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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.

LaMarcus Aldridge thumb injury requires surgery

JANUARY 24, 2015 UPDATE: LaMarcus Aldridge Changes Mind, Puts Off Surgery, Returns to Lineup: LaMarcus Aldridge (ligament tear left thumb) puts surgery on hold; will play tonight versus Washington.

Bad news for the Portland Trail Blazers: They’ll be without star power forward LaMarcus Aldridge for 6-8 weeks.

A second magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirms that Aldridge has a radial collateral ligament tear in his left thumb. He will undergo surgery later this week and is expected to be out for 6-8 weeks.

Aldridge sustained the injury in the second quarter of Portland’s 98-94 win over Sacramento on Monday at the Moda Center.

A three-time NBA All-Star, Aldridge is averaging a team-high 23.2 points (46.2% FG, 51.2% 3PT, 86.3% FT) and 10.2 rebounds to go with 1.9 assists and 1.18 blocked shots in 38 games this season. One of just three players averaging 23 points and 10 rebounds per game, Aldridge was named NBA Western Conference Player of the Week for the weeks ending Dec. 7, and Dec. 21, respectively.

Aldridge passed Jerome Kersey for second on Portland’s all-time rebounding list on Friday at San Antonio. Earlier this season, Aldridge passed Terry Porter for second place on the Trail Blazers’ all-time scoring list. Trailing only Clyde Drexler (18,050 points, 5,339 rebounds) in both categories, Aldridge currently has 11,782 points and 5,095 rebounds in 615 games over nine seasons.

Damian Lillard continues to shine for Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers have been one of the league’s best teams these first few months, and there’s no reason for their status to diminish anytime soon. Especially with young star guard Damian Lillard showing no fear, especially when it matters most. Here’s the Oregonian with more:

The Blazers’ All-Star point guard added another memorable and clutch performance to his late-game resume, willing the Blazers to a 98-94 victory over the Lakers Monday night before a sellout crowd of 19,827.

Lillard finished with 39 points, six rebounds and five assists and, as he is prone to do, saved his best for when it mattered most. After that All-Star pow-wow with Aldridge, Lillard exploded for 16 of the Blazers’ final 22 points, nailing back-to-back three-pointers before to start the run, before finishing with timely drives and game-sealing free throws. When it was all said and done, he made 5 of 8 shots, including 3 of 5 three-pointers, in the fourth quarter, enhancing his reputation as one of the NBA’s best late-game players.

“He saved out butts again,” center Chris Kaman said.

It wasn’t just the sheer volume of the fourth-quarter scoring that made Monday night’s performance so clutch. It was also the magnitude of some of the shots.

Al Horford, LaMarcus Aldridge named NBA Players of Week through Dec. 21

Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford and Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge today were named NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, Dec. 15, through Sunday, Dec. 21.

Horford led the Hawks to a 3-0 record, which included a home win over the Chicago Bulls and road wins over the Cleveland Cavaliers and Houston Rockets. He led the Hawks in scoring at 18.3 ppg and stuffed the stat sheet with 6.7 rpg, 5.0 apg, 1.67 bpg and 1.0 spg. Horford’s .605 field goal percentage ranked eighth in the conference. On Dec. 15, he posted 21 points on 10-of-19 shooting, and added 10 rebounds, six assists and two steals as the Hawks topped the Bulls 93-86. Winners of 9-of-10 and with a 19-7 (.731) overall mark, the Hawks are tied for the Eastern Conference’s second best record.

Aldridge helped the Trail Blazers to a 4-0 mark on the week, which included two wins over the San Antonio Spurs and wins over the Milwaukee Bucks and New Orleans Pelicans. Aldridge, who posted point-rebound double-doubles in all four games, ranked sixth in the West in scoring (26.3 ppg), second in rebounding (14.3 rpg), and eighth in steals (2.25 spg). On Dec. 19, Aldridge collected 32 points, 16 rebounds, five steals and two blocks during a 129-119 triple-overtime win over the Spurs in San Antonio. At 22-6 (.786), Portland owns the second best record in the West.

Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Boston’s Kelly Olynyk, Chicago’s Jimmy Butler, Cleveland’s LeBron James, Dallas’ Monta Ellis, Los Angeles Clippers’ Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, New Orleans’ Anthony Davis, Portland’s Damian Lillard, and Toronto’s Kyle Lowry.

Blazers center Robin Lopez breaks hand

Portland Trail Blazers center Robin Lopez breaks hand

Here’s the Columbian reporting some rough news for the Trail Blazers:

The Trail Blazers scored another win against a Western Conference contender, even though the win came with a caveat and a cost.

Behind 21 points, a career-high 10 rebounds and six assists from Damian Lillard, the Blazers defeated a short-handed San Antonio Spurs squad 108-95 Monday at the Moda Center.

But starting center Robin Lopez left the game in the third quarter with a right hand injury and did not return. Terry Stotts said he would be out “a while” with a fractured hand.

“I haven’t seen the play,” said Lopez, with a cast covering his right hand. “I think it’s a couple of fractures.”

Blazers set some season lows in win over Pacers

A win is a win, right? That’s what they say. Some wins are pretty, others not so much. And the opponent? Can’t fault the winning team for beating the opponent they were required to face. Here’s the Oregonian reporting on Portland’s win Thursday:

The Portland Trail Blazers set season lows in a handful of offensive categories, but still managed to grind out an 88-82 win over the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night at the Moda Center.

The Blazers set new seasons lows for points scored (88), field goal percentage (.398) and three point field goal percentage (.190) in an ugly win over the defensive minded Pacers.

Damian Lillard led Portland with 23 points and eight rebounds and LaMarcus Aldridge chipped in a double-double with 18 points and 13 boards on a night where the Blazers never settled into an offensive rhythm.

The Blazers shooting woes never allowed them to pull away. The Portland defense held the Pacers to 39 percent shooting from the floor and forced Indiana into 17 turnovers, but never Portland largest lead was just 11 points.

Trail Blazers on 9-game winning streak

Here’s the Oregonian reporting on the Portland Trail Blazers, who have won nine games in a row, and for the 2014-15 regular season have a 12-3 record, which ties them with the Houston Rockets for the fourth best winning percentage in the league through Wednesday’s games:

Go ahead and celebrate the Trail Blazers’ nine-game winning streak.

Feel free to savor a nice little three-game sweep of an East Coast trip and yet another second-half comeback.

But, as you do, take your largest dose of satisfaction in this:

“I don’t think we’ve played our best yet,” LaMarcus Aldridge said.

The Blazers continued their sizzling early-season run Wednesday night, defeating the Charlotte Hornets 105-97 before 16,972 at Time Warner Cable Arena. But afterward, the sentiment in the visiting locker room was that this team, despite everything it has done, has a whole lot of room to grow.

“We’ve had games where we’ve looked really good,” Damian Lillard said. “But I still don’t think we’ve played our best.”