Trail Blazers @ Suns 3-12-17

[Mainstreet]

The Trail Blazers visit the Suns tonight with a 6 p.m. Arizona start time.

The Trail Blazers are coming off an OT loss at home to the Wizards and the Suns are coming off a win at Dallas.

After the Trail Blazers, the Suns face the Kings and Magic at home before going on a six game road trip.

Here is more from the ESPN Preview:

The Suns made a happy flight home from Dallas early Sunday morning after Devin Booker beat the buzzer with a 19-footer that provided the difference in a 100-98 win over the playoff-contending Mavericks.

Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers arrived in Phoenix in a whole different frame of mind, having blown a 21-point lead at home in a 125-124 overtime loss to the Washington Wizards that featured a controversial finish.

Overtime is nothing new to the Suns and Trail Blazers, who needed the five additional minutes to decide their first meeting this season. Phoenix prevailed on that occasion, 118-115, before the Trail Blazers evened the score six nights later with a 124-121 victory.

http://www.espn.com/nba/preview?gameId=400900383

 

[Mainstreet]

Here is more information from a Doug Haller article at azcentral dated 3-11-17.

Portland update: Entering Saturday’s home contest against Washington, the Trail Blazers (28-35) had won four in a row to move within 1.5 games of the Western Conference’s eighth playoff spot. They are 11-22 on the road. Center Jusuf Nurkic – acquired before the trade deadline – has averaged 17 points, 9.9 rebounds and 5.0 assists since the All-Star break. In Thursday’s win over the 76ers, he had 28 points, 20 rebounds, eight assists and six blocked shots. Damian Lillard (25.9 ppg) and C.J. McCollum (23.3) are strong in the backcourt.

It looks like the Trail Blazers acquired a steal in center Jusuf Nurkic.

 

[Errntknght]

Here is more information from a Doug Haller article at azcentral dated 3-11-17. It looks like the Trail Blazers acquired a steal in center Jusuf Nurkic.

He looked like a find when Denver first had him then went dormant for a year... something sure woke him up in Portland!

 

[Ronin]

Doug Haller‏ @DougHaller
Center Alex Len will miss his second consecutive game with a hip issue. The Suns will go with the same starting five as Saturday.

 

[Ronin]

Doug Haller‏ @DougHaller
Also, veteran center Tyson Chandler is not with the Suns tonight for person reasons. Chandler has not played since the All-Star break.

 

[hsandhu]

The knicks just lost to brooklyn, they look awful. Sacramento will be lucky to win 2 more games this year... we have to lose this game.

I'm getting worried how far down we're going to slide in the draft now, doesnt make any sense they are playing booker and bledsoe after a doubleheader.

 

[Mainstreet]

He looked like a find when Denver first had him then went dormant for a year... something sure woke him up in Portland!

I think Nurkic would have bloomed in Denver as well but Nikola Jokic had a lot to do with it. Nurkic found himself in a situation where Denver decided to choose which center they wanted to keep. They chose Jokic.

They were not going to pay Nurkic starter money down the road but wow, the Blazers get a deal. They got a first round pick and Nurkic by trading Mason Plumlee to Denver. I think the Nuggets pulled the trigger too quick. There had to be better deals out there if they waited until the summer.

 

[Mainstreet]

The knicks just lost to brooklyn, they look awful. Sacramento will be lucky to win 2 more games this year... we have to lose this game.

I'm getting worried how far down we're going to slide in the draft now, doesnt make any sense they are playing booker and bledsoe after a doubleheader.

The Suns win over Dallas frustrated me in regard to watching wins and losses. I will just try and concentrate on the younger players.

 

[Mainstreet]

Another thought on the draft. This is a deep draft. The Suns should get a good player no matter where they pick.

 

[pokerface]

Another thought on the draft. This is a deep draft. The Suns should get a good player no matter where they pick.

I applaud keeping your chin up mainstreet!

 

[pokerface]

The suns are fun to watch lately. I just wonder how that translates into next season.

Playoffs??

 

[hsandhu]

Good first quarter, I was worried that booker was gonna go off and we were cruising to a win, then lillard saved us.

 

[hsandhu]

Yes!! It might be our destiny to get a top player in this draft, I thought for sure we were winning that game.

 

[SirStefan32]

Another thought on the draft. This is a deep draft. The Suns should get a good player no matter where they pick.

Exactly! Hell, they got Booker and Warren with 13th and 14th picks in drafts that were far worse than this one. Hell, at this point, McD's track record is better with later picks (Booker, Warren, Chris to some degree) than it is with higher ones (Len, Bender, though obviously it's way too early to write Bender off.)

 

[slinslin]

This is not a deep draft. It is only considered deep at the top as there are like 6 very good prospects rather than the more usual 2-3.

 

[JCSunsfan]

The suns are fun to watch lately. I just wonder how that translates into next season.

Playoffs??

One draft pick who makes an impact and one excellent free agent signing and yes.

 

[sunsfan88]

The suns are fun to watch lately. I just wonder how that translates into next season.

I'd guess not because there's likely a 90% chance that Chandler and Knight will start getting their minutes back next season.

 

[sunsfan88]

Exactly! Hell, they got Booker and Warren with 13th and 14th picks in drafts that were far worse than this one. Hell, at this point, McD's track record is better with later picks (Booker, Warren, Chris to some degree) than it is with higher ones (Len, Bender, though obviously it's way too early to write Bender off.)

In fairness, the 2013 NBA draft is the worst draft ever in professional sports.

And none of the rookies from the 2016 NBA draft has looked good yet either.

 

[Ronin]

Doug Haller‏Verified account@DougHaller 15m15 minutes ago
Suns center Alex Len -- out the last two games with a minor hip issue -- said today he will try to play Wednesday vs Sacramento.

 

[slinslin]

In fairness, the 2013 NBA draft is the worst draft ever in professional sports.

********, Giannis, McCollum and Gobert disagree.

 

[sunsfan88]

********, Giannis, McCollum and Gobert disagree.

Yeah 3 players doesn't mean the rest of the class doesn't suck.

Every draft is gonna have one or two good players the rest of them are all god awful. Adams is the next best player and that should be telling.