Post by DiamondThief on Mar 28, 2015 10:14:52 GMT -8
Denver Nuggets at Portland Trail Blazers
What: The Nuggets are in Rip City to face the Blazers in the final meeting between the teams this season.
When: Saturday, March 28 at 7 p.m. (PT)
Nugget Media: TV - Altitude. Radio - 104.3FM/950AM.
Blazers Media: TV - KGW. Radio - Rip City Radio 620 AM.
Previous: Nov. 9 - Blazers 116, Nuggets 100. Nov. 12 - Blazers 130, Nuggets 113. Dec. 2 - Blazers 105, Nuggets 103.
Schedule: N/A.
Note: With a win, the Blazers can sweet the season series for the second straight season.
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The Nuggets are 28-45, 11-25 on the road and 6-8 in division games. They are coming off a 107-91 home win over the Jazz on March 27. They are averaging 100.3 points (14th in the NBA) and allowing 103.6 points (24th). The Nuggets, who have lost four of their last six, are fourth in the Northwest Division and ninth in the Western Conference. They have been eliminated from playoff contention.
The Blazers are 46-25, 28-7 at home and 9-3 in division games. They are coming off a 87-81 road win over the Suns March 27. They are averaging 102.3 points (10th in the NBA) and allowing 97.9 (9th). The Blazers, winners of their last two, are first in the Northwest Division and fourth in the Western Conference.
Nuggets' Kenneth Faried; Blazers' Robin Lopez
DENVER NUGGETS
PROJECTED STARTERS
SF - 21 Wilson Chandler (13.7 pts, 6.0 reb, 1.7 ast)
PF - 35 Kenneth Faried (12.0 pts, 8.7 reb, 1.2 ast)
C - 7 J.J. Hickson (7.6 pts, 6.2 reb, 0.8 ast)
SG - 4 Randy Foye (7.8 pts, 1.4 reb, 2.1 ast)
PG - 3 Ty Lawson (15.6 pts, 3.3 reb, 9.7 ast)
RESERVES
G - 5 Will Barton; 11 Erick Green; 14 Gary Harris; 28 Jameer Nelson
F - 00 Darrell Arthur; 7 J.J. Hickson
C - 77 Joffrey Lauvergne; 23 Jusuf Nurkic
INJURY REPORT
F - 00 Darrell Arthur (calf) - questionable
HEAD COACH
Melvin Hunt
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Points - Ty Lawson 15.6
Rebounds - Kenneth Faried 8.7
Assists - Ty Lawson 9.7
Blocks - Nurkic 1.2
Steals - Ty Lawson 1.3
FG - Kenneth Faried 50.2%
FT - Danilo Gallinari 89.6%
3pt - Ty Lawson 35.1%
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
PROJECTED STARTERS
SF - 88 Nicolas Batum (9.3 pts, 5.9 reb, 4.8 ast)
PF - 12 LaMarcus Aldridge (23.5, pts, 10.4 reb, 1.7 ast)
C - 42 Robin Lopez (9.5 pts, 6.9 reb, 1.0 ast)
SG - 4 Arron Afflalo (13.4 pts, 3.2 reb, 1.7 ast)
PG - 0 Damian Lillard (21.2 pts, 4.8 reb, 6.2 ast)
RESERVES
G - 5 Steve Blake; 23 Allen Crabbe; 3 CJ McCollum
F - 33 Alonzo Gee; 1 Dorell Wright
C - 19 Joel Freeland; 35 Chris Kaman; 11 Meyers Leonard
INJURY REPORT
G - 2 Wesley Matthews (achilles) - out
HEAD COACH
Terry Stotts
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Points - LaMarcus Aldridge 23.5
Rebounds - LaMarcus Aldridge 10.4
Assists - Damian Lillard 6.2
Blocks - Robin Lopez 1.5
Steals - Damian Lillard 1.3
FG - Robin Lopez 52.9%
FT - Damian Lillard 86.6%
3pt - Meyers Leonard 42.7%
NOTE: We use a different standard than the NBA for the individual statistical leaders. Our leaders apply to players who have played at least half their teams' games this season; in this case, roughly 35 games, as well as other basic statistical minimums.
ANGI'S TAKES
NUGGETS: To say Denver is having a disappointing season may be an understatement, though they probably were projected by many to be just about where they are. Lawson is one of the better point guards in the league, and his 9.7 assists per game rank him third in the NBA. He scored 18 and dished 9 dimes in the win over the Jazz. Gallinari is a potent shooter who can give teams problems. Faried is a good rebounder, but is undersized at center, which should give Lopez an edge in the middle. Chandler is a versatile small forward who nearly became a Blazer at the trade deadline. Former Blazer Barton is thriving as a Nugget; he scored 12 and pulled down 10 rebounds in just 20 minutes against the Jazz. Hickson is a solid big man. Nelson is a capable backup at the point, who was a starter most of his career with the Magic.
BLAZERS: Portland scored 84 first-half points against the Nuggets on Nov. 12 in Denver. It was two points shy of being a team record for a half. The Blazers had four players with 9 or more rebounds in their win over the Suns. Aldridge led the way with 27 points and 9 boards. Lopez chipped in 12 and 10, respectively. Kaman returned from injury after missing three games, and provides a strong inside presence off the bench (he had 11 rebounds against the Suns). Batum, the Blazers all-purpose small forward, added 9 rebounds and 5 assists. The match up between Lillard and Lawson should be fun to watch. Former Nugget Afflalo is still struggling to fit in offensively. Blake is a god defender who scored 10 points against the Suns. McCollum and Wright will lead the bench.
THE NUGGETS WIN IF: They keep the Blazers out of the paint, contest the three-point shot and score in transition.
THE BLAZERS WIN IF: They control the tempo, win the rebounding battle and shot at least 46 percent from the field.
MATCH UP TO WATCH: Ty Lawson vs. Damian Lillard.
OFFICIALS
Michael Smith, JT Orr, Gary Zielinski.
QUOTEABLE
Nuggets' Danilo Gallinari after the team was booed for during the Nov. 12 game: "It's not easy for them to see us play like that. I understand them. Hopefully, we can turn those boos into applause the next game."
Blazers' Damian Lillard after the Blazer scored 84 first-half points in Denver on Nov. 12: "It felt great, because everything that we wanted to do, you're in the flow of doing it. You want to get out in transition, play unselfish, you want to make shots. You want to defend. We did all those things. That's as well as we've done that all season."
FEATURED TWEETS
EXTRA
Since being traded from Portland to Denver on Feb 19, Will Barton is averaging 11.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.0 and 1.1 steals with his new team.
MATCH UP MEME
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