Game Time: 5:00 p.m. Pacific TV: CSNNW
Since this is essentially the same Minnesota Timberwolves squad the Blazers played a couple days ago, I'll refer you to this preview if you want the team rundown.
Obviously since they lost to the 'Wolves at home the onus is on the Blazers to adjust. Adjustment #1 is a better attitude. Portland needs to extract revenge tonight. The Timberwolves are not head and shoulders above the Blazers. Portland should not have lost at home. The two teams are tangled in a dogfight for precious playoff position. That should be enough to make the Blazers want this game badly. They had better come out with fire and sustain it throughout the game.
If that isn't enough, look at the upcoming schedule: Boston, Washington, Indiana, New York, Chicago, Oklahoma City...all on the road. If you don't pick up a win here, where are you going to? Washington hopefully, but everything else is a crap shoot. The only difference is whether the game is honest or the dice are loaded. Portland can't afford to drop any winnable game on this trip.
Adjustment #2 would be Kevin Love defense. The guy is good. The guy is not Kobe or LeBron. 42 points is a tad...excessive. That's what he pasted on the Blazers Saturday night. Remember how we said the Hornets played obvious defense on Monday, committing extra men to every Portland scorer as if this were a video game? The Blazers ought to do that to Love tonight. Let somebody else beat you with scoring. Send the house against the star.
If the Blazers approach this game correctly and mark Love, this could easily be a win. If they come with their usual intermittent effort, watch out.
Say hello to our friends at Canis Hoopus. I love that blog name, by the way. Sterling.
Here's your Jersey Contest form for the game.
--Dave (blazersub@gmail.com)