( Bruce Ely / The Oregonian )
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Portland Trail Blazers (31-35) @ Milwaukee Bucks (33-32)
5:00 pm PST
BMO Harris Bradley Center
Projected Staring Lineups
Milwaukee Bucks
PG – Brandon Jennings – Oak Hill Academy – ( 18.3 / 3.3 / 6.8 )
SG – Monta Ellis – Lanier HS, Jackson, Mississippi – ( 19.6 / 3.9 / 5.9 )
SF – Mike Dunleavy – Duke University – ( 10.7 / 4 / 1.9 )
PF – Ekpe Udoh – Baylor University – ( 4 / 3.3 / 1.1 blocks )
C – Larry Sanders – Virginia Commonwealth University – ( 9.2 / 9.2 / 3.1 blocks )
Portland Trail Blazers
PG – Damian Lillard – Weber State University – ( 19 / 3.1 / 6.5 )
SG – Wesley Matthews Jr – Marquette University – ( 14.8 / 2.8 / 2.7 )
SF – Nicola Batum – Lisieux, France – ( 14.9 / 5.9 / 4.8 )
PF – LaMarcus Aldridge – University of Texas, Austin – ( 20.9 / 8.7 / 2.6 )
C – J.J. Hickson – North Carolina State University – ( 13.3 / 10.7 / 1.1 )
Injury Report
Milwaukee Bucks
Luc Richard Mbah a Moute ( turf toe ) is questionable
Forward Ersan Ilyasova ( back / hip ) is doubtful for tonight
Portland Trail Blazers
Forward Victor Claver ( ankle ) is out indefinitely
Matchup to Watch
Damian Lillard vs Brandon Jennings
If the first meeting is any indication, this will be the most entertaining matchup. Jennings dropped 30 in the Rose Garden and Lillard countered with 26 and 10 assists. Jennings is moving the ball around as well as he ever has, averaging over 10 dimes a game in his last 10. The Bucks will need his outside shot to be true tonight with Ilyasova sitting this one out.
Last Meeting
Portland 104 – Milwaukee 110
MIlwaukee’s Last Three
Win vs Orlando, 115-109
Loss vs Miami, 94-107
Loss @ Washington, 93-106
Notes & Links
- Just for fun … Portland breweries and Milwaukee breweries.
- Larry Sanders is playing out of his mind on one of the best value contracts in the NBA. Even when it bumps up to 3$ million next season it will still be a helluva steal for this guy. He’s leading the league in blocks per game and by one measure he’s the most effective rim protector in the game. He got tossed from the last game he played against the Blazers, and this past week mocked the zebras on his way to the locker room. Pretty awesome.
- Terry Stotts compiled a 63-83 record spanning two seasons at the helm of the Bucks from 2005 – 2007, making the playoffs in 2006 with sharpshooter Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut has his court leaders. Redd would’ve been better off as a second option or three-point specialist on a better team, and Bogut was too young to really “lead.” But wait! you say…that team also featured Ervin Johnson! Isn’t he an all-time great? Well, follow the link and you tell me.
- Ilyasova will probably not play tonight and that’s a coup for the Trail Blazers. He went for 27 / 14 back in January while thoroughly outplaying Aldridge and hitting seemingly every shot the Bucks needed to stop Blazer runs. He’s been playing fantastic ball lately and is a big reason why the Bucks are enjoying a 7+ game cushion over Philadelphia for the final playoff seed in the Eastern Conference.
- Local boy Mike Dunleavy is shooting 44% from 3 this season and is in the final year of his $3.75 million contract. Good value there, and I wouldn’t mind seeing him take over the Babbitt role for the Blazers next year.
- Congratulations to Aldridge, Western Conference player on the Week. He averaged 27 / 10.3 / 3 blocks. Not bad, black Connor Hyde, not bad.
Following the Trail 