Blazer's Edge - Complete Coverage: Portland Trail Blazers vs. Denver NuggetsThe ultimate coverage and analysis of the Portland Trail Blazershttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47543/blazersedge-fave.png2015-03-29T01:05:57-07:00http://www.blazersedge.com/rss/stream/80713902015-03-29T01:05:57-07:002015-03-29T01:05:57-07:00Blazers Move One Step Closer to Playoffs
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<p>This game wasn't a defensive gem but it's hard to argue with 120 points and 57% shooting.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blazersedge.com/">Portland Trail Blazers</a> took a step closer to their preliminary goal of making the 2015 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-playoffs">NBA Playoffs</a> tonight, defeating the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.denverstiffs.com/">Denver Nuggets</a> 120-114. The victory puts the Blazers on the verge of securing their ticket to the post-season. They will earn a spot in the bracket tomorrow night if the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thebirdwrites.com/">New Orleans Pelicans</a> lose to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.canishoopus.com/">Minnesota Timberwolves</a>, or Monday night if the Blazers defeat the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/">Phoenix Suns</a>. Since the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.welcometoloudcity.com/">Oklahoma City Thunder</a> also lost tonight, Portland's magic number to clinch the Northwest Division and its guaranteed 4th-place playoff seed stands at 3. It was a good night for the guys in scarlet and black.</p>
<p>For all the seeding significance, the game itself turned out to be, well...if not pedestrian, at least unnecessarily precarious. The 28-win Nuggets weren't on their best behavior on either end of the court but they still managed to hang with Portland until the wee minutes of the closing quarter.</p>
<p align="center"><b>Game Flow</b></p>
<p>The Blazers started the game fast, daring the Nuggets to stay with them. They poured in layups and jump shots, playing at ease. "At ease" also describes Portland's interior defense, as <span>J.J. Hickson</span> squirted around defenders for chip shots. Denver also managed to corral their own misses, putting Portland's defense in double jeopardy, tried twice for the same crimes. Despite an impressive offensive display by the Blazers, the score stayed neck and neck through much of the first.</p>
<p>Dissatisfied with that turn of affairs, Coach Terry Stotts put on his best Christopher Walken impression with, "I've got a fever and the only prescription...is more cowbell." Naturally "cowbell" equated to <span>LaMarcus Aldridge</span>, who began to show the Nuggets how mismatch big-man basketball is really played. 3 buckets from Aldridge as the quarter closed--echoed by 3 from <span>Chris Kaman</span> (who also knows that big man tune)--left the Blazers up 31-25 after one.</p>
<p>The second period saw both teams drift towards the perimeter. Guards still managed layups but big-man scoring gave way to the three-pointer. <span>Jameer Nelson</span> and CJ McCollum started the parade, but before the quarter was through 5 players would combine to hit 7 triples (with various misses scattered between). Kaman put in an excellent showing in this period as well, captaining Portland's rebounding brigade. Aldridge again rode to the rescue at the end of the period with a couple buckets.</p>
<p>Aldridge also made the inbounds pass on one of the nicest plays of the year. The Blazers had the ball with 2.5 seconds left in the half but had to throw the length of the court. They ran a modified Statue of Liberty play in which Aldridge heaved the ball to <span>Nicolas Batum</span> over a collapsing Denver defense. Batum then flicked it to the corner to <span>Arron Afflalo</span> for a buzzer-beating three. This would cap a 7-10 first half by Afflalo and leave the Blazers up 58-53 at intermission.</p>
<p>Tonight was the birthday of Trail Blazers mascot Blaze. Several of his mascot friends came to celebrate. The best-received were the Oregon Duck and Benny the Beaver from Oregon State, plus the Seahawks mascot down from Seattle. Houston's bear appeared to resounding chorus of boos, after which he heeled it up admirably. Tonight's halftime entertainment consisted of a dance-off between the Blazer Dancers and the mascot crew, which frankly was executed better than either team's defense. The two sides told a story via dance that would have put the Sharks and Jets to shame. (If you think that's a multi-sport reference, get some culture on ya.) The mascots finally won when they disrobed to Nelly, scaring away all the dancers.</p>
<p>In most ways this was more entertaining than the third period. Aldridge once again carried the Blazers, but Portland couldn't put the Nuggets away because their pesky guards kept getting free. <span>Randy Foye</span> continued the three-point onslaught while <span>Will Barton</span>, <span>Ty Lawson</span>, and <span>Wilson Chandler</span> scored from mid-range and in. This was the third different way the Nuggets had made free with Portland's defense and it was getting kind of old. Aldridge was superlative but the Blazers almost wasted his feisty, heart-felt effort. They did eke out a double-digit lead, 86-76, as the quarter closed, but...</p>
<p>...they gave it right back again as the fourth quarter commenced and Nelson, Barton, and <span>Jusuf Nurkic</span> scored six ways from Sunday. 2:30 into the period, the lead was down to 3. Fortunately Kaman came to the rescue once more. During the latter part of the fourth, the Blazers finally turned up the defense, converting misses into easy opportunities. Denver couldn't return the favor. Portland withheld a desperation charge late, wiped their brow, and celebrated the 120-114 win.</p>
<p align="center"><b>Analysis </b></p>
<p>As has been their habit lately, the Blazers placed too many turnovers--and attached points--into the hands of the Nuggets tonight. They got them right back, but that's hardly comforting considering the different rosters, positions, and aims of the two teams.</p>
<p>Rebounding almost became a serious issue as well. Aldridge was great, as usual. But had Chris Kaman not thrown his weight (and height) around, the Blazers might not have stopped the Nuggets at all. Kaman actually turned the tide a couple times...a huge outing for him.</p>
<p>Not defending Denver that well until the latter stages of the fourth put the Blazers on shaky ground. Again, you can point to Portland's 56.5% field goal percentage. But that's how you expect the Nuggets to defend. Denver appeared to be headed for a 50% shooting night themselves until the fourth. That could have been a disaster.</p>
<p>Still, you can't argue with 120 points, nor with Portland's ability to outplay the Nuggets no matter which way the style went. Inside play, three-pointers...Denver couldn't take the game anywhere the Blazers didn't have an edge. Particularly impressive are Portland's 52 points in the paint. It would have been easy to turn this into a sloppy, run-and-shoot affair. Instead the Blazers stayed calm and took their points where they came. Discipline and execution on offense carried the day. When the Blazers are on offensively, few teams do it better.</p>
<p align="center"><b>Individual Notes </b></p>
<p>As you might gather, I was in attendance tonight. It was my son's first in-person Blazers game. He had a great time in the first quarter taking it all in. Then in the second half he really got into the chants. I told him the Blazers needed him to be loud and he was. It didn't hurt that the team surged right about then. He left the arena plenty excited and ready to go back Monday.</p>
<p>Since I was able to watch the players live, I'm going to deviate from the usual format a little. Instead of giving you a complete rundown of players, I'm going to share what I noticed most.</p>
<p>LaMarcus Aldridge is just flat-out amazing. He is close enough to unstoppable to make them B.F.F.'s, perhaps headed for more. His turn-around isolation moves should be in picture frames. He's an automatic mismatch. Opponents have to double him or suffer.</p>
<p>Arron Afflalo looked more comfortable tonight that I've seen him. I'm not sure if that was an in-person change or a reflection of his 8-11 shooting night. I suspect the latter. But defensively he's still not there.</p>
<p>Neither is Damian Lillard. He is putting in more effort on the initial move, particularly getting around screens. But by the fourth dribble of the guy Lillard is guarding, there's trouble. That said, he has become a master of getting down the lane. It got to the point where I could turn to my boy and say, "Watch! He's going to do it!" before Damian had taken a single step forward.</p>
<p>Nicolas Batum and <span>Robin Lopez</span> had moments. You can tell when their switch is flipped to "on". But there weren't enough of them. Both players faded to the background of the story even when their strong suits were needed. Batum emerged at the right time and hit almost every shot he took. Lopez used his body well and his offense looks butter-smooth now. But these guys are going to need amping up when the Blazers reach the post-season.</p>
<p>Chris Kaman was all over the interior. I understand he doesn't do it every night, but tonight he was back in that Sixth Man of the Year form. It makes a huge difference for the Blazers when he plays well.</p>
<p><span>Dorell Wright</span> also played well, to the point that I remember his contributions more than I remember CJ McCollum's even though McCollum had a superior statistical game. In some ways Wright has become the step-up replacement for <span>Wesley Matthews</span> even though Afflalo has the role by position and minutes.</p>
<p><span>Steve Blake</span> was a little fumbly tonight but he did what he needed to do. It's glorious to see him hit a three or weave his way to the perfect pass.</p>
<p>It's also fun to hear how organic and joyful the Moda Center crowd is nowadays. You could sense the energy in the building, just waiting to be released. Good job, Portland.</p>
<p>The Blazers take on the Phoenix Suns on Monday at Blazer's Edge Night. 1151 guests will be in attendance that night, courtesy of this website's readers and listeners. Stay tuned!</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=400579383">Boxscore </a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2015/3/28/8306921/blazers-vs-nuggets-final-score-portland-lamarcus-aldridge">Instant Recap </a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.denverstiffs.com/">Denver Stiffs</a></p>
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<p>--Dave blazersub@gmail.com / <a data-ref-index="25" href="https://twitter.com/davedeckard" target="_blank">@DaveDeckard</a> / <a data-ref-index="26" href="https://twitter.com/blazersedge" target="_blank">@Blazersedge</a></p>
https://www.blazersedge.com/2015/3/29/8307345/portland-trail-blazers-vs-denver-nuggets-final-score-lamarcus-aldridge-arron-afflaloDave Deckard2015-03-28T21:29:00-07:002015-03-28T21:29:00-07:00Aldridge's Rampage Continues; Blazers Top Nuggets
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<p>LaMarcus Aldridge continued his rampage this season versus Denver, scoring 32 points in a Portland win.</p> <p><span>LaMarcus Aldridge</span> had 32 points and 11 rebounds, <span>Nicolas Batum</span> had 15 points and 7 assists, and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blazersedge.com/">Portland Trail Blazers</a> won their third straight game, battling past the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.denverstiffs.com/">Denver Nuggets</a>, 120-114 Saturday night at Moda Center.</p>
<p>With this win, the Blazers inch closer to a playoff berth. Combined with Oklahoma City's loss to Utah, the Blazers' magic number to clinch the Northwest Division is now three wins or OKC losses. To clinch a playoff berth, they simply need to win one more game, or for the New Orleans Pelicans to lose one. New Orleans plays the Minnesota Timberwolves tomorrow night. If the Pelicans win, the Blazers can clinch a playoff berth during Blazer's Edge Kids Night Monday against the Suns.</p>
<p>The teams played even basketball to start the game, with Denver taking an early advantage with superior rebounding. Fortunately for Portland, <span>Kenneth Faried</span> picked up two fouls in a hurry, and the Blazers capitalized. Aldridge had ten to lead Portland, while <span>Arron Afflalo</span> had six against his former squad. On the other end, <span>Will Barton</span> blocked a shot by <span>Damian Lillard</span>, only to have <span>Dorell Wright</span> send his layup attempt into the third row on the opposite end of the floor. Barton then passed the ball off of CJ McCollum's back for a dunk, and committed a clear-path foul on Wright. All in all, the usual for "The People's Champ". Portland led by six after one.</p>
<p><span>Chris Kaman</span> led the bench charge in the second quarter, expanding the lead to as many as 11. He had ten points at halftime. McCollum had five in the quarter, but the Blazer shooting hit the usual cold spot, allowing Denver to come back into the game and take a one point lead. Afflalo brought it upon himself to take care of his former squad, scoring nine in the quarter to counter, including a three at the buzzer, and Portland led by five at halftime.</p>
<p>Danger struck minutes into the third quarter as Lillard picked up his third and fourth fouls. With their star point guard out for the remainder of the quarter, the scoring load fell onto Aldridge. If it burdened him, he certainly did not show it. Aldridge scored 14 in the period on 6-of-8 shooting, hitting five straight at one point. Only other Blazers to score more than two was <span>Steve Blake</span>, who scored six. Denver rallied at the end of the period, but Portland led by eight after three.</p>
<p>The eight point lead evaporated almost immediately with Aldridge resting at the start of the fourth. Jusef Nurkic outplayed Kaman for six quick points, and Denver got within two. The Blazers responded with baskets by Kaman and McCollum to return the lead to nine, only for <span>Jameer Nelson</span> to single-handedly close the gap back to three. Responses came from Batum, who scored eight in the period to help Portland close out the game.</p>
<p>Kaman led the bench in scoring with 14. He also snared nine rebounds and had two blocks. McCollum had nine off the bench. Lillard scored just eight points on 4-of-11 shooting. Barton had 12 points for Denver. Afflalo had 21 points, but only took one shot in the second half. <span>Alonzo Gee</span> did not see the court against his former team.</p>
<p><a href="http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=400579383">BOX SCORE</a></p>
<p><b>Post-Game Reaction:</b></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p>"I feel very privileged to be here and represent this city." -<a href="https://twitter.com/arronafflalo">@arronafflalo</a> Watch " <a href="http://t.co/WZBBz7Cd60">http://t.co/WZBBz7Cd60</a> <a href="http://t.co/Lduca0zORq">pic.twitter.com/Lduca0zORq</a></p>
— Rip City (@RipCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/RipCity/status/582043427103240192">March 29, 2015</a>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p>"Me, Tony Romo, Aaron Rodgers … " — <a href="https://twitter.com/aldridge_12">@aldridge_12</a> on his peers re: the inbounds pass. Couldn't get through the sentence without busting up</p>
— Casey Holdahl (@CHold) <a href="https://twitter.com/CHold/status/582045682044825600">March 29, 2015</a>
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https://www.blazersedge.com/2015/3/28/8306921/blazers-vs-nuggets-final-score-portland-lamarcus-aldridgeRyanASterling2015-03-28T03:27:39-07:002015-03-28T03:27:39-07:00Blazers vs. Nuggets Preview
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<p>The Blazers host Will Barton and the Denver Nuggets tonight at the Moda Center. Both teams are on the second halves of back-to-backs after winning last night.</p> <p align="center"><span class="sbn-auto-link"><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.denverstiffs.com/">Denver Nuggets</a> (28-45, No. 12 in the West) vs. </span><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blazersedge.com/">Portland Trail Blazers</a> (45-25, No. 4 in the West)<br>Saturday, March 28<br>Moda Center; Portland, OR | 7:00 p.m. PST | Local TV/Radio: KGWHD; 620 AM<br>Out for the Blazers:<span class="sbn-auto-link"> <span>Wesley Matthews</span><span> </span></span>| Out for the Nuggets: <span>Darrell Arthur</span> (day-to-day)<br>SBN Affiliate: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.denverstiffs.com/">Denver Stiffs</a> | <a target="_blank" href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2014/10/28/7082097/portland-trail-blazers-2014-15-season-preview-tv-viewing-guide">Timmay's Viewing Guide</a><a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2014/10/28/7085127/blazers-edge-night-2015-announced" target="_blank"> </a>|<a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2014/10/28/7085127/blazers-edge-night-2015-announced" target="_blank"> </a><a target="_blank" href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2015/2/26/8116791/blazers-edge-sending-1000-kids-to-trail-blazers-game">Blazer's Edge Night</a></p>
<p align="left">The Blazers return home tonight after a 2-0 Southwestern road trip to host the Denver Nuggets. Both teams played last night, each earning a victory.</p>
<p>The Nuggets boast a stable of young, solid talent, but former coach <span>Brian Shaw</span> -- who was let go earlier this month after leading Denver to a disappointing 20-39 record through early March -- was unable to bring out the best in the roster. The Nuggets hit a high point in mid-January at 18-20, but the wheels soon fell off and the team went 5-19 through February before Shaw was eventually relieved of his duties.</p>
<p>Denver's front office promoted assistant <span>Melvin Hunt</span> to interim coach, who immediately set out to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.denverstiffs.com/2015/3/24/8280887/coachs-resume-the-peoples-champ-melvin-hunt">change the attitude and culture around the team</a>. Instead of the rigid and predictable old-school offense Shaw employed, Hunt gave his players the freedom to seek out their own best shots by making reads off each other and the opposing defense.</p>
<p>Hunt's free-flowing offense has enabled seven of his players to average double-figure scoring over the course of his 14-game tenure at the helm, as his young team has responded well to his positivity, relatability and the liberties he's provided them on the court.</p>
<p>The Nuggets have gone 8-6 in the three-and-a-half weeks since Hunt's been in charge, pushing the tempo, attacking from outside and emphasizing ball movement and player spacing. Denver features <span>Ty Lawson</span> at point guard, one of the quickest players in the NBA. His ball-handling and ability to penetrate and either take it to the rim and find open teammates in space has been integral in the Nuggets' late-season, mini surge.</p>
<p>The 27-year-old, often-overlooked Lawson stands just 5-foot-11, but he's hit 59.5 percent of his shots at the rim in the 14 games since Shaw was let go, averaging 8.9 assists and just 1.9 turnovers a night in that span. His shooting outside of the paint has been less than sterling, but Lawson's generally at his best when he can attack from the inside-out and distribute at will.</p>
<p>Perhaps the main beneficiary of Hunt removing the shackles from Denver's ballhandlers has been forward <span>Danilo Gallinari</span>, who shot 35.7 from the field and 31.8 percent from deep in 40 games under Shaw. Those numbers have jumped to 42.7 percent and 38.3 percent, respectively, under Hunt. Gallinari was fighting some nagging aches and pains earlier in the season and a slew of trade deadline moves opened up some shots for the six-year veteran, but there's no doubt he's recently been put in a better position to succeed by his new coach and has taken full advantage of the opportunity.</p>
<p>Forwards Wilson Chandler and <span>Kenneth Faried</span> round out Denver's undersized starting frontcourt, each one hitting just over half his shots the last 14 games. Faried does most of his damage inside, assisted by teammates. A decent portion of his scores derive from his feisty offensive rebounding and energy around the rim. Chandler is a bit more inclined to score off the dribble, often taking the ball all the way inside. He's been lights-out from deep the last 14 games, making 46.8 percent of his threes in that time, mostly in catch-and-shoot situations.</p>
<p>Starting wing <span>Randy Foye</span> attempts almost two-thirds of his shots from the perimeter, connecting on 41 percent of his three-pointers under Hunt. He's a complementary scorer and a willing passer, much like several of his other backcourt teammates.</p>
<p>Hunt often goes six-deep on his bench, playing a rotation of about 11 guys a night, generally. Point guard <span>Jameer Nelson</span> has resurfaced as an effective reserve since being acquired by the Nuggets in mid-January, and since Shaw's firing, he's made a staggering 72.4 percent of his attempts at the basket and 44.4 percent of his 4.2 three-point tries a game. While Nelson is neither as deft a passer nor a penetrator as Lawson at 32 years old and 11 seasons into his career, he has provided a bit of instant offense off the bench in 21.4 minutes a night the last three weeks and is capable of keeping the ball moving.</p>
<p>Guard <span>Will Barton</span> -- former Blazer and affectionately referred to as "The People's Champ" or "The Thrill" by many fans in Portland -- makes his first return to the Moda Center tonight since being swapped along with forwards <span>Thomas Robinson</span> and <span>Victor Claver</span> (both since waived) for Blazers guards <span>Arron Afflalo</span> and <span>Alonzo Gee</span> back at the trade deadline. Barton has certainly wowed Nuggets fans in large doses off the bench since being inserted into the rotation almost immediately following the trade, and he's averaged 10.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists under Hunt in Denver. Barton is most effective using his rebounding and ability to force turnovers to get out on the fastbreak and score on the run. He's definitely still not shy about creating his own offense, either, and he poured in 12 points on 5-for-9 shooting last night against Utah in 20 minutes of action.</p>
<p>Power forward <span>J.J. Hickson</span>, also a former Blazer, provides hustle, rebounds and a general nose for the ball, but is not a reliable finisher inside. Center Jusuf Nurkic, point guard <span>Erick Green</span> and wing <span>Gary Harris</span> have all earned playing time off the bench recently, but none of the three factors in as a significant piece in the Nuggets' offensive gameplan.</p>
<p>Denver's defense hasn't been stifling under Hunt, but the fairly short lineup has managed to perform at an average level or better on the defensive end since he was promoted. The Nuggets are a top-10 team the last few weeks defending both from the field and from outside. They force plenty of turnovers and generally prefer a faster-paced game, though they are prone to fouling shooters and lack a reliable defensive presence down low besides Nurkic, who plays limited minutes and picks up more fouls than any of his teammates.</p>
<p>After struggling through injuries that were partially accountable for five straight losses, the Blazers now have their full roster available besides Wesley Matthews and have won two straight games on the road against defensive-minded teams. After exchanging small leads for three quarters against the Jazz and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/">Suns</a> on Wednesday and Friday, respectively, Portland was able to put the clamps down defensively in the fourth periods of both games and let their All-Stars take over on the offensive end.</p>
<p>Power forward <span>LaMarcus Aldridge</span> has shot 20-for-44 the last two games total, making 56 percent of his midrange jumpers. He's been solid at getting to the line, but 60 percent free throw shooting in the Blazers' two most recent wins is below Aldridge's general performance. Still, he almost single-handedly led Portland to the win down the stretch last night, <a target="_blank" href="http://forwardcenter.net/aldridge-takes-over-in-the-fourth-lifts-blazers-to-rare-win-in-phoenix/">scoring 12 points in the game's final five minutes</a>.</p>
<p>On Wednesday night in Utah, when Aldridge had 19 points on 18 shots and four turnovers, point guard <span>Damian Lillard</span> had 13 of his 23 points in the fourth period and led the Blazers as they erased a 10-point lead late in the game and eventually squeaked by with a three-point victory. Lillard has made just three of his 12 three-pointers the last two games, but he went 10-for-10 from the line Wednesday and was able to manufacture points that way. Last night, Phoenix guard <span>Eric Bledsoe</span> was able to irritate Lillard on the defensive end. Tonight, the Nuggets have no such designated perimeter defender and lack a true game-changing big man in the middle; The shots should come a bit easier for Lillard.</p>
<p>Wing Nicolas Batum sat out in Utah then responded against the Suns with five points on 1-for-6 shooting. His contributions were much more far-reaching than just scoring, however, and he's been big on the glass and as a distributor. The Nuggets aren't particularly likely to stop him fully in either area.</p>
<p>Center Robin Lopez hit five of his six shots last night for 12 points to go along with 10 rebounds, just a game after he scored four points and six rebounds. The Nuggets frontcourt will probably have to throw a lot of extra attention Aldridge's way tonight in the hopes of keeping his offense bottled-up. Featuring a huge size advantage, Lopez should be able to score a few easy points after establishing deep post position on either Faried or Hickson.</p>
<p>Guard Arron Afflalo has gone cold from the field lately, missing all six of his threes and making five of 14 shots the last two games. He's seemed a bit out-of-sorts recently and hasn't been very aggressive. Maybe playing against his former teammates will spark Afflalo back into being a reliable shooter. He should be able to find a way to take the ball in the post tonight and get shots over shorter or smaller defenders.</p>
<p>Reserve wing and occasional stretch-four <span>Dorell Wright</span> has looked for his own shot much more often off the bench the last couple of games, generally not shooting well but scoring in bunches occasionally. He's been great on the boards lately. Backup center <span>Chris Kaman</span> returned last night and registered 18 minutes, also not shooting well but managing to contribute with rebounding. Point guard <span>Steve Blake</span> had the confidence to take and make a few nice shots against the Suns last night, finishing with 10 points and just a single turnover. He's a solid game-managing backup for Stotts at the point guard position. Guard CJ McCollum seems confident with the ball lately, even if his shot has been far from perfect. The fans at the Moda Center tonight will be in for a treat when he's matched with Barton, whom he battled with in practice for parts of two seasons for playing time on the wing.</p>
<p>Blazers coach <span>Terry Stotts</span> played a five-man bench rotation last night in Phoenix, leaving out big man <span>Meyers Leonard</span> and guards <span>Allen Crabbe</span> and Alonzo Gee. After playing late last night on the road, the Blazers may need to tap into their end-of-bench players for short spurts against the Nuggets.</p>
<p>Portland beat the Suns somewhat handily on the glass last night, and they've given up a pretty reasonable 11 offensive rebounds per game to their last two opponents. The Nuggets are an average rebounding team on either end, though Faried and Hickson vacuum up misses on both sides of the floor more than effectively. Chandler and Barton contribute well from the wings, but Denver gets most of its rebounding from energy, hustle and effort, severely lacking Portland's size up front. Lopez, Kaman, Aldridge, Batum and backup big man Joel Freeland all hit the glass hard. If the Blazers execute, box out well and continue getting effort from up and down the roster, their combination of size and skill may be too much for the Nuggets' scrappiness tonight.</p>
<p>After two straight defensive battles for Portland, tonight's matchup could provide an assortment of offensive fireworks for both teams. The Nuggets lack a backcourt player who can disrupt Lillard consistently with defense, so he and Aldridge -- who's going against a pretty limited Denver frontline -- should both have the opportunity to do some bulk scoring tonight.</p>
<p>Likewise, Lawson provides a difficult matchup for the Blazers' backcourt, particularly Lillard. Don't be surprised to see some cross-matching for Portland if the defense isn't working well early on. Gee played big minutes last Tuesday against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/">Warriors</a> thanks in large part to his defense on <span>Stephen Curry</span>, and he could see some time on the floor tasked with trying to slow down Lawson tonight.</p>
<p>The Nuggets are improved on both sides of the ball under Hunt, but the Blazers are also well-coached, have more talent at the top and are trying to build some momentum heading into the playoffs after weathering a tough stretch of five games before Wednesday's win over the Jazz. Denver has good talent, a solid gameplan and youth on its side, but if the players and coaching staff in Portland all want to be considered any kind of legitimate threat in the postseason ever after the injury to Wes Matthews, they'll have to prove it by beating solid-but-flawed teams like the Nuggets.</p>
<p>-- Chris Lucia | blazersedgepodcast@gmail.com | <a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="https://twitter.com/ChrisLucia_BE" target="_blank">Twitter</a></p>
<p><i>Sam Tongue's Key Matchup:</i></p>
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https://www.blazersedge.com/2015/3/28/8304755/portland-trail-blazers-vs-denver-nuggets-previewChris Lucia