Featured Matchup: Trail Blazers’ LaMarcus Aldridge vs. Magic’s Kyle O’Quinn
SAT JAN 10 @ POR
Game time: 10 PM EST
Portland Vitals: 28-8 overall (.778); 17-3 at home; 16-2 vs. Eastern Conference; plus-7.2 differential; 2-game win streak
This is one of the most terrifying games on the schedule in light of what transpired last night in Los Angeles against the Lakers. Without Kobe, a mediocre Lakers frontcourt obliterated the Orlando Magic on the glass. Nikola Vucevic was lethargic. Andrew Nicholson was outmatched. And Kyle O’Quinn could not keep his hands out of the cookie jar.
It was a mess.
And for those expecting a magical reversal of fate against the Blazers, this may be a disturbing contest to watch. Portland is the best rebounding team in the Association, hauling in 46.7 boards per game and helping to drive an offense which ranks 6th overall.
Live Feed
Rip City Project
Defensively, the Blazers suffocate opponents, holding them to a 96.6 point per game average. This does not bode well for a Magic team incapable of scoring even against a woeful Lakers squad. There are a lot of reasons to believe this game is going to unravel in a vomit-inducing manner, and that is with the greatest attempt at positivity imaginable.
The Blazers are serious contenders, and, after defeating a potent Houston Rockets team in the first round last year and racing out to such a hot start this year, there is no reason to think Orlando can do much more than pray for a ‘W.’
This is even more so because the Magic played 24 hours ago in Southern California before traveling north to play in the Pacific northwest tonight…
Featured Matchup: Power Forward: LaMarcus Aldridge vs. Kyle O’Quinn
LaMarcus Aldridge
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 1/10/2015.
Kyle O’Quinn
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 1/10/2015.
LaMarcus Aldridge is likely the best power forward at this exact moment in time in the entire NBA (we do not know how to classify Anthony Davis quite yet, right?). The title once was contested by a now-role player in Kevin Love, and though Aldridge’s PER is not off the charts (22.2), his effect on the game remains even more noticeable with Portland thriving in the third straight season after surprising in Damian Lillard’s outstanding rookie campaign.
Lillard and Aldridge combine to form one of the best tandems in the league, averaging 45.2 points per game. Lillard also rebounds exceptionally well for a guard, which means Kyle O’Quinn and Vucevic are going to have to do a much better job at preventing long rebounds and team tap-out boards.
Aldridge averages 2.9 offensive rebounds per game and Robin Lopez is good for another 3.3 (fortunately Lopez will not play tonight with an injury). Between Chris Kaman and Lopez, the Blazers get 19.2 points and 13.7 rebounds per game, and that is about as good as any one starting center in the league.
Sometimes a two- or three-headed monster is not all that bad when the surrounding players are dynamic scorers like Aldridge and Lillard.
All this said, Kyle O’Quinn is almost certain to end up in foul trouble, which will defer the responsibilities of covering Aldridge later in the game to Channing Frye and Andrew Nicholson. Frye is too soft, Nicholson is too small. It just does not bode well for Orlando.
And Aldridge has been on a tear of late too.
Over his past 10 contests (of which Portland won eight), he is averaging 26 points, 11.7 rebounds and 2.5 blocks/steals per game. He has been remarkably consistent and the fact that Terry Stotts knows what he is getting from the All Star every night lends a stability to the Blazers core that is only seen in true contending teams.
The Magic are just nowhere close to that level, and Portland makes sure to defend its home court while sending inferior team packing in tears every game. Tonight will likely be no different, supported by oddsmakers setting the line 13-points in favor of the Blazers.