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Isaiah Thomas, Damian Lillard named Players of Week through March 1

Isaiah Thomas, Damian Lillard named Players of Week through March 1

Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas and Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard today were named NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, Feb. 23, through Sunday, March 1.

Thomas helped the Celtics to a 3-1 week, which included wins over the Phoenix Suns and Charlotte Hornets. He placed third in the East in scoring (22.0 ppg) and tied for seventh in assists (6.5 apg). On Feb. 27, Thomas scored a season-high 28 points and dished out seven assists during the Celtics’ 106-98 win over the Hornets.

Lillard led the Trail Blazers to a 3-0 week, which included wins over the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder. He averaged 26.0 points (third in the conference) and added 5.7 assists and 4.7 rebounds. Lillard capped his week with a 31-point, seven-assist, four-rebound performance on March 1, during a 110-99 win over the Sacramento Kings.

Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Atlanta’s Paul Millsap, Charlotte’s Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Mo Williams, Golden State’s Stephen Curry, Houston’s James Harden, Indiana’s George Hill, Los Angeles Clippers’ DeAndre Jordan and Chris Paul, New Orleans’ Tyreke Evans, Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook, and Phoenix’s Eric Bledsoe.

Blazers survive monster game from Westbrook

Blazers survive monster game from Westbrook

Here’s the Oregonian reporting on the Portland Trail Blazers, who were able to come away with a win despite Russell Westbrook unleashing yet another monster game for the OKC Thunder as Kevin Durant continues to miss time due to injury:

Nicolas Batum looked over the stat sheet searching for something he could point to explain the Trail Blazers comeback win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

“We…stepped up defensively,” Batum finally said after an extended pause. The Blazers’ small forward sat in front of his locker with ice on both of his knees after he was tasked with slowing Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook down the stretch of an exhilarating victory.

“That was a playoff game,” Batum said. “That was a playoff game.”

The Blazers rode the postseason atmosphere inside the Moda Center to a 115-112 win over the Thunder on Friday night, overcoming an 13-point fourth quarter deficit in the process.

Westbrook was electric. He ended his historic February with his third straight triple-double, finishing with 40 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists. But the Blazers slowed him just enough in the closing minutes to escape with the win.

Winning time for Trail Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers are 36-17 and in the mix to compete for an NBA championship this season. The time to win is now. Here’s the Oregonian reporting:

After all those roster rebuilds, after all that front office turmoil, after all the hyperbole about being a contender, the Trail Blazers on Thursday reinforced that there is a new era in Rip City.

“It’s winning time,” Wesley Matthews said.

The Blazers were a part of the busiest and most frenetic trade deadline in NBA history on Thursday, when they traded Thomas Robinson, Will Barton, Victor Claver and a lottery-protected 2016 first-round draft pick to the Denver Nuggets for Arron Afflalo and Alonzo Gee.

The addition of Afflalo, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard known for his tenacious defense and lethal long-range shooting, not only strengthened the Blazers’ bench for the stretch run, but also offered a no-doubt-about-it signal that the franchise believes it is primed for a deep playoff push. The Blazers’ window for contending has cracked open and President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey’s move to add Afflalo and Gee made it clear the franchise is ready to climb inside.

Steve Blake will change jersey number to honor Jerome Kersey

Steve Blake will change jersey number to honor Jerome Kersey

Following the untimely and tragic loss of Trail Blazers legend Jerome Kersey, Portland guard Steve Blake will switch his jersey number to 5, hanging up the No. 25 that Kersey wore for the Trail Blazers from 1984-95.

“Jerome Kersey meant a lot to this team and to this city,” said Blake. “I’ve known Jerome for a long time now and wanted to honor him and his vast contributions both on and off the court. I consider it an honor to wear the number 25, but this just seemed like the right thing to do.”

Blake asked for and received NBA permission to change his jersey number to 5, effective beginning Friday at Utah.

Danny Ainge discusses playing with Jerome Kersey

Here’s the Oregonian with quotes on Jerome Kersey, the former Trail Blazers who has unfortunately passed away:

Danny Ainge will remember many things about Jerome Kersey, but one thing will always stand above all: His smile.

“He always played happy and hard,” Ainge said Thursday morning. “And that made him a great joy to be around on a day-in-day-out basis.”

Kersey died unexpectedly on Wednesday in Tualatin. He was 52.

Kersey played his first 11 seasons with the Blazers, including two with Ainge – the record 63-win season in 1990-1991 and the NBA Finals season of 1991-1992.

Jerome Kersey dies at age 52

Former Trail Blazer Jerome Kersey dies at age 52

A beloved figure and one of the most prolific Portland Trail Blazers, Jerome Kersey, has passed away at age 52. Cause of death has not been confirmed. A long-time resident of Portland after his 17-year NBA career, Kersey was employed by the Trail Blazers as Director of Alumni Relations as part of the team’s Social Responsibility Department.

“Today we lost an incredible person and one of the most beloved players to ever wear a Trail Blazers uniform,” said Trail Blazers Owner Paul Allen. “My thoughts and condolences are with the Kersey family. He will be missed by all of us. It’s a terrible loss.”

“We’re shocked to lose such a great member of our Trail Blazers family,” said Trail Blazers President and CEO Chris McGowan. “The news is so sudden, and we’re sure more details will be forthcoming. But it is indeed a sad day for our organization, the city of Portland and the NBA. Jerome will be remembered not only for his incredible contributions on the court, but his tremendous impact in our community.”

“Jerome was an incredible influence on our players as a model for life after basketball,” said Trail Blazers President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey. “He set the bar extremely high with his long-lasting influence in this community.”

Kersey was part of the great early 90s Portland nucleus that led the Trail Blazers to the NBA Finals in 1990 and 1992. He ranks fifth on the team’s all-time scoring list (10,067) and third in rebounds (5,078) after an 11-year tenure in Portland from 1984-95. He continued his career with Golden State, L.A. Lakers, Seattle, San Antonio and Milwaukee, and he won an NBA Championship with the Spurs in 1999.

Damian Lillard named to 2015 West All-Star team as replacement for injured Blake Griffin

Damian Lillard named to 2015 West All-Star team as replacement for injured Blake Griffin

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard has been named a 2015 NBA All-Star by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to replace injured Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin, the league announced today.

Lillard was the expected pick as an injury replacement on the West All-Star team. DeMarcus Cousins had already been picked to replace the injured Kobe Bryant. Both Lillard and Cousins are having terrific seasons, and it seemed like a toss-up as to which was more worthy. There’s simply a lot of talent in the Western conference this season.

Lillard, 24, is averaging career highs of 21.6 points (42.9% FG, 34.4% 3PT, 85.7% FT), 4.6 rebounds and 1.49 steals to go with a team-high 6.3 assists in 51 games this season. The NBA Western Conference Player of the Week for the week ending Nov. 16, Lillard is one of just five players averaging 21 points and six assists per game.

The NBA’s late-game scoring leader with 311 points in the fourth quarter, Lillard ranks 13th in scoring, 15th in assists and is sixth in 3-pointers (129).

Lillard is playing in back-to-back NBA All-Star games, becoming the fourth Trail Blazer to be selected twice in his first three seasons (Maurice Lucas, Brandon Roy and Sidney Wicks).

This year’s NBA All-Star Game will mark the 10th time the Trail Blazers will feature multiple players in the game, and the second consecutive year the duo of LaMarcus Aldridge and Lillard earn All-Star honors.

Golden State head coach Steve Kerr, who earned the right to coach the West team because the Warriors had the best record in the conference through games played Feb. 1, will determine Griffin’s replacement in the starting lineup.

The 2015 NBA All-Star Game will tip-off at 5:30 p.m. (Pacific) on Sunday, Feb. 15, from Madison Square Garden in New York. The game will air live on TNT.

Nic Batum status uncertain for Friday

Here’s the Oregonian with a Trail Blazers update for a very big Friday matchup:

Nicolas Batum’s status for the Trail Blazers’ Friday night game against the hottest team in the NBA is uncertain.

Batum was a game-time decision before the Blazers visited the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, and the starting small forward did not decide to play until about an hour before tipoff, after going through a pregame shooting session. Batum, who has played with a sprained right wrist since Dec. 17, was grimacing throughout the session, but decided to play through the pain.

January 26 Trail Blazers at Nets game postponed, and rescheduled for April 6

The National Basketball Association has announced that tonight’s Portland Trail Blazers at Brooklyn Nets game, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Barclays Center, has been postponed due to severe weather conditions. The game has been rescheduled for Monday, April 6, at 7:00 p.m.

All tickets for tonight’s game will be honored on the rescheduled date, April 6.

LaMarcus Aldridge delays surgery, will try to play through thumb injury

LaMarcus Aldridge delays surgery, will try to play through thumb injury

Here’s the Oregonian reporting some good news — maybe — for the Trail Blazers. Why are we saying “maybe?” Because presumably, if Aldridge had surgery, came back in 6-8 weeks and was fine, maybe he’d be as good as ever as the playoffs approach. But since he’s returning now, he needs to figure out just how effective he can be while playing through the injury. If he’s still himself, fine. But if he’s semi-limited and can’t help the Blazers as needed, he may have to change courses yet again and opt for surgery sooner rather than later. As for the report:

Forward LaMarcus Aldridge has put surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb on hold indefinitely and will play through the injury the Trail Blazers confirmed to The Oregonian/OregonLive on Saturday.

Aldridge underwent two MRI tests and consulted with two doctors — one in Portland and one in Cleveland — before announcing on Thursday he would undergo surgery and miss six to eight weeks.

Aldridge said on Thursday that no surgery date had been set, but he would see a surgeon “within the week.” On Saturday, the Blazers announced Aldridge will hold off on surgery and try to play through the remainder of the season.