Game 61: Blazers(28-33) @ Suns(31-29)

[SunsRback4Good]

Who: Portland Trailblazers @ Phoenix Suns

When: 7:00pm, FSNAZ

Where: U.S Airways Center, Phx, Arizona






Portland Trailblazers starting lineup:

C- Przybilla
Pf- Hickson
Sf- C. Smith
Sg- Mathews
Pg- Flynn

Bench: Babbitt/Thabeet/K.Thomas/N.Smith
















Phoenix Suns starting lineup:

C- Gortat
Pf- Frye
Sf- Brown
Sg- Dudley
Pg- Nash

Bench: Moriss/Lopez/Telfair/Hill/Redd/Childress

[Kerrsed]

Uh..... Felton isnt playing......and neither is Batum.

[SunsRback4Good]

Uh..... Felton isnt playing......and neither is Batum.

And neither are you.

[SunsRback4Good]

Where does it say on their website that they aren't playing. They both played perfectly fine Sunday night.

[SunsRback4Good]

Changed lineup, Frye and Brown in.

[Calvin Klein]

Btw, before anyone questions me I've put Morris instead of Frye because Gentry will realize Morris will be more helpful from here on out. And I believe Hill will start this game over Brown.

OK

[Kerrsed]

Where does it say on their website that they aren't playing. They both played perfectly fine Sunday night.

Nicolas Batum (quad) said he does not expect to play in Monday's game against the Suns.
No surprise here. Batum is not expected to practice the rest of the season and he said his quad was in serious pain during Sunday's loss.The Blazers have been resting players (Raymond Felton, Jamal Crawford) and there are only four games left in their season after Monday.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nba/1520/nicolas-batum

Raymond Felton is starting Sunday, but is expected to be held out of Monday's game against the Suns.
Felton is battling ineffectiveness, a sore right Achilles and an expiring contract. The Blazers want to get a longer look at Nolan Smith and Jonny Flynn over the final five games of the season.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nba/1140/raymond-felton

[SunsRback4Good]

Where does it say on their website that they aren't playing. They both played perfectly fine Sunday night.

Nicolas Batum (quad) said he does not expect to play in Monday's game against the Suns.
No surprise here. Batum is not expected to practice the rest of the season and he said his quad was in serious pain during Sunday's loss.The Blazers have been resting players (Raymond Felton, Jamal Crawford) and there are only four games left in their season after Monday.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nba/1520/nicolas-batum

Raymond Felton is starting Sunday, but is expected to be held out of Monday's game against the Suns.
Felton is battling ineffectiveness, a sore right Achilles and an expiring contract. The Blazers want to get a longer look at Nolan Smith and Jonny Flynn over the final five games of the season.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nba/1140/raymond-felton

Must be a different site. Thank you

[Kerrsed]

Where does it say on their website that they aren't playing. They both played perfectly fine Sunday night.

Nicolas Batum (quad) said he does not expect to play in Monday's game against the Suns.
No surprise here. Batum is not expected to practice the rest of the season and he said his quad was in serious pain during Sunday's loss.The Blazers have been resting players (Raymond Felton, Jamal Crawford) and there are only four games left in their season after Monday.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nba/1520/nicolas-batum

Raymond Felton is starting Sunday, but is expected to be held out of Monday's game against the Suns.
Felton is battling ineffectiveness, a sore right Achilles and an expiring contract. The Blazers want to get a longer look at Nolan Smith and Jonny Flynn over the final five games of the season.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nba/1140/raymond-felton

Must be a different site. Thank you

Injuries: Forward LaMarcus Aldridge (right hip) and guards Elliot Williams (right shoulder) and Raymond Felton (right Achilles) will not play and Batum (left quad) is questionable for the Blazers.

http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/index.ssf/2012/04/trail-blazers-suns-game-preview.html

The Trail Blazers are implementing their youngsters for evaluation purposes and that's why Jamal Crawford didn't play tonight. He'll be back in the rotation for tomorrow's game against the Phoenix Suns and Felton and Nicolas Batum are scheduled to be out for that game.

http://www.csnnw.com/pages/landingblazers?Kings-rally-to-top-Blazers-104-103=1&blockID=689966&feedID=5212

Also, as posted by Shem on the Blazers board:

Chris Haynes ‏ @ChrisBHaynes

Nicolas Batum says he was in serious pain today (left quad tendonitis). He says he expects to sit tomorrow versus the Phoenix Suns as well.

https://twitter.com/#!/ChrisBHaynes/sta ... 2553197568

[Sun Scorched]

Well.... hate to be thay guy who states the obvious - we need to throttle these guys early and let the 2nd unit take it on in.

But we do need to come out like this is the championship.

[schnakenpopanz]

Well.... hate to be thay guy who states the obvious - we need to throttle these guys early and let the 2nd unit take it on in.

But we do need to come out like this is the championship.

oh you mean like the spurs handle things the other night

[gaspar]

Paul Coro ‏ @paulcoro

Nash said his hip feels better than even Friday & he will play tonight vs. Portland. Hill (knee) will be a game-time decision.

[swe_suns]

Paul Coro ‏ @paulcoro

Nash said his hip feels better than even Friday & he will play tonight vs. Portland. Hill (knee) will be a game-time decision.

Yes but hopefully he won't have to play more than 20 minutes.

[Calvin Klein]

Just leave Hill on the bench. We can win without him.

[YFZblu]

Well.... hate to be thay guy who states the obvious - we need to throttle these guys early and let the 2nd unit take it on in.

But we do need to come out like this is the championship.

Would you rather get throttled in the first round, or acquire a nice juicy lottery pick to throw onto the pile of assets neeeded to improve the team, and keep Steve Nash around?

At this point even if Phoenix makes the playoffs and has a respectable first round, it'll still be up to the FO to improve the team to Nash's standard (whatever that may be). At this point I'd rather collect that extra draft asset in order to improve the team for next season.

[7Insomniac]

Well.... hate to be thay guy who states the obvious - we need to throttle these guys early and let the 2nd unit take it on in.

But we do need to come out like this is the championship.

Would you rather get throttled in the first round, or acquire a nice juicy lottery pick to throw onto the pile of assets neeeded to improve the team, and keep Steve Nash around?

At this point even if Phoenix makes the playoffs and has a respectable first round, it'll still be up to the FO to improve the team to Nash's standard (whatever that may be). At this point I'd rather collect that extra draft asset in order to improve the team for next season.

It doesn't matter where we finish anymore. It's come to the point where I'm going to extremely pissed if we don't make the playoffs.

[Sun Scorched]

This difference in draft position based on missing vs. making the post season at this point isn't enough to make me root against winning.....

In fact, it never is.

[Kerrsed]

This difference in draft position based on missing vs. making the post season at this point isn't enough to make me root against winning.....

In fact, it never is.

But....but....but....being in the lotto gives you the chance, even if it is minute, to move into the top 3!

Lets look at some of the teams who did it in the past.

1990: Seattle Supersonics - 2nd Pick

1989-90 record: 41-41
2nd Pick Odds: 3.7%
Draftee: Gary Payton

1993: Orlando Magic - 1st pick

1992-93 record: 41-41
Lottery Odds: 1.52%
Draftee: Chris Webber

1999: Charlotte Hornets - 3rd pick

1998-99 record: 26-24
3rd Pick Odds: .73%
Draftee: Baron Davis

2000: New Jersey Nets - 1st pick

1999-2000 record: 31-51
1st pick odds: 6.4%
Draftee: Kenyon Martin

2001: Los Angeles Clippers - 2nd pick

2000-2001 record: 31-51
2nd pick odds: 3.38%
Draftee: Tyson Chandler

2007: Portland Trail Blazers - 1st pick

2006-2007 record: 32-50
1st pick odds: 5.3%
Draftee: Greg Oden

2008: Chicago Bulls - 1st pick

2007-2008 record: 33-49
First Pick Odds: 1.7% (9/14)
Draftee: Derek Rose

Its very rare that the worst team gets the top pick. Someone always leapfrogs a bunch of teams. We are currently slated for the 14th pick, but if we were to manage losing most of our remaining games and other teams start winning (Utah/Portland/Milwaukee), we could jump up to the 11th pick, or even more so, get lucky and jump ahead of the pack and get a top 3 pick by winning the lotto.

Small chance, but still theres a chance. Id rather take that small chance than get bounce out of the playoffs in the 1st round.

[YFZblu]

What Kerrsed said.

[Sun Scorched]

Kerrsed, that's interesting stuff. Never seen if presented like that - and it gives validity to the argument for sure.

However, and this may just be the way my mind is wired, as attractive of an opportunity as that is, it still hinges on a lottery - which would be foolish to strategize around.

Also, this concept that the best players get drafted 1-10 is stupid. Spurs manage to kill every draft, despite the fact that they haven't had a pick better than #20 since they drafted Duncan with #1 in 1997. Ginobili, Parker, Blair (Dragic), Splitter, Salmons, Scola, Barbosa, Hill, Udrih, Mahinmi.... it's gross.

Meanwhile perennial tank-fests continue to get great picks and continue to suck royaly.