Post by DiamondThief on Apr 8, 2015 20:35:22 GMT -8
Portland Trail Blazers at Golden St. Warriors
What: The Blazers try to pick up their first win of the season over the Warriors in Oakland.
When: Wednesday, April 9 at 7:30 p.m. (PT).
Blazers Media: TV - none. Radio - Rip City Radio 620 AM.
Warriors Media: TV - none - KNBR 1050 AM.
National Media: TV - TNT. Radio - ESPNR.
Previous: Nov. 2 - Warriors 95, Blazers 90. March 24 - Warriors 122, Blazers 108.
Note: This is the only road game for the Blazers in three meetings against the Warriors this season.
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The Blazers are 51-27, 18-19 on the road and 30-17 in conference games. They are coming off a 116-91 home win over the Timberwolves on April 8. They are averaging 102.8 points (10th in the NBA) and allowing 98.0 (10th). The Blazers, who have won six of their last eight, are first in the Northwest Division and fourth in the Western Conference. They have clinched the Northwest Division title.
The Warriors are 63-15, 35-2 at home and 38-10 in conference games. They are coming off a 103-100 road loss to the Pelicans on April 7. They are averaging 109.7 points (1st in the NBA) and allowing 99.3 (14th). The Warriors, who have won eight of their last 10, are first in the Pacific Division and first in the Western Conference. They have clinched home court advantage throughout the playoffs.
Blazers' Arron Afflalo; Warriors' Leandro Barbosa
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
PROJECTED STARTERS
SF - 88 Nicolas Batum (9.7 pts, 5.9 reb, 4.8 ast)
PF - 12 LaMarcus Aldridge (23.4 pts, 10.4 reb, 1.8 ast)
C - 42 Robin Lopez (9.6 pts, 6.9 reb, 0.9 ast)
SG - 4 Arron Afflalo (13.5 pts, 3.2 reb, 1.7 ast)
PG - 0 Damian Lillard (21.1 pts, 4.7 reb, 6.2 ast)
RESERVES
G - 5 Steve Blake; 10 Tim Frazier; 3 CJ McCollum
F - 23 Allen Crabbe; 33 Alonzo Gee
C - 19 Joel Freeland; 35 Chris Kaman; 11 Meyers Leonard
INJURY REPORT
G - 2 Wesley Matthews (achilles) - out
F - 1 Dorell Wright (hand) - out
HEAD COACH
Terry Stotts
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Points - LaMarcus Aldridge 23.4
Rebounds - LaMarcus Aldridge 10.4
Assists - Damian Lillard 6.2
Blocks - Robin Lopez 1.5
Steals - Damian Lillard 1.2
FG - Robin Lopez 52.5%
FT - Damian Lillard 86.5%
3pt - Meyers Leonard 43.2%
GOLDEN ST. WARRIORS
PROJECTED STARTERS
SF - 40 Harrison Barnes (10.1 pts, 5.5 reb, 1.4 ast)
PF - 23 Draymond Green (11.8 pts, 8.1 reb, 3.7 ast)
C - 12 Andrew Bogut (6.3 pts, 8.2 reb, 2.7 ast)
SG - 11 Klay Thompson (21.3 pts, 3.2 reb, 2.9 ast)
PG - 30 Stephen Curry (23.6 pts, 4.3 reb, 7.7 ast)
RESERVES
G - 19 Leandro Barbosa; 7 Justin Holiday; 34 Shaun Livingston; 4 Brandon Rush
F - 9 Andre Iguodala; 10 David Lee; 20 James Michael McAdoo; 5 Maurice Speights
C - 31 Festus Ezeli; 1 Ognjen Kuzmic
INJURY REPORT
no injuries reported
HEAD COACH
Steve Kerr
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Points - Stephen Curry 23.6
Rebounds - Andrew Bogut 8.2
Assists - Stephen Curry 7.7
Blocks - Andrew Bogut 1.6
Steals - Stephen Curry 2.0
FG - Andrew Bogut 56.0%
FT - Stephen Curry 91.4%
3pt - Stephen 43.8%
NOTE: We use a different standard than the NBA for the individual statistical leaders. Our leaders apply to players who have played a minimum of 30 games this season, as well as other basic statistical minimums. Leaders who are listed as "out" due to injury are not listed.
ANGI'S TAKES
BLAZERS: Portland is a bit of a mystery. Coach Stotts says that they can still earn home court advantage, but turned around and rested two starters and their sixth man against the Nets. Aldridge, Batum and Kaman returned against the Timberwolves and all were efficient. Aldridge has been nothing but marvelous this season, from being a more vocal leader to playing through thumb and finger injuries. Lillard scored 36 against the Nets and will draw the assignment on MVP candidate Curry. The Blazers will need Afflalo's defense on Thompson in this one. Lopez will have every opportunity to get the better of Bogut. McCollum has been a solid scorer off the bench and Kaman provides quality minutes every time he's on the floor. Leonard should get an opportunity to shine in this one.
WARRIORS: Golden St. has already clinched the best record in the NBA so the question is whether they might rest some players heading into the playoffs. Coach Kerr says he won't. Curry and Thompson are a dangerous backcourt duo and potent from the inside and out. Barnes is athletic and can do damage out on the break. Bogut will defend, but he can be erratic on the glass. Green might just be the league's most improved player. The Warriors have some depth with Lee, who can always disrupt opposing big men. Barbosa can go off if the opposing defense lets him. Livingston is a journeyman who has started at several points in his career. Speights is an underrated forward who can defend and rebound.
THE BLAZERS WIN IF THEY: Control the tempo, limit turnovers and defend the three.
THE WARRIORS WIN IF THEY: Run the court, score in transition and Curry and Thompson combine for at least 48 points.
MATCH UP TO WATCH: Damian Lillard vs. Stephen Curry.
OFFICIALS
23 Jason Phillips
6 Tony Brown
36 David Jones
QUOTEABLE
Blazers' coach Stotts following the loss to the Warriors on March 24: "Golden State is a terrific team. They're solid on both ends of the court and they showed that. They were very good all night. They passed the ball well - they had 30 assists after three quarters and 37 for the game. They kind of put on a clinic as far as how to share the ball."
Warriors Stephen Curry on winning the division with a win over the Blazers on March 24: "We might be a little subdued, but I think everybody is proud of what we've done. We still have 11 games left to keep getting better so I think everybody is focused on that. But I think everybody is pretty happy right now."
FEATURED TWEETS
EXTRA
Following the loss to the Nets on April 6, the Trail Blazers Pulse crew posed SurferGirl's tweet to Comcast Blazers reporter Jabari Young. First is the tweet, then comes the video. What do you think of the SurferGirl's point?
MATCH UP MEME
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Graphic courtesy of David.
