Post by DiamondThief on Mar 24, 2015 21:13:35 GMT -8
Portland Trail Blazers at Utah Jazz
What: The Blazers are in Salt Lake City to take on the Jazz.
When: Wednesday, March 25 at 6 p.m. (PT)
Blazers Media: TV - CSNNW. Radio - Rip City Radio 620 AM.
Jazz Media: TV - Root. Radio - KZNS.
Previous: Feb. 3 - Blazers 103, Jazz 102. Feb. 20 - Jazz 92, Blazers 76.
Schedule: April 11 - Jazz at Blazers.
Note: The Blazers could be without four of their top seven starters/rotation players in this game.
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The Blazers are 44-25, 16-18 on the road at home and 8-3 in division games. They are coming off a 122-108 home loss to the Warriors on March 24. They are averaging 102.7 (9th in the NBA) and allowing 98.3 (8th). The Blazers, who have lost their last five games, are first in the Northwest Division and fourth in the Western Conference.
The Jazz are 31-39, 17-18 at home and 5-5 in division games. They will be coming off road contest against the Wizards on March 23. They are scoring 94.8 points per game (25th in the NBA) and allowing 95.0 (1st). The Jazz, who have three of their last four, are third in the Northwest Division and 11th in the Western Conference.
Blazers' Robin Lopez; Jazz's Rudy Gobert
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
PROJECTED STARTERS
SF - 23 Allen Crabbe (2.8 pts, 1.0 reb, 0.8 ast)
PF - 12 LaMarcus Aldridge (23.4, pts, 10.4 reb, 1.8 ast)
C - 42 Robin Lopez (9.6 pts, 6.8 reb, 1.0 ast)
SG - 4 Arron Afflalo (13.7 pts, 3.2 reb, 1.7 ast)
PG - 0 Damian Lillard (21.4 pts, 4.8 reb, 6.2 ast)
RESERVES
G - 5 Steve Blake; 3 CJ McCollum
F - 88 Nicolas Batum; 33 Alonzo Gee; 1 Dorell Wright
C - 19 Joel Freeland; 35 Chris Kaman; 11 Meyers Leonard
INJURY REPORT
G - 2 Wesley Matthews (achilles) - out
F - 12 LaMarcus Aldridge (hand) - doubtful
F - 88 Nicolas Batum (lower back) - doubtful
C - 35 Chris Kaman (shoulder) -out
HEAD COACH
Terry Stotts
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Points - LaMarcus Aldridge 23.6
Rebounds - LaMarcus Aldridge 10.5
Assists - Damian Lillard 6.2
Blocks - Robin Lopez 1.5
Steals - Damian Lillard 1.3
FG - Robin Lopez 53.1%
FT - Damian Lillard 85.8%
3pt - Meyers Leonard 43.7%
UTAH JAZZ
PROJECTED STARTERS
SF - 13 Elijah Millsap (5.1 pts, 3.0 reb, 1.2 ast)
PF - 15 Derrick Favors (16.4 pts, 8.3 reb, 1.6 ast)
C - 27 Rudy Gobert (7.6 pts, 9.0 reb, 1.2 ast)
SG - 3 Trey Burke (12.7 pts, 2.5 reb, 4 4 ast)
PG - 11 Dante Exum (4.7 pts, 1.7 reb, 2.3 ast)
RESERVES
G - 21 Ian Clark; 8 Bryce Cotton; 5 Rodney Hood; 2 Joe Ingles
F - 33 Trevor Booker; 45 Jack Cooley; 40 Jeremy Evans; 20 Gordon Hayward; 17 Grant Jerett
INJURIES
G - 10 Alec Burks (shoulder) - out
F - 5 Rodney Hood (foot) - doubtful
F - 20 Gordon Hayward (illness) - out
HEAD COACH
Quin Snyder
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Points - Gordon Hayward 19.6
Rebounds - Rudy Gobert 9.0
Assists - Trey Burke 4.4
Blocks - Rudy Gobert 2.3
Steals - Gordon Hayward 1.4
FG - Rudy Gobert 60.7%
FT - Alec Burks 80.9%
3pt - Gordon Hayward 37.3%
ANGI'S TAKES
BLAZERS: Portland's defense is a mess right now and the absences of Aldridge and Batum only compound the problem. They've allowed 108.6 points per game over their five-game skid. Lillard, who scored a team-high 29 points in the loss to the Warriors, will once again be called upon to pace the team. McCollum scored a career-high 23 points in that game and will be called upon to lead the bench once again. Wright could start if Aldridge is unable to play and guarding Favors could be a huge task. Lopez will need to pick up the rebounding slack with Aldridge's absence. Gee did about all he could defensively against the Warriors' wings. Freeland and Leonard will have to step up to help the bench.
JAZZ: As inconsistent as the Blazers' defense has been as of late, the Jazz have moved into the number one spot in points allowed. They held the Blazers to a season low in points (76) on March 20. Much of that comes from Gobert's presence in the middle. He provides rim protection and is among the league leaders in blocked shots. With Hayward projected not to play, Favors will be the go to guy in the Jazz's offensive attack. Ingles and Burke are solid wings. Exum is a young, yet exciting point guard who runs the floor well. Booker, Millsap and Evans can provide a punch off the bench.
THE BLAZERS WIN IF: They keep the Jazz off the offensive boards, limit their turnovers and score at least 36 points off the bench.
THE JAZZ WIN IF: They keep the Blazers out of the paint, contest the three-point shot and score in transition.
MATCH UP TO WATCH: Dorell Wright vs. Derrick Favors.
OFFICIALS
John Goble, Brent Barnaky, Leroy Richardson.
QUOTEABLE
Blazers' guard Lillard on playing shorthanded: "Obviously, with three of our five starters out to start the season, I was going to have to take more control of what was going on on the floor. I tried to be more aggressive."
Jazz's guard Burke on playing without Hayward: "It's tough because he's definitely a piece of our team that gets us going. He scores the ball at a high pace for us. Defenses are focused on him a lot, so it frees up a lot of other guys."
FEATURED TWEETS
EXTRA
Robin Lopez has moved into the Final 8 in the Fresno Famous contest. The winner's likeness will be made into a bobblehead given out to the first 1,500 fans at the triple-A baseball's Fresno Grizzlies August 22 game. Lopez beat out broadcaster Heidi Watney in a lively round of 16 battle to advance. Lopez is now up against retired professional boxer Jenifer Alcorn. Click to vote for Fropez in the Final 8 round.
MATCH UP MEME
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Graphic courtesy of David.
