Team Records: Portland (24-23) at Minnesota (18-26)

Game Info: 5 p.m., TV on CSNNW, Radio on 1190 AM and 102.3 FM

Vegas Line: Minnesota -2.5

Refs: Rodney Mott, Brent Barnaky, Tony Brown

The Skinny: Fresh off a come from behind win against Utah Saturday night, Portland begins a season-defining six game road trip against the Wolves.  Portland is looking to take advantage of a Minnesota team decimated by injuries.  Since the two teams last met, the Wolves have gone 2-11. 

Last Time They Met: The Blazers took a big lead through three and held on as Minnesota made a late charge.  Portland tied a franchise record with 16 made 3s in the win.      

Projected Timberwolves Lineup:

PF: Derrick Williams (Arizona 2^nd Season) – 9.3 PPG, 4.5 RPG, .4 APG

SF: Andrei Kirilenko (Russia, 11^th Season) – 13.6 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 3.1 APG

C: Nikola Pekovic (Montenegro, 3^rd Season) – 15.9 PPG, 8.6 RPG, .9 APG

SG: Luke Ridnour (Oregon, 10^th Season) – 11.8 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 4 APG

PG: Ricky Rubio (Spain, 2^nd Season) – 5.5 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 5.4 APG

Image Courtesy of bigstory.ap.org

Player to Watch:  Ricky Rubio (pictured at right) – Halfway through last season, there was no question Rubio was worth the wait for Wolves fans as he was everything that was promised and then some.  Rubio looks and plays like a prototypical point guard.  Always finding the open man for the shot, fast to the hoop and taking decent care of the ball on offense.  Then he got injured midway through last season and his road back has been long and quite bumpy.  His assists are still at the same rate as they were last year but his turnovers are up and his shooting, already poor at only 35.7% last year, has declined to an even worse 31%.  Still, if he can stay on the court, you can bet he’ll be able to shake off the rust and get back to the amazingly fun player he was last season.

Did You Know?: The Wolves have already lost 180 games to injury this year, by far tops in the NBA.

Song of the Day: “Travelin’ Man” by Ricky Nelson.  If the Blazers want to make the playoffs they’ll have to do well on this six game road trip, so this song seemed appropriate.  Enjoy:

Injury Updates:

Portland: Out – SG Elliott Williams (Achilles), Questionable-SG Wesley Matthews (Ankle), PG Ronnie Price (Ankle), SF Sasha Pavlovic (Foot).

Minnesota: Out-SF Chase Buddinger (Meniscus), SG Brandon Roy (Knee), SG Malcolm Lee (Knee), PF Kevin Love (Hand).

Re-Evaluating Minnesota: On Injuries

Look I know I wrote my piece for the Minnesota preview last time on injuries but the unmistakable fact for the Wolves this season, as it was for the Blazers the past few years, is that injuries are headline for this time.  After starting out reasonably well despite being without the game’s best rebounder, Kevin Love, the Wolves have hit the skids as the injuries have piled up.  What was once a team that many, including yours truly, would have bet heavily would make the playoffs is looking like its headed for yet another NBA Lottery.  Good coaching, and Rick Adelman is a good coach, can overcome injuries for a while but past a certain point is hard to either make up for the players you are missing or the chemistry you don’t get because your lineups are so variable game to game.  Here’s hoping Minnesota can escape this injury-filled season without further harm.

The Bottom Line:

Portland wins if: They do a good job defending the 3 point line. Without Love, Minnesota mainly is able to win or stay close in games because they make a lot of 3s.  If Portland can limit that, they should win.

Minnesota wins if: They hold Portland under 90 points.  This Wolves team doesn’t have a great, or even good, offense but if they can keep Portland in check (not unreasonable given the team’s noted offensive struggles on the road), they should win this.

Team Records: Utah (26-21) at Portland (23-23)

Game Info: 7 PM-TV on CSNNW, Radio on 1190 AM and 102.3 FM.

Vegas Line: Portland -4.5

Refs: Bill Spooner, Kevin Cutler, Violet Palmer

The Skinny: After losing in typical Blazers fashion Friday night, Portland looks to bounce back as they face the Jazz in the second half of a home and home.  Portland will likely be without Wesley Matthews, who sprained his ankle during the third quarter of Friday’s loss.   This is Portland’s last home game before they head out for a six game road swing that will run until the all star break.

Last Time They Met: Utah took a big lead and Portland closed but never really threatened as the Jazz won. 

Projected Jazz Lineup:

PF-Paul Millsap (Louisiana Tech-7^th Season) 14.8 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 2.5 APG.

SF-Marvin Williams (North Carolina-8^th Season)-8.5 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 1 APG.

C-Al Jefferson (Prentiss (HS)-9^th Season)-17.2 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 2 APG

SG-Randy Foye (Villanova-7^th Season)-11.4 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 2 APG.

PG-Jamaal Tinsley (Iowa State-10^th Season)-4.3 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 5.1 APG.

Image Courtesy of usatoday.com

Player to Watch: Paul Millsap (pictured at right) – A few years ago Portland signed Paul Millsap to an offer sheet and although Utah matched the offer, it is easy to see why the Blazers wanted him. Millsap is one of the top mid-range shooters in the NBA and can also finish around the rim. Although he can’t create his own shot (nearly all of his attempts are assisted), he still has the ability to get in the right place to catch a pass in perfect scoring position. He is an excellent rebounder and does a good job staying in front of the opposition on defense. Where he struggles, however, is that he does not possess particularly long arms, so he does not block shots and struggles on defense against players with length. Still, Millsap may not be a star but he’s a solid player on a good team.

Did You Know?:  The Jazz are one of only three teams to have never lost 60 games in a season. (The other two are the NY Knicks and the LA Lakers.)

Song of the Day: “Sal Tlay Ka Siti” from the Musical “Book of Mormon”-A song from the hilarious musical “Book of Mormon”, this song talks about the mythical Salt Lake City in the eyes of a young Ugandan girl.  Enjoy::

Injury Updates:

Portland: Out-SG Elliott Williams (Achilles), Questionable-PF Joel Freeland (Gastroenteritis), SG Wesley Matthews (Ankle).

Utah: Out-PG Mo Williams (Thumb), Doubtful-SG Gordon Hayward (Shoulder).

Re-Evaluating Utah: Home is Where the Wins Are

As with Portland, Utah has almost always been a much tougher home team than road team.  Thus far this year they are 17-5 at home and 9-16 on the road.  While the Jazz defense allows exactly the same number of points on the home as on the road (99.3), they are six points worse on offense on the road.  Whether it is the youth of the team, the power of the crowd pushing them to perform or something else, they are a different, and far, better, team at home.

The Bottom Line:

Portland wins if: They get something resembling balance on offense.  Lillard can’t do it alone, the rest of the team has to step up if the Blazers are to win it, especially without Wesley.

Utah wins if: They score 100 points.  Without Wesley, Portland isn’t likely to be able to score a lot of points.  If Utah can hit 100, they will almost certainly win.

Another amazing comeback, relive it with this mini-movie!

Enjoy/share/comment!

Team Records: Portland (23-22) at Utah (24-21)

Game Info: 6 PM-TV on CSNNW, Radio on 1190 AM and 102.3 FM.

Vegas Line: Utah -5.5

Refs: Ed Malloy, John Goble, Scott Twardoski

The Skinny: Fresh off the Aldridge miracle win over the Mavs on Tuesday, the Blazers begin a crucial back to back home and home against the only team they haven’t faced this NBA season, the Utah Jazz. Utah rebounded with a solid win over the Hornets a few days ago after suffering a team-worst 45-point home loss to Houston on Monday.  The Jazz and Blazers will meet again in Portland Saturday night.

Last Season: The Jazz swept the Blazers 4-0.  Utah has won the last four and eight of the last nine, season series versus Portland. 

Projected Jazz Lineup:

PF-Paul Millsap (Louisiana Tech-7^th Season) 14.8 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 2.5 APG.

SF-Marvin Williams (North Carolina-8^th Season)-8.5 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 1 APG.

C-Al Jefferson (Prentiss (HS)-9^th Season)-17.2 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 2 APG

SG-Randy Foye (Villanova-7^th Season)-11.4 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 2 APG.

PG-Jamaal Tinsley (Iowa State-10^th Season)-4.3 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 5.1 APG.

Image Courtesy of zimbio.com

Player to Watch-Al Jefferson (pictured at right)-It was a long time to go between playoff appearances for Jefferson, making the playoffs as a rookie with Boston to making the playoffs with Utah last season.  In between Jefferson got a reputation as a player who put up stats but didn’t necessarily help your team win.  Jefferson is devastatingly effective on the left block, but only the left block, and is having a good year on offense.  He rarely turns the ball over and is a good rebounder for his position.  On defense, he is questionable at best but if part of an otherwise strong defensive lineup, he can be hidden pretty well.  Jefferson is a key reason Utah is back in the playoff hunt this season.

Did You Know?: The Utah Jazz have only missed the playoffs four times since the 1983-84 season and have only had a losing record once during that span.

Song of the Day: “Time of Your Life” by Green Day-This season has certainly been one hell of a ride for the Blazers so I thought I’d break out one of my favorite songs.  Enjoy:

Injury Updates:

Portland: Out-SG Elliott Williams (Achilles), PF Joel Freeland (Gastroenteritis).

Utah: Out-PG Mo Williams (Thumb), Doubtful-SG Gordon Hayward (Shoulder).

Utah’s Game:

Much like Portland, one might question how they have a winning record with a losing point differential, especially since they have had difficulty closing out games well.  The answer lies in their balance.  The Jazz don’t have a true star, Millsap is their best player and he wasn’t at all close to making the all star game this year.  Instead, they have a collection of players who are cobbled together into a mix that somehow works.  They do an especially good job converting second chance opportunities.  It’s a good thing they have a decent offense because their defense is not so good, ranking 24^th in defensive efficiency.  Still, the Jazz are more than the sum of their parts, are always difficult to beat at home and will be a tough task for Portland to overcome.

The Bottom Line:

Portland wins if: They make Utah rely on isos on offense.  The key to Utah’s offense, especially Millsap’s, is passing.  If Portland can force Utah to beat them 1 on 1, they will probably be able to walk out with a win.

Utah wins if: They do well from deep. Utah has a bench full of good 3 point shooters.  If they can take and make a good number of 3 pointers, they should be able to get the win.

We are working on the mini-movie of the game so stay tuned! Will take about a day to produce but completely worth it to relive it!