March 2021 Portland Trail Blazers Wiretap

CJ McCollum: We Ain't Got No Suckas On Our Roster

May 25, 2021 11:13 AM

Early in the first quarter of Game 2 as the Denver Nuggets and Portland Trial Blazers were returning toward their respective benches for a timeout, Jusuf Nurkic brushed against Michael Porter Jr. Porter took exception and pushed Nurkic in the back. Portland assistant coach Nate Tibbetts rushed onto the court and confronted Porter. Porter and Tibbetts were assessed technical fouls.

“We ain’t got no suckas on our roster,” CJ McCollum said. “And we not really going for a lot of stuff. I think they have a lot of players who play hard and do a lot of those same things. So, I enjoy it. I don’t mind it. It’s just part of the playoffs.”

McCollum was given a flagrant for pushing Facundo Campazzo, as was Carmelo Anthony for pushing Nikola Jokic.

Denver won the game 128-109 to even the series. 

Jason Quick/The Athletic

Tags: C.J. McCollum, Denver Nuggets, Portland Trail Blazers, NBA, NBA Playoffs

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Jusuf Nurkic: Blazers Want Nikola Jokic 'To Score And Not Get His Teammates Involved'

May 23, 2021 12:13 PM

The Portland Trail Blazers beat the Denver Nuggets 123-109 to take Game 1 on Saturday night.

The Blazers strategy involved isolating Nikola Jokic into a scorer to take away his passing game. 

"We want him to score and not get his teammates involved. When he scores, I think we have a better chance. The fact he isn't involving all his teammates, he gets more dangerous when he's in and out. I think we feel more comfortable when he scores 30 or 40 and try to lock in on all the other guys to not have a big game," said Jusuf Nurkic after the game.

Jokic scored 34 points, though only finished with a playoff career low one assist in the game.

The Nuggets shot 1-for-10 from the field off passes from Jokic, according to ESPN.

Jokic noticed that the Blazers weren't helping when he got the ball. 

"They were playing me straight up. They were going under pick-and-rolls. They didn't help much on my drives or post-ups. It was that kind of night.

"They did a good job. They made me work for it on every possession. They kind of took other guys out. I couldn't get other guys involved, maybe. Just because of the assists, I'm saying that."


Royce Young/ESPN

Tags: Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets, Portland Trail Blazers, NBA, NBA Playoffs

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Damian Lillard Reiterates Desire To Win Title With Blazers

May 18, 2021 1:33 PM

Damian Lillard not only wants to be an NBA champion, but he wants to do it with the Portland Trail Blazers.

“Like, I can’t express my desire and how bad I want to win it,” Lillard said. “I want that more than anything. Not just to say I won a championship. But I want to do it in this city. I want to have a parade on Broadway and ride past El Gaucho (steakhouse). That’s what I think of. Every time the playoffs is starting, I’m going into it like, ‘Is this going to be the year that we shock the world or that we come up big?”’

The Blazers have won just one title in franchise history, beating the 76ers in 1977.

Lillard will soon turn 31 and is in his ninth NBA season. There could be major changes with Portland if they don't go on a playoff run.

“I mean, I see every year when we get to this point as pivotal,” Lillard told The Athletic. “Because at every point, it’s an evaluation: Where do we go from here? Like, can we get the job done as we are? And if not, where do we go from here? What is the change that needs to be made? That’s just what it is. And I don’t know where that change comes from, you know, maybe we … I don’t know if it’s moving players, I don’t know if it’s a coaching change … whatever it is that happens in the NBA, the changes that are made when you look at the postseason and what you consider success and failure, and things like that, and what changes you have to make to improve or give yourself a better chance. I think we’ve done a lot, and I think every year we get to this point and it’s like ‘What is it that will get us to where we want to be?’

“But I don’t think there is more (pressure). I just think we are further along the way, you know? This ain’t year five. Year five it’s like, ‘All right, it’s been five years …’ It’s been nine now. So I think that’s why it feels like more (pressure), but I don’t think it’s any different than it has been the last two or three years. I just think because we are further along the way it feels that way.”


Jason Quick/The Athletic

Tags: Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers, NBA

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Blazers Likely To Part Ways With Terry Stotts If Team Doesn't Impress In Playoffs

May 5, 2021 9:13 AM

The Portland Trail Blazers are likely to part ways with Terry Stotts this offseason unless the team goes on an impressive run in the playoffs, according to a source who spoke with The Athletic.

Stotts has one season remaining on his contract.

Sources also tell The Athletic that Stotts has less player support than he had in the past.

If the Blazers make a coaching change, they're expected to consider Lakers assistant Jason Kidd, Hawks interim coach Nate McMillan, 76ers assistant Dave Joerger, Clippers assistant Chauncey Billups and Spurs vice president of basketball operations Brent Barry.

The Blazers prefer a high profile coach to replace Stotts should they move on from him.

Shams Charania, Sam Amick/The Athletic

Tags: Portland Trail Blazers, NBA, NBA Misc Rumor

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Kevin Love Interested In Playing For Blazers

May 3, 2021 5:40 PM

Kevin Love went on record to state he's interested in playing for the Portland Trail Blazers.

"Who wouldn't want to play with Dame Lillard? First off all. He's special, he's amazing," said Love in an interview with Chris Hayes that was published on May 3rd but conducted in mid-April.

"I claim Portland. People asked me where I'm from... I spent all my formative years, I grew up in Portland. People ask me where I was born, I obviously say L.A.

"Portland is always going to be a special place in my heart. Whether it be at the end of my career, whether it be in six months. Whatever if may be. If I was wearing a Portland jersey, that's special. That's playing at home."

Love cannot become an unrestricted free agent until 2023 unless he agrees to a buyout with the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

Chris Haynes/Yahoo! Sports

Tags: Kevin Love, Cleveland Cavaliers, Portland Trail Blazers, NBA, NBA Signing Rumor, NBA Misc Rumor

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