The Portland Trail San AnSan Antonio Spurs tonio Spurs Blazers take at the San Antonio Spurs San Antonio Spurs in San Antonio to begin a long six recreation street journey. The Blazers look to pick out up San Antonio Spurs their 0.33 directly win in this contest after prevailing back to again games over the Minnesota Timberwolves in their remaining two games.
The Spurs commenced the season strong, triumphing five in their first seven. Things have became around and the Spurs were in a unfastened fall, losing sixteen of their next 17 video games as they plummet to 14th within the NBA Western Conference. They are on a three-recreation win streak heading into this matchup, and appearance to trap the Blazers off defend.
Spurs vs. Trail Blazers — Wednesday, December 14, San Antonio Spurs five:00 p.m. PT
How to Watch: Root Sports Plus, NBA League Pass
Blazers San Antonio Spurs Injuries: Nassir Little (out), Gary Payton II (out), Josh Hart (day-to-day), Drew Eubanks (probably)
Spurs Injuries: Jakob Poeltl (out), Keita Bates-Diop (out), Blake Wesley (out), Josh Richardson (questionable), Zach Collins (doubtful), Romeo Langford (dubious)
SBN Affiliate: Pounding The RockWhat To Watch For
Damian Lillard. In his last three games, Lillard San Antonio Spurs has positioned up scoring totals of 40, 36, and 38. He has torched opposing defenses, and has willed the Blazers to wins, or within a remaining 2nd shot of one, in all three. The Blazers’ skid is over, and Lillard is right lower back at the forefront of an efficient Blazers offense. As properly as the assisting forged is round him, the Blazers begin and end with Damian Lillard. The Spurs are dealing with lots of injuries, and had San Antonio Spurs been in loose fall, but that doesn’t suggest a game off for the Blazers as they face a Gregg Popovich led group. Good teams beat less difficult opponents. Lillard will be an essential part of a Blazers attempt to do simply that.
Spurs San Antonio Spurs young people movement. The Spurs are within the middle of a rebuild, and as such are led by using younger players instead of the veterans that Popovich is used to. Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell are both averaging over 20 factors in step with recreation so far on this younger season. The Spurs are not playing for plenty this season apart from lottery odds, but it’s miles usually promising to see the more youthful gamers displaying promise. The Blazers could get stuck off guard by way of a young active Spurs San Antonio Spurs roster if they’re not careful, and Johnson and Primo could be the 2 to appearance out for if that have been to occur.
Turnover war. Both the Blazers and the Spurs rank within the bottom 0.33 of the league in turnovers in step with sport. Due to the full-size distinction in tempo among the two groups, the turnover warfare ought to play a massive component within the outcome of this recreation. If the Spurs are capable of pressure turnovers, run in San Antonio Spurs transition, and get smooth baskets it could swing the game of their favor. However, if the Blazers are capable of San Antonio Spurs manipulate the pace and limit easy transition possibilities off turnovers, they will possibly be able to sluggish down a Spurs group that desires to move fast.What Others Are Saying
Noah Magaro George from Pounding The Rock talks about the strides Devin Vassell has made as a scorer.
Devin Vassell has made high-quality strides as a scorer this season, and San Antonio has requested him to self-create factors extra often in overdue-clock situations as he has end up more comfortable with the ball in his arms. Although the Spurs didn’t have many opportunities to participate in close contests in the course of their 11-sport dropping streak, their remaining two wins had been nail-biters, and that they leaned on Vassell within the snatch.
The 2020 lottery selection is still at his pleasant getting to his spots with help from teammates, however he’s the only participant on the roster with the mixture of length, San Antonio Spurs duration, handles, and footwork off the leap. Those bodily gear and composure inside the face of stress make it clean to look why the Silver and Black have requested Vassell to be their cross-to man alternative down the stretch of tight matchups.
Inside the Spurs’ Zach Dimmitt mentions the shielding prowess of new San Antonio Spur, Stanley Johnson.
The time period “role-much less defender” tends to get thrown around plenty, however it’s San Antonio Spurs tough to argue that this isn’t the case in relation to Johnson.
When searching at Johnson’s protective abilties, it again comes lower back to his capacity to keep stability, power and physicality whether or not he’s having to slip his ft on the perimeter or preserve his ground right outdoor the paint.
It says lots that Johnson’s got a protective highlights compilation on YouTube, which functions him being tasked because the number one one-on-one defender towards stars like Kawhi Leonard, LeBron James and James San Antonio Spurs Harden, matchups positioned upon even at some point of the early levels of his profession in Detroit.