Portland Trail Blazers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Poll: Which Teams Will Win Game 7?

May 10th, 2019 at 1:25pm CST by Luke Adams

The Sixers and Trail Blazers each won Game Six of their respective series on Thursday, pushing a pair of conference semifinals to a seventh and deciding game.

Both of those Game Sevens are scheduled to take place on Sunday, with the Sixers and Raptors set to tip off at 7:00 pm ET, while the Nuggets and Blazers will either play before or after, depending on whether a third Game Seven is required for Golden State and Houston.

For the 76ers and Raptors, there’s a ton at stake in Sunday’s Game 7. Each team made two huge trades this season, with Toronto acquiring Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green, and Marc Gasol, while Philadelphia landed Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris. Those franchise-altering deals were made with an NBA Finals appearance in mind, so neither club would be happy with a second-round exit.

It has been hard to know what to expect from the Raptors and Sixers from game to game, as players like Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Kyle Lowry, and Gasol have looked great in one outing, then all but disappeared in the next. The fact that Game 7 will take place in Toronto should offer the Raptors an advantage. Through six games, the Raps have a +14.7 net rating at home, compared to their -8.7 mark on the road.

Home court advantage could also be crucial over in the West, as the Nuggets posted an NBA-best 34-7 record during the regular season in the Mile High City. The club hasn’t been invincible in Denver during the postseason, losing a home game in each of the first two rounds. But the difference between the Nuggets’ net rating at home (+9.2) and on the road (-3.2) vs. Portland is stark.

Although the Sixers and Blazers will go on the road as underdogs, it would be dangerous to write them off. Both teams have superstars who are capable of taking over games and single-handedly turning a potential loss into a win.

What do you think? Will the Raptors and Nuggets protect their home courts and advance to the final four? Or will will see stars like Embiid and Damian Lillard come up big and push their teams through to the conference finals?

Vote below in our poll, then head to the comment section to share your two cents!

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

Terry Stotts Says Jokic Elbow Was “Uncalled For”

May 4th, 2019 at 6:16pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Trail Blazers are upset about an elbow from Nuggets center Nikola Jokic in Friday’s four-overtime game that aggravated Enes Kanter‘s left shoulder injury, relays Royce Young of ESPN. Kanter said his shoulder was separated “more” during the game and blames a shot from Jokic that he posted on social media following the game (Twitter link).

Portland coach Terry Stotts addressed the situation today, saying it was “uncalled for” and he “certainly didn’t approve of it.” He isn’t sure if the NBA plans to review the play for possible disciplinary action against Jokic. Technical or flagrant fouls can be handed out retroactively, Young notes.

Nuggets coach Michael Malone defended his star center and disagreed with Stotts’ view of the incident.

“Normal play,” Malone said. “I think Terry is off base there. Personally, I don’t think it was anything malicious. Just like some of their screens in the first two games, I don’t think there was anything malicious to it — with Kanter getting tossed into Torrey Craig. This is the playoffs. We’re all big boys, let’s go out and play the game accordingly.

“I have known Nikola Jokic for four years. He doesn’t have that kind of personality, he doesn’t have that DNA gene where he’s going to go out there and make non-basketball plays and try to hurt anybody or do anything that is beyond the limits of what is sportsmanship and what is not sportsmanship. So I would definitely not agree with Terry’s assessment.”

Kanter separated his shoulder in the final game of the first-round series against the Thunder. Despite playing in pain, he logged 56 minutes last night and posted 18 points and 15 rebounds.

Kanter said after the game that he had to tuck his left arm in his jersey because he was unable to lift it. He received treatment from the team’s medical staff today and his status for tomorrow’s Game 4 remains uncertain.

Enes Kanter Aggravates Separated Left Shoulder

May 4th, 2019 at 10:35am CST by JD Shaw

Blazers center Enes Kanter aggravated his injured left shoulder in the team’s Game 3 win over Denver on Friday night (well, some could argue Saturday morning), telling reporters after the contest that he believes he separated the shoulder “more.”

Kanter logged 56 minutes in the first quadruple overtime playoff game since 1953, finishing with 18 points, 15 rebounds and three steals. He was listed as questionable entering the series due to the injury, also suffering a hand contusion in the first half of Game 2.

“First overtime, I think I separated my shoulder more,” Kanter said, according to ESPN’s Kevin Pelton. “I had to tuck my arm into my jersey because I couldn’t carry my arm. I’m glad we got a win, man. Whatever it takes. You’ve got to sacrifice everything. I’m proud of my teammates.”

Kanter will receive treatment between now and Sunday’s Game 4 and plans to play through the injury, though his official status for the contest has yet to be announced by the team. He first suffered the shoulder injury in Portland’s series-clinching Game 5 win against the Thunder last round.

“Sometimes you’ve got to make some sacrifices to get a win,” Kanter said. “I’ll get some painkillers for the next game. I hope I can play. But I’ll be fine.”

Kanter was a major free agent acquisition for the Blazers this season, filling in for the injured Jusuf Nurkic as starting center throughout the playoffs. He’s averaged 15.6 points, 10.3 rebounds and one steal in eight postseason games and will become a free agent on July 1.

Portland must win Game 4 in order to protect home court advantage in the series, with the prospect of heading back to Denver tied 2-2 looming should they lose on Sunday.

Hood Changes Agents Entering Free Agency

May 3rd, 2019 at 8:20pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Trail Blazers guard Rodney Hood has hired CAA Sports to represent him, Tony Jones of The Athletic tweets. Hood will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. He was previously represented by Travis King of Independent Sports and Entertainment.

Moe Harkless Sprains Ankle, Questionable For Game 3

May 2nd, 2019 at 5:14pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Maurice Harkless underwent an MRI on his right ankle and the results confirmed that it’s a sprain, as the Trail Blazers‘ Twitter feed relays. Harkless is questionable for Game 3 against the Nuggets.

The combo forward played in 60 games for Portland this season, starting 53 of those contests. He’s started in every game for the Blazers this postseason, averaging 9.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks in the six games leading up to Game 2, in which he suffered the injury.

Harkless, who made approximately $10.8MM this year, has one year left on the four-year, $40MM deal he signed in July of 2016. That was the offseason when the NBA’s cap spiked, paving the way for many players to sign lucrative deals that today appear outlandish. Harkless’ pact seems like one of the most team-friendly deals among those signed during the shopping-spree summer.

Jake Layman, who started 33 games this year, came out with the rest of the first unit to begin the second half in Game 2 on Wednesday. Layman, Rodney Hood, and Seth Curry are among those who could see additional minutes if Harkless misses time.

Community Shootaround: NBA Finals Match-Up

May 1st, 2019 at 10:49pm CST by clarkcrum

The NBA’s conference semifinals are underway and that means we’re down to eight teams as the Warriors, Nuggets, Trail Blazers, Rockets, Bucks, Raptors, Sixers, and Celtics each won their first-round series. The Warriors have taken control of their series with a 2-0 lead but the remaining series are all tied up at 1-1 and the Rockets are heading home for games 3 and 4. As such, every club still has a realistic shot of moving forward to the conference finals.

As everyone is well aware, the Warriors are the two-time defending NBA champions and winners of three of the last four. They are also the prohibitive favorites again this season and perhaps the one team that could be classified as league villains, while the other three Western Conference teams haven’t been to an NBA Finals since the Rockets in 1995.

Meanwhile, the Cavaliers and Heat (via LeBron James) have controlled the Eastern Conference playoffs for the last decade or so, with Milwaukee and Toronto never having won the East and Philadelphia and Boston not having been conference champions since 2001 and 2010, respectively.

With that all said, there are certain to be a bevy of opinions on what would be the best finals match-up, so we’re asking you that very question. Which NBA Finals match-up do you want to see? Is that the match-up you expect as well? Let us know what you think in the comments.

Poll: Which Team Will Win Nuggets/Blazers Series?

April 29th, 2019 at 10:41am CST by Luke Adams

The two Eastern Semifinals this spring pit the conference’s four powerhouses one another and have been awaited for months. Over in the Western Conference, the Rockets/Warriors showdown may be the most anticipated matchup of the postseason. That leaves one remaining semifinal which may ultimately fly under the radar, as a pair of Northwest rivals – the Nuggets and Trail Blazers – prepare to do battle.

A year ago, Denver missed out on the postseason entirely, while Portland was quickly dispatched in the first round by the Pelicans without winning a single game. It was the third straight first-round exit by the Blazers and the fifth consecutive season in which the Nuggets had finished in the lottery. In other words, by advancing to the Western Semifinals this year, these two teams can already consider the 2018/19 season a success.

Still, one of these clubs will play in the Western Finals next month against the winner of that Rockets/Warriors series. With Game 1 set to tip off tonight, we want to get your thoughts on how this series will play out.

The Nuggets finished the regular season as the No. 2 seed in the West, giving them home court advantage vs. the Blazers. That could give Denver a leg up in this series, since no NBA team posted a better home record this season than the Nuggets’ 34-7 mark. Oddsmakers have also made the Nuggets – who won the season series vs. Portland by a 3-1 margin – the slight favorites for the series.

Still, there are some potential red flags for Denver. As good as Nikola Jokic was in the first round vs. San Antonio, some key members of his supporting cast – including guards Jamal Murray and Will Barton – were a little more up and down. Going up against one of the league’s best backcourt duos this series, the Nuggets’ guards will face a daunting challenge.

Of course, while Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum should give the Blazers a chance to win this series, it will be interesting to see whether the club has an answer for Jokic. Enes Kanter has performed admirably in the absence of Jusuf Nurkic, but he’s battling a shoulder injury, and the Nuggets bigs – Jokic and Paul Millsap – will give the Blazers all they can handle. If Kanter is unable to play or is ineffective, that would put a ton of pressure on backups like Zach Collins and Meyers Leonard.

What do you think? Are you taking the Nuggets or Blazers to advance to the Western Finals? How do you see this series playing out? Vote in our poll, then head to the comment section below to weigh in!

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

Monty Williams Interviews With Suns

April 27th, 2019 at 10:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Suns met with Sixers assistant Monty Williams on Friday, but didn’t make a job offer, reports Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. The meeting was described as “very positive,” Rankin adds, and Williams remains a top contender for the position.

He was the first candidate the Suns have interviewed since firing first-year coach Igor Kokoskov on Monday. The meeting was held in Toronto because the Sixers are there for the first two games of their Eastern Conference semifinal series.

The Lakers also interviewed Williams this week, along with former Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue.

Williams, 47, has head coaching experience in New Orleans, where he worked for new Suns VP of basketball operations Jeff Bower. Williams compiled a 173-221 record in five seasons. Phoenix GM James Jones also has experience with Williams, who was an assistant coach with the Trail Blazers during the three seasons that Jones played there.

The Suns were scheduled to meet today with Portland assistants Nate Tibbetts and David Vanterpool.

Enes Kanter Could Miss Conference Semifinals With Shoulder Injury

April 27th, 2019 at 12:04pm CST by marksuleymanov

As the Trail Blazers prepare for the next round of the playoffs, the team may be without center Enes Kanter, who suffered a separated shoulder in Game 5 against the Thunder.

Kanter played through the injury, notching 13 points and 13 rebounds in the win. However, it’s uncertain whether the injury will heal to the point of the Turkish center being able to play through it, per The Associated Press.

“I think the Blazers are doing a very good job taking care of it. But, I mean obviously, I’m not going to lie, it hurts pretty bad,” Kanter said. “I mean I’m having a hard time changing my shirt or eating food. So it’s a process. We’re just taking it day by day, see how it feels.”

In five games against Oklahoma City, Kanter averaged 13.2 PPG and 10.2 RPG for Portland. It has been a season revival of sorts for Kanter, who was waived by the Knicks in February after a tumultuous run in New York.

Portland awaits the winner of the Spurs vs. Nuggets series in the next round. Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts hopes an extended break for Kanter — given Portland being the first team to advance — helps him recover for the next round.

“I know it’s too early,” Stotts said. “The good thing is we don’t play until Monday, so we don’t really have to make any decisions until then. So we’re hopeful.”

Free Agent Stock Watch 2019: Western Conference

April 26th, 2019 at 7:47pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Every week, Hoops Rumors takes a closer look at players who will be free agents or could become free agents next offseason. We examine if their stock is rising or falling due to performance and other factors. With the playoffs in full swing, we turn our attention to the Western Conference:

Patrick Beverley, Clippers, 30, PG (Up) – Signed to a four-year, $23MM deal in 2015
Taking a charge while holding one his shoes that came loose epitomizes how Beverley and his team have played during the series. There’s a huge talent gap between them and the Warriors but they refuse to give an inch. Beverley has done a whole lot more than get under Kevin Durant‘s skin. He’s second on the team in assists and rebounds through the first five games while shooting 42.9% from deep. In Games 4 and 5, he averaged 14.5 PPG, 12 RPG and 4.5 APG. Beverley will get a nice raise this summer, whether he lands a starting job or a sixth man role.

Al-Farouq Aminu, Trail Blazers, 28, SF (Up) – Signed to a four-year, $30MM deal in 2015
Portland’s glue guy played an underrated role in the team’s first-round knockout of the Thunder. He was second on the team in defensive rebounds, a major factor with Jusuf Nurkic sidelined. He also led the team in blocks, was second in steals and shot 40.9% from distance, along with providing his usual solid defense. Aminu doesn’t dazzle but he quietly does his job. Reliable, durable role players like Aminu will always have suitors and he’ll receive a full mid-level exception or more on the open market.

Jordan Bell, Warriors, 24, PF/C (Down) — Signed to a two-year, $2.2MM deal in 2017
DeMarcus Cousins‘ season-ending injury hasn’t helped Bell get on the court. He only played 14 minutes in the first five games against the Clippers and was benched in Games 4 and 5. Bell’s immaturity has irked the staff, including a late-season suspension for making unauthorized charges to assistant coach Mike Brown‘s hotel room. Bell can be a restricted free agent if the Warriors extend a $1.8MM qualifying offer, but the 2017 second-round pick doesn’t appear to have a future with the organization.

Markieff Morris, Wizards, 29, SF (Down) – Signed to a one-year, $57.3K deal in 2019
Brother Marcus Morris ripped the Thunder coaching staff over Markieff’s limited role during the postseason. Markieff only played four minutes in the 118-115 Game 5 loss to Portland that ended the Thunder’s season. He wasn’t much of a factor in the first four games of the season, when he averaged around 13 MPG. Markieff praised the organization afterward but his minimal impact won’t help in unrestricted free agency. Add in the neck issue that limited him to 58 regular-season games and Morris won’t have teams beating down his door.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.