Portland Trailblazers (20-13) vs. Utah Jazz (18-16)

Charlie78 · Post #1 » by **Charlie78** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 5:27 pm

Someone else needs to do the cool thread I am just to excited by this game to not talk about it yet. Absoluetly for me the biggest game so far in the season.

1. Can take a head to head lead against the jazz which is critical later in the season should we continue with our play and the jazz turn it around.

2. Possibilty to send the Jazz sliding down making our chances at the playoffs better

3. Get some redemption for them breaking our streak

4. Stupid jazz fan on 1080 whiner line guarenteeing a jazz victory and claiming he will cut up his deron jersey on the steps of the rose garden should they lose. oh how I would love to see that.

5. For me at this point this is a game we should win, had a good road trip get a day of rest and at home.

Keys to the game:

1. Continue to play Williams tough
fg% 3pt% ft% st to rb ast pts
vs POR:38.095% .200% 60.000% 2.00 3.7 4.7 9.0 13.3
season:50.725% .388% 77.647% 1.09 3.6 3.0 9.1 19.3

2. rebounding 46.3-38.4, absolutely have to do a better job here we are shooting better than them but it wont matter if we give them second and third chances

3. Defense. We must play tough physical defense or we risk them getting in our head much like the last game and bullyin us

pr0nny · Post #2 » by **pr0nny** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 5:53 pm

Pretty sure this game is sold out.

Not good for Utah lol

Post #3 » by **Spykes** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 6:22 pm

This is gonna be a pivotal game for the Blazers to win. The Jazz are starting to make a little run to catch up with us in the NW division, so a loss would pull them much closer. Than the Nuggets, who beat San Antonio last night, are in for a sure-win tonight when they play the TWolves. So if the Blazers lose this Utah game, they'll lose quite a bit of ground on the Nuggets for 1st place.

If there was ever such a thing as a "must win" in January, this is it.

Yadadimean · Post #4 » by **Yadadimean** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 6:24 pm

Charlie78 wrote:Someone else needs to do the cool thread I am just to excited by this game to not talk about it yet. Absoluetly for me the biggest game so far in the season.

1. Can take a head to head lead against the jazz which is critical leter in the season should we continue with our play and the jazz turn it around.

2. Possibilty to send the Jazz sliding down making our chances at the playoffs better

3. Get some redemption for them breaking our streak

4. Stupid jazz fan on 1080 whiner line guarenteeing a jazz victory and claiming he will cut up his deron jersey on the steps of the rose garden should they lose. oh how I would love to see that.

5. For me at this point this is a game we should win, had a good road trip get a day of rest and at home.

Keys to the game:

1. Continue to play Williams tough
fg% 3pt% ft% st to rb ast pts
vs POR:38.095% .200% 60.000% 2.00 3.7 4.7 9.0 13.3
season:50.725% .388% 77.647% 1.09 3.6 3.0 9.1 19.3

2. rebounding 46.3-38.4, absolutely have to do a better job here we are shooting better than them but it wont matter if we give them second and third chances

3. Defense. We must play tough physical defense or we risk them getting in our head much like the last game and bullyin us

I'm sure Mr. Williams would be absolutely crushed...

Post #5 » by **Billy** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 6:30 pm

To add to Spykes' post, this game is for a tie breaker in playoff positioning. In the event that Portland ties with Utah for a playoff spot (and judging by the current records and status of the WC), winning this game and thus the tie breaker could be the difference between home court or 8th seed, or possibly even playoffs or lotto.

Big game.

d-train · Post #6 » by **d-train** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 9:01 pm

I'm beginning to feel like a frustrated pessimist. I think I will stop trying to predict which games the Blazers will lose because I stink at it. It's becoming apparent they are going to lose fewer games than I thought. In the open court, the Blazers are still dumber than a pocket of rocks but in a slower tempo, Brandon Roy has the Blazers playing smart basketball. I believe the extra wins Blazers have picked up this year is because they are making better decisions and fewer mistakes. So far, that is getting them some extra wins. I know the conventional thing to do is give the coach credit when a team is playing smarter but this transformation is because of Brandon Roy IMO. It

AZ BLAZER · Post #7 » by **AZ BLAZER** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 9:02 pm

Kirilenko out for Saturday. Got this off of the Jazz board;

Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko won't make the trip with his teammates to play Portland Saturday because of a lower back inflammation. Kirilenko injured his back in the last five minutes of Thursday's practice.
He'll undergo more examinations today. It's unknown how long he'll be out.
Kirilenko averaged 11 points and 6.7 rebounds against the Trail Blazers in the three games the teams have played this season. Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said he won't decide who he'll start in Kirilenko's place until after Saturday's shootaround.
Guard C.J. Miles got his first start of the year when Kirilenko couldn't play against Boston on Dec. 29 because of a strained biceps muscle.
Miles played 23 minutes in that 104-98 loss, shooting 4-of-8 and finishing with 11 points, two rebounds, two steals and an assist. He is averaging 5.7 points and 12.2 minutes this season.
Kirilenko's absence probably means more minutes for newcomer Kyle Korver as well, although Sloan said he isn't sure what rotation he'll use with Kirilenko unavailable to play.
"I don't know where we'll play him or how we'll play him," Sloan said. "We still have to figure out what we're doing with some of the other guys and see what we can accomplish there and see how they play."
Korver is averaging 12.5 points and 14.5 minutes
in his first two games with the Jazz. He scored 11 points against the Blazers in his first game with the Jazz.

http://www.sltrib.com/jazz/ci_7881600

Should open up more time for Korver I would think.

Post #8 » by **PhilipNelsonFan** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 9:12 pm

I'm starting to really f**king hate this Jazz team. Between the Lakers, Suns, Nuggets and Jazz, I have so much pent-up hatred that can only be relieved with a Blazers victory.

This Jazz team is a scary beast with Korver, but we need to make it happen.

Spykes wrote:If there was ever such a thing as a "must win" in January, this is it.

True enough. You want to set the right tone for the new year? Win these next two games.

AZ BLAZER, your sig cracks me up every time I read it. Good stuff.

Pattycakes · Post #9 » by **Pattycakes** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 9:15 pm

Hopefully the Blazers don't play like they're in the WNBA this time around.

AZ BLAZER · Post #10 » by **AZ BLAZER** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 9:22 pm

PhilipNelsonFan wrote:AZ BLAZER, your sig cracks me up every time I read it. Good stuff.

Thanks, got that from Finn a month ago (or more) from a thread over on the Bulls board. It was a typical thread where they were comparing TT/LA and how they screwed the pooch in letting go of LA. Finn seemed to think we would win the lottery again this year and take Rose. Little chance of that now though. It should be in green font though as he was actually dogging Bulls posters who were posting how unbeatable Portland will be in the near future. I don't think they were expecting our success this soon though.

Post #11 » by **Mr Odd** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 10:59 pm

Tony from PTI just said.. .

"I hope the Blazers win the championship next year with Oden."

:lol:

Hes a Blazers homer now??

AG · Post #12 » by AG » Fri Jan 4, 2008 11:22 pm

Is this the last time we have to play Utah this season? I can't stand looking at Kirilenko anymore.

Post #13 » by **Spykes** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 11:28 pm

AG wrote:Is this the last time we have to play Utah this season? I can't stand looking at Kirilenko anymore.

Yep, this is the last game in the season series. But you'll get your other wish early as Kirilenko will be sitting out tomorrows game with injury.

I'm just glad we won't have to deal with the trash talking Jazz fans anymore after tomorrows game.

AG · Post #14 » by AG » Fri Jan 4, 2008 11:31 pm

Dreams do come true!

b_roy7 · Post #15 » by **b_roy7** » Sat Jan 5, 2008 12:16 am

All I want is to beat them and rub them into the ground for breaking our streak...Gotta get some good officiating this game and not crap like last time seeing as the refs decided to party a little early.

black06eclipse · Post #16 » by **black06eclipse** » Sat Jan 5, 2008 12:19 am

as a Nuggets fan i was initially unsure of who to cheer for/root against.

The Jazz with their infamous fans who annoy the 29 other teams' fans, or Portland who we keep switching 1st place with....

then i came to my senses. how can i cheer for Utah? GO PORTLAND!!

xstockholmsyndromex · Post #17 » by **xstockholmsyndromex** » Sat Jan 5, 2008 12:57 am

Spykes wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

I'm just glad we won't have to deal with the trash talking Jazz fans anymore after tomorrows game.

Pot...Kettle...Black.......

Ripcity4life · Post #18 » by **Ripcity4life** » Sat Jan 5, 2008 1:16 am

All i know is i do not want to see posters whine about how the Jazz play "Rough". The Truth is the reason this team lost to the Jazz a few days ago is they got the BUTTS pushed around and the Blazers just stood there and took it and whined to the Refs. This is WHY i believe if NATE would have been there he would have got in the teams face and tell them to Grow up and Fight Back and Maybe the Streak would still be going.

PS .. I had other words but this is a PG run forum ..... LOL

EGame · Post #19 » by **EGame** » Sat Jan 5, 2008 3:19 am

Maybe I am just overly optimistic, but I say we win and pretty easily. The only reason I was worried about them last game is because the game was @ Utah. Now we are home and we have had their number recently, plus we still have Roy which will translate to a win over Utah.

farzi · Post #20 » by **farzi** » Sat Jan 5, 2008 3:21 am

Mr Odd wrote:Tony from PTI just said.. .

"I hope the Blazers win the championship next year with Oden."

Hes a Blazers homer now??

No, he was just saying that so he could justify us not making the playoffs this year.

Also, the other guy who's name i don't know said we haven't beaten anyone good...I guess Detroit, Dallas, Denver (twice), Utah (twice) Toronto, Golden State, and Chicago aren't good teams.