blazers. Ibaka is as solid as they get and an exceptional shot blocker Oregon native Singler is a solid shooter who can hit the three. The addition of Kanter is a great move toward the future who can pay some immediate dividends. They now feature a bolstered bench as they traded away Reggie Jackson and brought in Augustin to back up Westbrook, as well as play alongside with him at times. In my opinion, Augustin is a better point guard than Jackson ever will be. Waiters and Jones give the Thunder some depth, though they will miss Durant and Adams in this matchup. In fact, Durant has not seen action against the Blazers in this season and will be out for this game. The Blazers got back on the winning track against the Spurs in decisive fashion. On of the bright spots in the past couple of games was Batum, who is playing more aggressively and taking open shots instead of passing them up. Matthews came up big against the Spurs, scoring 16 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter. Lillard seems to have his shooting touch back and the Blazers will need it down the stretch. He scored 40 points, dished out 11 assists, and forced overtime with a three with three seconds left in the fourth against the Thunder on Dec. 23. Aldridge struggled shooting against the Spurs, but still collected 13 rebounds. Afflalo looked more comfortable against the Spurs and will pick up some of the defensive assignment on Westbrook. Kaman is playing strong after All-Star Weekend and should have an advantage in the second unit. Leonard and Blake continue to put in solid minutes off the bench. The Blazers can win this if they make Westbrook try to beat them nearly singlehandedly, rather than let other players have a major effect on the game. Matchup to watch: Russell Westbrook vs. Damian Lillard.
OFFICIALS
Ed Malloy, Dedric Taylor, Josh Tiven.
QUOTEABLE
Thunder guard Russell Westbrook on drawing a technical with 1:33 to go in the fourth in the Dec. 23 game: "That was my fault," Westbrook said. "I think that was the turning point in the game, for us and our energy. I didn't think I deserved it . but I've got to do a better job of controlling my emotions, especially when the game is on the line like that. I take the blame for that. It turned the whole game around for them and it gave them a chance to win the game."
Blazers guard Damian Lillard on forcing overtime in the Dec. 23 game: "Every time we get in a situation like that, I try to find a spot on the floor where I feel like I can get to for sure, and tonight was just another one of those times,"
FEATURED TWEETS
Happy Birthday (Feb. 26) to Blazers guard Steve Blake:
Happy Birthday (Feb. 27) to Blazers center/forward Meyers Leonard:"
EXTRA
We here at SC2C want to wish a huge Happy Birthday to our own founder/administrator/owner Kasey. From big sister to law school student, I admire her and have always looked up to her. This is Kasey at her favorite place, the Oregon Coast, when she was about two-and-a-half years old.
JEROME KERSEY MEMORIAL
The Blazers will hold a memorial for the late Jerome Kersey on March 2 at 4 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The location is fitting since Kersey's Blazers teams played at the coliseum until his last year in Portland, 1994-95, before moving to the then-Rose Garden the following season.
MATCH UP MEME
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Graphic courtesy of David.
