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Portland

Portland Trail Blazers

Zach LaVine buries Blazers in furious comeback, 111-108

by Kevin Nesgoda
written by Kevin Nesgoda

PORTLAND, OR — While they took a while to show up, the Chicago Bulls came to play. After going down 20 in the first half, the young Bulls surged back to earn a close three-point win in Portland.


Photo by Bruce Ely via Trail Blazers (used with permission)

Photo by Bruce Ely via Trail Blazers (used with permission)

Starting Lineups

Chicago: Coby White, Zach LaVine, Otto Porter Jr., Patrick Williams, Wendell Carter Jr.

Portland: Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum, Robert Covington, Derrick Jones Jr., Jusuf Nurkic

Game Recap

First Quarter

The Blazers opened things up early, going 4/4 from behind the arc on their first four possessions, including two from Dame (who’s quietly averaging 26 PPG so far this season).

A Nurkic offensive board drew Carter Jr.’s second foul of the game less than four minutes in before RoCo sent one back with two hands.

The Blazers came out of the first timeout and hit more back-to-back threes, this time from CJ and DJJ. If the Blazers shoot like this every night, Charles Barkley will be a rich(er) man.

Portland’s 39 first quarter points and eight threes were both season highs.

Second Quarter

Big CJ and Gary threes and an even bigger DJJ dunk set the tone for the second quarter. Covington hit his third three in as many tries.

The Blazers leapt to a 20-point lead, but the Bulls clawed their way back before Dame & Co. came back in. The lead was cut to seven with three minutes remaining.

Portland shot 40.8% from the field and 44% from three in the first half, while Chicago was held to just 36.2% and 30%, respectively.

Third Quarter

Both teams came out hot to start the second half, and Derrick Jones Jr. flew high for a steep dunk.

LaVine’s pull-up three cut the lead to five, but RoCo and CJ answered with back-to-back triples of their own. LaVine hit back with another one off a quick screen.

Dame started heating up for Portland and put his name in yet another record book in the process.

Portland pulled themselves back up with some exciting shooting, including Melo waiting for ages before CJ assisted him on a fast break.

Still, the Bulls made a quick run at the end of the quarter to eventually pull within four. Their 6/8 three-point shooting fueled the comeback, giving fans a reason to tune in nervously for the final quarter.

Fourth Quarter

Harry Giles checked in for the first time with 9:51 on the clock as Enes Kanter went to the bench with a hand injury.

Gary Trent had a nice drive and take between three bodies to draw a foul, showing he can be more than just a spot-up guy on offense.

Every time the Blazers looked like they could spring a run, Chicago would come right back down the court and score. A bad pass from CJ led to two fast break points for Chicago, forcing a timeout.

A Garrett Temple three gave the Bulls a two-point lead, but CJ and Melo answered to earn Portlanders some free McNuggets. Zach LaVine’s back-to-back bricks ensured Portland’s poor three-point defense went unpunished.

Wendell Carter was fouled by Nurk going up, but Carter’s follow-through made clean contact with RoCo’s face on the way down. While it was clearly unintentional, Covington needed a minute to get up.

With three minutes left, the Bulls held a four-point lead. The Blazers proceeded to play flat for the next two possessions before Dame drew an and-one. It was foolishly called back, but Lillard drew and sank a three-shot foul anyways to stay within three.

Down three, Thaddeus Young passed up a wide open midrange attempt and bulldozed RoCo in the lane for a charging foul.

On the other end, Dame somehow kept his dribble while getting trampled to earn a trip to the line, where he pulled the Blazers within a single point with 30 seconds remaining.

Then Zach LaVine ended the game. The seventh-year guard from Bothell, Washington drained a deep three over Derrick Jones Jr. to snag a two-score advantage with 10.7 seconds left.

Dame hit a long three of his own with 5.7 seconds to go before Coby White hit two free throws to go back up three.

Late in the five-second count, Melo got the inbounds pass and chucked up a turnaround three. It bounced off the rim and out of bounds on the baseline with a second still remaining.

Final Thoughts

New players, new season, same old Blazers. Portland just couldn’t take themselves seriously enough to close out the game. More concerning than the perimeter defense, which is still a big concern, the Blazers were missing open shots that could have put this game to rest so much sooner. Also, Terry Stotts and the boys let a depleted Chicago rotation come back from down 20 to beat a supposed Finals contender at home. The second rotation is still not there.

Player(s) of the Game

CJ McCollum continued his hot start to the season with 26 points on 10/21 shooting, including 6/14 from behind the arc. Still, it’ll take more than one or two major contributions to make any sort of deep run (as us Blazers fans already understand).

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Portland Trail Blazers

Blazers cruise to 123-98 win in San Francisco

by Kevin Nesgoda
written by Kevin Nesgoda

The Portland Trail Blazers traveled up to the Bay after a 1-1 stint in Los Angeles for the first of two games in San Francisco. The game itself was basically over by the fourth quarter, but re-live the highlights below.


Photo via @trailblazers

Photo via @trailblazers

Lineups

Portland stick with Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum, Robert Covington, Derrick Jones Jr., and Jusuf Nurkic after a brutal loss to the Clippers. Carmelo Anthony and Enes Kanter will come off the bench, among others.

Golden State may not be done rebuilding, but they’re sure done acting like it. Second-overall pick and starting Center James Wiseman is the anchor now, to go alongside Stephen Curry and a returning Draymond Green. Andrew Wiggins and Kelly Oubre Jr. at the wings round out the starting lineup.

Game Recap

First Quarter

Wiseman started the game with a three, but Derrick Jones Jr. and Nurkic responded with triples of their own. The Blazers weren’t done, as McCollum and Covington splashed three more down, and Portland began 5-of-6 from behind the arc.

After a timeout, Portland drew two straight fouls on Wiseman, forcing Kevon Looney onto the court. The Blazers then tried to feed Nurk in the paint, but he struggled to score against Golden State’s backups. Enes Kanter and Melo checked in soon after.

CJ’s fourth three (in as many tries) made it 29-9 Blazers as Curry missed multiple open threes—in many ways the polar opposite of what we’re used to seeing from these teams.

Kent Bazemore exercised some revenge against Portland with a pair of threes late in the first period, but the Warriors could not stop CJ McCollum on the other end. Portland’s eighth-year shooting guard put up 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting in the first quarter.

Second Quarter

Carmelo Anthony and Eric Paschall traded free throws and baskets to begin the second, with the Warriors scrapping to turn Portland’s 20-point lead into 10.

Portland kept pouring it on from behind the arc. Anfernee Simons followed Dame with two from long range to pull Portland up to 10-of-15 from deep. More importantly, the Blazers held a 54-38 lead with just over 5 minutes to go in the half.

Wiseman’s third foul came with 4:21 left on a fast break as he bulldozed a set RoCo for an offensive foul.

Carmelo Anthony exploded for 13 points in the second quarter, hitting back-to-back threes to close it out. Portland kept a commanding 67-55 lead heading into halftime.

Third Quarter

The Blazers continued playing well into the ever-dreaded third quarter, forcing turnovers and making Steve Kerr call a timeout three minutes in and down 17.

The Warriors started building momentum, though—a Steph three and consecutive Wiseman blocks fueled a quick run, but Dame & Co. weathered the storm. Harry Giles III got some meaningful playing time and announced himself with a dunk, beating the shot clock after a great feed from CJ.

DJJ used his length impressively to grab a steal-and-dunk, getting his head swatted by Looney in the process to draw a Flagrant I. He followed it up with a baseline dunk a few possessions later.

Portland kept daring the Dubs to shoot, and they obliged. The offensive output was so substantial, though, that an 18-point lead was still in hand entering the fourth.

Fourth Quarter

A strip from Carmelo was the first thing worth paying attention to in the fourth. Dame turned up the heat as the game wore on, finishing with 34 points and 8 assists while shooting 11/21 from the field. The lead grew to 30 and the benches were emptied for the last few minutes.

Final Thoughts

The Blazers had a mostly-complete game, but there was one problem area that I’d like to indulge in a bit. The defensive center rotation was struggling, with Nurk grabbing five fouls in 16 minutes and Kanter being physically unable to guard Eric Paschall. While a young Wiseman-Paschall duo might not hurt you much, more experienced playoff teams will grill us if Nurk gets in trouble early. With Zach Collins out indefinitely following yet another surgery, it’s important for guys like Giles to get real minutes in while they can.

Also, shoutout to Melo for passing Tim Duncan into 14th all-time on the NBA total scoring list. He went 5/9 for 18 points in the win.

Player(s) of the Game

CJ and Dame were back to their classic selves in this one, combining for 62 points, including a combined 10/21 from three.

Next Up

The Blazers will stay in the Bay and take on the Warriors again on Sunday night at 5:30.

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Portland Trail Blazers

Blazers wet the bed on opening night, lose 120-100

by Kevin Nesgoda
written by Kevin Nesgoda

The Utah Jazz left the Moda Center with a convincing 20-point win Wednesday night in the first game of the NBA regular season for both teams.


Photo by Bruce Ely via Trail Blazers (used with permission)

Photo by Bruce Ely via Trail Blazers (used with permission)

Lineups

Portland started with the lineup of Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum, Derrick Jones Jr., Robert Covington, and Jusuf Nurkic. Utah took the floor with Mike Conley, Donovan Mitchell, Bojan Bogdanovic, Royce O’Neale, and Rudy Gobert.

Game Recap

First Quarter

The Blazers got on the board first with a beautiful back-door Dame screen and Nurk pass to CJ, who finished off the glass. He added two threes to open up a 13-6 lead for the Zers early.

Both CJ and Conley started 3/3 before missing their next shots. Derrick Jones Jr. was feeling himself from deep early, making his first two threes.

For all the signs of promise we saw from the Blazers, Dame was struggling early (0/3 from all 12 minutes of the first). The Jazz took the lead soon after the second rotation came in (Kanter, Melo, and Gary) with some lights-out shooting (6/12 from deep).

Melo really struggled, missing all three of his shots in the first period. GTJ’s corner trey pulled Portland within seven, 32-25, to end the quarter.

Second Quarter

Utah continued their hot shooting to open the second quarter, led by Bogdanovic and Ingles. Terry Stotts called for time at the 9:12 mark trailing by 13.

Donovan Mitchell was seen heading back to the locker room, but returned to the bench almost immediately. As he re-entered the game, he smartly drew contact from Covington around a screen for RoCo’s second foul.

Yet another Bogdanovic three forced another timeout with 6:29 left, score at 52-33.

Portland started building some momentum with deflections on defense, but the offensive struggles continued. Mitchell hit two straight threes before drawing another body foul.

Portland ended the half with three misses and two Nurk free throws to make it 65-44. Dame went scoreless in a half for the first time in probably a very long time.

Third Quarter

The second half picked up right where the first left off. Gobert’s monster and-one dunk over Nurk was an emphatic reminder of how poor things were going in Portland.

Even when the Blazers got to their spots, they couldn’t get the shots to fall. Trent passed up a breakaway layup to give Dame a WIDE open three, but even that wouldn’t fall.

The Jazz won the third quarter 29-24 and effectively put the game to bed. With the score at 94-68, no one would lament seeing younger guys get some minutes at this point.

Fourth Quarter

Gary Trent had a Shaqtin’ moment on a missed breakaway layup that really should have been a dunk. He redeemed himself after a timeout by hitting a three to cut the lead to 17.

Still, the best entertainment was provided by Melo’s obscenities. The broadcast failed to mute him on an exceptionally-vulgar and-one attempt, making up for the lack of Rip City representation in the stands.

Portland’s scrubs (Blevins, Elleby, and Giles III) came in with four minutes remaining and the Blazers still down 20. Giles hit a nice three but the Jazz finished with a nice clean 120-100 victory.

Final Thoughts

This was certainly not what we wanted to see on opening night. This really looks like the same old Blazers we saw limp through the pre-bubble regular season last year. The offense never got moving, the defense gave up way too much from behind the arc, and everything was made easier by Mitchell getting between his defender and the rim. His pick-and-roll game with Gobert is ruthless.

When it’s this bad, things can only get better. Here’s a video of the best thing that happened tonight:

Player(s) of the Game

CJ McCollum had a team-high 23 points on 7/19 shooting and was 6/6 from the line. Enes Kanter was a perfect 7/7 from the field, adding eight boards in almost 26 minutes.

Next Up

Portland host Houston on Saturday the 26th at 7pm. The game will be shown on NBA TV and NBC Sports NW.

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Portland Timbers

Claudio Bravo: What to know about Portland’s newest signing

by Kevin Nesgoda
written by Kevin Nesgoda

The Portland Timbers have officially signed Argentine left back Claudio Nicolas Bravo from Banfield in Argentina. The transfer was first reported by Leonel Cerrudo back on October 3rd, and rumored again by Jeff Carlisle on December 3rd.


Image via Portland Timbers

Image via Portland Timbers

Transfer Fee

No official transfer fee was released, but the deal was definitely made using Targeted Allocation Money.

Carlisle’s reported “a transfer fee of $1 million with payments spread out over four years for 80% of Bravo’s rights,” but new reports are saying $1.5 million for 50%. This would be a downgrade in value from the initial reports, but still good value for a player that has the second-highest market value at his position in Argentina, according to Transfermarkt ($2.64 million).

Experience

The 23-year-old Bravo has recorded four assists in 56 first-team starts for Banfield over numerous competitions, including the Copa Sudamericana. He has 43 total appearances in Argentina’s Superliga, 41 of which were starts.

Bravo has also made eight appearances for Argentina’s U-23 National Team, six of which were in important CONMEBOL Olympic Qualification matches.

Overall, Bravo certainly has the first-team experience to make an instant impact in Portland.

How he fits in

Portland have already exported Homegrown talent Marco Farfan to LAFC, and are reportedly looking to do the same with veteran starter-incumbent Jorge Villafaña.

General Manager Gavin WIlkinson called his expectations of Bravo “extremely high,” continuing that “we are confident he will be a very effective and dominant left back in our league.”

Head Coach Giovanni Savarese: “His skillset is a very good balance of offense and defense at his position.”

Analytics sites and scouts seem to agree. SofaScore.com lists Bravo’s strengh as “ball control,” while his weaknesses as “discipline, error proneness, and passing.” Similarly, Whoscored.com gives him a “very strong” rating in dribbling, with other strengths in blocking, intercepting, and concentration.

On-field capabilities may remind fans of Jorge Moreira, another attack-minded outside back who was sometimes caught out of position. Bravo, though, seems like a more capable tackler and all-around defender.

There’s not much public tape on Bravo, but this video is a good indicator of his skillset. I expect the Villafaña transfer to happen and Bravo to be the bonafide starter come March.

As a general update, I’m currently constructing a massive offseason evaluation of the club, including player profiles for every incoming, departing, and current player.

P.S. — There are rumblings of the Double Post Pod returning in full. Stay tuned here for updates and follow me on Twitter at @folkestad3 and @doublepostpod!

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Portland Thorns

Portland Thorns Acquire USWNT midfielder Crystal Dunn

by Michael Martinez
written by Michael Martinez

Portland Thorns today announced that the club has acquired 2019 USWNT World Cup Champion midfielder , and 2015 NWSL MVP winner, Crystal Dunn from OL Reign! She came to Portland in exchange for $150’000 in allocation money, an international roster spot for the 2021 season and Portland’s natural first-round pick in the 2022 NWSL College Draft.

Thorns FC president, Gavin Wilkinson on the transfer of the USWNT star,

“We are delighted to add a world-class player to an already talented group…. Crystal has proven herself on the international level and been a dominant player in the NWSL for many years. Her professionalism and presence will reinforce and add to the strong culture we have in this club.”

The 2021 season will mark Dunn’s seventh season in the NWSL. Dunn, 28, began her career with the Washington Spirit and has played the last three seasons with the North Carolina Courage. She also spent a single season (2017) with Chelsea in the FA Women’s Super League. Individually, Dunn won the NWSL MVP in 2015 along with the Golden Boot, scoring a league-best 15 goals. She has also earned herself NWSL Best XI accolades in 2015 and 2018, and NWSL Second XI honors in 2016 and 2019. During her NWSL career, Dunn has appeared in 89 games while recording 32 goals and 20 assists.

Dunn on her move to Portland,

“I think it’s important people realize that this is a new challenge on the field for me,” she says, “one that’s going to make me a better player. That’s really important to me, alongside my home and my family being there as well.”….

“For me, this move is really about playing for an organization that upholds a standard across the league,” she says, “and really wanting to make a mark and an impact on the environment. So many great players have come through this program, so even though I do believe in my skill set, I know there is a standard I have to meet. That’s going to challenge …”

As a member of the USWNT, Dunn has made 104 appearances, tallying 24 goals and 17 assists. She was part of the team that won the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, starting and playing all 90 minutes of six out of the team’s seven matches. While her natural position is midfielder for club, she has been playing as a Left Back for the US. She has excelled there as well. Being touted as one of the better performers for the USWN defense.

With Portland, the challenges are very clear. In joining the Thorns, she becomes part of a group that, as of recent, increasingly has title expectations. While that’s always been a part of Portland’s DNA, those expectations have increased after three years without a trophy. After the team’s progress during the NWSL’s recently completed Fall Series, the Thorns will likely go into 2021 expecting trophies. And Dunn will play a crucial part.

The challenge, the club, the move home. These factors all matter. They’re all part of Dunn’s next phase. While any of those reasons alone would be enough to justify a new start, for her, it’s the combination that matters most. It’s about being well-rounded, bringing different parts of her life together, and achieving the next big thing which, at this point in her life, she’s sought most: balance.

Portland Thorns FC coach, Mark Parsons, on the transfer of Dunn,

“Crystal is a game-changer, and with her intelligence, dribbling, passing and finishing ability, she can unlock a game in a split second, while her defensive qualities and work rate make her as impactful off the ball as she is on it….. She has a winning mentality, a contagious personality full of positivity and the desire to be the best and make people around her the best.”

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Portland TimbersVancouver Whitecaps

Whitecaps Fall to Cascadia Rivals

by Michael Martinez
written by Michael Martinez


Image via MLS

Image via MLS

Today was the first of many “home” matches for the Whitecaps in Portland, Oregon at Providence Park. Actual home of the Portland Timbers. Yes, you read that correctly. “Home” at Providence Park. We’re just here to accept it at this point. They opened up their run of US based matches with a loss against Cascadia Cup rivals, Portland Timbers. The score ended at 0-1 with the Timbers scoring in the 5th minute after a set piece.

On an unrelated note, this is something that I don’t think I will ever get used to; seeing Whitecaps banners, behind Timbers banners, in Providence Park. Something does not seem right.


Image via MLS

Image via MLS

Lineups

Vancouver Whitecaps: 4-4-2

Besides the obvious formation change, the Whitecaps  made FIVE changes to the starting 11 after the horrible loss to LAFC on Wednesday. With the changes made, I really do feel this is almost our strongest 11 going forward. 

  • Andy Rose for Veselinovic

  • Adnan for Bair

  • Owusu for Baldisimo

  • Montero for Milinkovic

  • Godoy for Cornelius

Portland Timbers: 4-4-1-1

Match Stats

VWFC Man of the Match: Ali Adnan

Referee: Ted Unkel

Scoring Summary

5′ – POR – Felipe Mora (assisted by Eryk Williamson)

Statistics

Possession: VAN 53.2% – POR 46.8%

Shots: VAN 8 – POR 12

Shots on Goal: VAN 3 – POR 7

Saves: VAN 6 – POR 3

Fouls: VAN 16 – POR 16

Offsides: VAN 1 – POR 0

Corners: VAN 5 – POR 5

Cautions

8′ – VAN – Cristián Gutiérrez (yellow)

40′ – VAN – Lucas Cavallini (yellow)

45’+1′ – VAN – Janio Bikel (yellow)

45’+3′ – POR – Marco Farfan (yellow)

49′ – POR – Cristhian Paredes (yellow)

 Match Review

It only took five minutes for the Timbers to get on the score sheet against the Whitecaps. It came from a header from Felipe Mora after a free kick from midfielder, Eryk Williamson. This was the first goal conceded from a free kick all year. This would be the only goal scored all night as the Whitecaps and Timbers both seemed to bunker down and sit back. 

The Whitecaps did not back down without a fight though as they put pressure on Timbers goalkeeper, Steve Clark, forcing him to make some decent saves. The most notable coming after a cross from Andy Rose met the head of none other than Fredy Montero in the 38th minute. The ball unfortunately went straight to the keeper, but it was one of the best chances of the night. 

The second half seemed much more lively as the Whitecaps consistently made it to the Timbers final third. They kept the pressure on until finally sitting back and waiting for the Timbers to come to then. The best chance for a Whitecaps equalizer came from a diving header from Lucas Cavallini in the 52nd minute. The ball just barely wide as it slid past the post after a cross from Dajome. 

The rest of the match was a bit of a snozefest as both teams hunkered down on the defensive front. Ali Adnan, who was MOTM by the way, led the way with eight tackles and three interceptions. This was while playing as a winger for most of the night as well. Keeper Brian Meredith also put in a shift making 6 saves throughout the night. 

Post Match Thoughts

There was not much to dissect in this one because the boys did not play too bad. Especially comparing this to the last match against LAFC. The thing that still gets me is the offensive play. There are times where we were able to move the ball around so well to get into the final third. Then there are times where we just botch the pass, leading to a counter attack. Whitecaps fans are all too familiar with the latter. Whitecaps have quality players do not get me wrong. We are not San Jose. But we just do not have an actual creative outlet in the midfield. 

I know I preach this in every match review, and I had a whole piece regarding this. But the point still stands. It is a glaring whole in the team and it needs to be filled. Once Schuster and MDS make that DP signing, hopefully sooner rather than later, then things can finally get going. Can you imagine having Cava and Fredy up top with someone who can pinpoint a pass into the perfect spot? We could have a lethal striking pair. This will all come with time. 

MDS got his subs in at the wrong times. He was down in the 5th minute on, and he chose not to make any changes until left-back Christian Guitierrez went down with an ankle injury in the 64th minute. This just seems like a tactical miss and he could have changed the tie of the match much sooner. Then not making anymore changes until the 90th minute? That is just unacceptable, especially when you are only down by 1 goal.

Portland is arguably the best team behind Seattle in the west, hell, even the league. We were able to keep them to one goal the entire match and even caused some trouble for them. This is proof that we can be a team that fights back. We just need a little extra help to get there. 

There was also a bit of news that came before the match that the Whitecaps had signed GK Evan Bush from Montreal Impact. No details on the fee or what we traded with just yet. He has yet to play all year and he is getting up there in age (34). MDS made an interesting comment regarding the signing in the post match presser. 

“We can’t play with fire only having one keeper going into the rest of the season. It could be awhile before we see Hasal and Crepeau again.”

 Up next for the Whitecaps is another Cascadia derby when they visit Seattle Sounders at CenturyLink Field on Saturday, October 3. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. PT live on TSN, ESPN +, and Amazon Prime Video for you Washington residents.

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Portland Thorns

Manchester Bound: Tobin Heath Leaves Portland

by Michael Martinez
written by Michael Martinez


Image via Thorns

Image via Thorns

Manchester United Women’s team announced the signing of USWNT and Portland Thorns star, Tobin Heath on a one year contract with an option for a second. Heath, who is one of the world’s best wingers, makes her way to Manchester along with fellow USWNT teammates Christen Press (ManU), Rose Lavelle (ManCity), and Sam Mewis ManCity). She will bring a lot of creativity and tenacity that this Manchester team needs. She may be on the older side, 32, but she still makes a difference while on the pitch. 

She is one of the many NWSL players making the jump overseas. With there being so much uncertainty for the next 9 months after the fall series, it is no wonder why they want to move. This also helps the USWNT players stay in match shape for the 2021 Olympics. With the FA Women’s Super League, and the UEFA Women’s Champions League, they will have plenty of opportunities for game time. 

Heath, 32, joined Thorns FC in the NWSL’s inaugural season in 2013, has helped guide the Thorns to a pair of NWSL Championships (2013, 2017) and an NWSL Community Shield (2016). She is a three-time NWSL Best XI selection (2016, 2018, 2019) and has appeared in 70 regular-season matches with 63 starts. In that time she has recorded 12 goals and 24 assists. She has been one of the best players in the league and her quality and intensity will be missed in Portland. 


Image via Portland Thorns Twitter

Image via Portland Thorns Twitter

In a statement on her move to Manchester United, Heath said: 

“Manchester United is an exceptional club and I’m thrilled to be joining them. I’m looking forward to the challenge of competing in England, playing with and against some of the best players in the world. I have big ambitions for this season and can’t wait to get on the pitch with my new team and start this next chapter,”

Heath has had an incredible career with the USWNT as well. She has won two FIFA World Cups (2015 and 2019) and two Olympic Gold Medals (2008 and 2012). She was also voted as the best US Soccer Athlete back in 2016. Her talent and pedigree is undeniable. 

Watch the Portland Thorns without Tobin Heath on Saturday, September 12th at 12pm PST on CBS. They play OL Reign at home in Providence Park.

UPDATE: Match has been moved to Tuesday, September 15th at 7pm due to hazardous air quality.

Another UPDATE from Thorns front office:
The National Women’s Soccer League today announced that due to continued air quality concerns in Portland and the Pacific Northwest, Portland Thorns FC’s home match against OL Reign, slated for Tuesday, Sept. 15, has been rescheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 30; kickoff is set for 7 p.m. (Pacific) with a streamed broadcast on Twitch.

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Portland Timbers

Patiently Waiting: Timbers vs Union Preview

by Kevin Nesgoda
written by Kevin Nesgoda

The Portland Timbers will face the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday night in the first of two MLS is Back Tournament semifinal matchups.

Rapper Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson released the album Get Rich or Die Tryin’ on February 6th, 2003. Its third track isn’t the best on the project, but it does serve as our metaphor for today’s preview.


Image from Taylor Robinson via Flickr

Image from Taylor Robinson via Flickr

You’ll have to patiently wait until the end for it, however.

Remaining MLSiBT Matches

  • Portland Timbers vs Philadelphia Union

    • Wednesday, August 5th, 2020 @ 5pm PT

    • Watch on Fox Sports 1

  • Orlando City SC vs Minnesota United FC

    • Thursday, August 6th, 2020 @ 5pm PT

    • Watch on ESPN2

  • Final: Portland/Philadelphia vs Orlando/Minnesota

    • Tuesday, August 11th, 2020 @ 5:30pm PT

    • Watch on ESPN

Looking Back

Portland

Portland earned seven points from Group F. By defeating both the LA Galaxy and Houston Dynamo by scores of 2-1, the Timbers secured a spot in the knockout round before their final group match against high-powered LAFC, which was drawn 2-2.

The Timbers nearly stumbled against Cinderella side FC Cincinnati in the round of 16, needing penalty kicks to atone for Steve Clark’s mental lapse that gifted FCC a goal. Portland then pulled out their most convincing performance yet in the quarterfinals against NYCFC, earning a 3-1 win despite going down 1-0 in the first half.

Philadelphia

Philadelphia had an eerily-similar journey as Portland to the semifinals: After earning six points against NYCFC and Inter Miami, a 1-1 draw against Orlando City saw the Union advance to the knockout stage as second-place finishers from Group A.

The Union scraped by Eastern Conference counterparts New England 1-0 in the round of 16 before beating Sporting Kansas City in a convincing 3-1 performance.

Talking Tactics

Now, as two of the hottest teams left in the competition, Portland and Philly are ready to run it back in the semifinals. One can’t predict what the final score will be, but we can anticipate differences in tactical styles.

Philly have found success breaking teams down from the right side of their attack. This means Portland will have to get Sebastián Blanco, who will likely start on the left, more involved in the defending half. Timbers fans will know that Blanco’s starting winger spot is more of a suggestion than anything; he often finds space anywhere he can in the attacking half. Portland’s left side of defense (Dario Župarić and Jorge Villafaña on the back line; Eryk Williamson as the holding midfielder) are ill-equipped to deal with overloads, so expect the Timbers to hug their back line or switch holding mids to nullify Philly’s attacking motions.

But the key for Portland winning this match is in the transition from defense to offense. Portland will likely let Philly have most of the ball and the Timbers will compress into a 4-4-2-ish defensive block. The counterattacking wit of the midfield will be crucial for Portland scoring; the only goals Philly have conceded thus far have been from headers while in a low block (Orlando; SKC) or a counter (Miami).

Another relevant note: As in the quarterfinals, Portland will have two less days of rest than their opponents (Philly played on July 30th; Portland played on August 1st). We saw the Timbers fatigued early on against NYCFC before growing into the game physically, and I expect a similar pattern in this match. Thankfully, Portland seized control against City to get more substitutes in and out, as well as rested Diego Valeri for the entire first half. Essentially, this is another reason to expect Portland to sit back and defend for the better part of the first half (at least).

When the Timbers do have the ball, they will probably be content with knocking it around the back and patiently waiting for defensive lapses to exploit. I would also not be surprised to see Jarosław Niezgoda start at forward over Jeremy Ebobisse to give the Timbers a larger target up top. Although Jebo has had an impressive tournament, his dynamic runs and quick decisions may not be as useful as Niezgoda’s experience and poaching in this match.

As with everything you just read, however, I could be completely wrong. Such is the nature of soccer.

“Patiently Waiting” includes tenacious flows from 50 Cent and his “favorite white boy,” Eminem. The chorus is a growling escalation that explodes into verses when provoked. Topics include 50 and Em’s respective places in the rap industry: “waiting for tracks to explode on” /“feels like my flow’s been hot for so long”.

Believe it or not, the Timbers are in a similar position. While they certainly aren’t at the top of the league when it comes to quality, the Timbers could send a message to the rest of the league with a good performance against Philly (or, better yet, in the final). They may have to sit patiently and wait for an opening in order to score, but the opportunities will present themselves.

Perched between a “good” and “classic” album in the context of hip-hop, Get Rich or Die Tryin’ is widely considered to be 50 Cent’s magnum opus. While Portland’s hypothetical triumph in the MLSiBT (let me indulge) wouldn’t be very momentous within the entire context of Major League Soccer’s 25-year history, it could certainly project them back into “household name” status within the league.

Remember the days when the Timbers absolutely needed to be mentioned in a discussion of MLS’s best teams? Those days can come back, and they might be closer than we think. Just remember, you can’t rush these conversations. The Timbers have to prove it first.

Keep waiting…

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Portland Trail BlazersSeattle SuperSonics

Quarantine Hoops: Catch up on classic Sonics and Blazers games

by Kevin Nesgoda
written by Kevin Nesgoda


Seattle Municipal Archives / CC BY

Seattle Municipal Archives / CC BY

As we all stay at home in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, we’re looking for things to do outside of work and those pesky house chores we’d kept putting off. The NBA’s got you covered, offering a free preview of its subscription NBA League Pass service through April 22nd.

While you can check out all games of the 2019-20 NBA season prior to its hiatus, there are also a number of archived classic games available for your basketball fix. The selection is limited, but there are a few great or notable SuperSonics and Trail Blazers games you can revisit. There are also some All-Star Games and events featuring some fave Sonics and Blazers players for your enjoyment.

Seattle SuperSonics

  • 1979 NBA Western Conference Finals – Game 7: Phoenix Suns vs Sonics (5/17/1979: “Seattle pulls out a Game 7 victory with a wild finish at the buzzer”)

  • 1987 NBA Western Conference Semifinals – Game 6: Houston Rockets vs Sonics (5/14/1987: “Hakeem Olajuwon records 49 pts, 25 rebounds, 6 blocks in Game 6 loss”)

  • 1993 NBA Western Conference Finals – Game 5: Sonics vs Phoenix Suns (6/1/1993: “Barkley’s triple-double with 43 pts is rivaled by Kemp’s 33 pts”)

  • 1994 NBA Western Conference First Round – Game 5: Denver Nuggets vs Sonics (5/7/1994: “Eighth-Seeded Nuggets upset Sonics in NBA’s biggest upset”)

Portland Trail Blazers

  • 1977 NBA Western Conference Semifinals – Game 3: Denver Nuggets vs Blazers(4/24/1977: “Bill Walton and Maurice Lucas“)

  • 1990-91 NBA Regular Season – Game 65: Blazers vs Golden State Warriors(3/19/1991: “Mitch Richmond scores 40 points for the Warriors beating out the Trail Blazers”)

  • 1992 NBA Finals – Game 1: Blazers vs Chicago Bulls(6/3/1992: “Michael Jordan hits six 3-pointers in the first half, then shrugs his shoulders in 1992 NBA Finals Game 1″)

  • 1996 NBA Western Conference First Round – Game 3: Utah Jazz vs Blazers(4/29/1996: “Karl Malone‘s 35/10 not enough vs. Trail Blazers”)

All-Star Games

  • 1977 All-Star GamePOR: Maurice Lucas, Bill Walton (injured); SEA: N/A(2/13/1977: “Dr. J is named 1977 All-Star Game MVP”)

  • 1984 All-Star GamePOR: Jim Paxson; SEA: Jack Sikma(1/29/1984: “OT thriller Magic Johnson 22 assists”)

  • 1986 All-Star GamePOR: Clyde Drexler; SEA: N/A(2/7/1986: “Michael Jordan hits six 3-pointers in the first half, then shrugs his shoulders in 1992 NBA Finals Game 1”)

  • 1991 All-Star Weekend – Slam Dunk ContestPOR: N/A; SEA: Shawn Kemp(2/9/1991: “Dee Brown used his “Peek-A-Boo” dunk to win the 1991 NBA Dunk Contest”)

  • 2001 All-Star GamePOR: Rasheed Wallace; SEA: Gary Payton(2/11/2001: “Allen Iverson MVP”)

Although the Sonics’ Desmond Mason won the 2001 All-Star Weekend Slam Dunk Contest, they don’t have video of that year’s competition.

To access the preview, make sure to sign up for an account at NBA.com. When signed in, visit the NBA League Pass page and a pop-up will let you select the current season or the classic games.

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Portland Timbers

Timbers and Thorns coverage update

by Kevin Nesgoda
written by Kevin Nesgoda
IMG_9283-scaled.jpeg

Hi.

You may have heard that the premier newspaper outlet in the state, The Oregonian, will not be employing a full-time Timbers or Thorns beat writer this year.

https://twitter.com/caitlinmurr/status/1232113294317510657?s=20

In a strange way, this is technically a “win” for me and this lovely site that allows me to spew words at you, since The Oregonian is technically a competitor.

But that’s far from the truth.

I grew up reading The Oregonian. Faded news clips still adorn my childhood room.

Listening to Jamie Goldberg, Richard Farley, and Caitlin Murray on Soccer Made in PDX were one of my main inspirations for starting my own Timbers podcast (that will be back some day, I promise).

Toward the end of last season, when the Timbers were kind enough to let me get press access, I was astonished to actually be in the company of so many writers I recognized.

The Oregonian‘s lack of coverage makes sense, but it still saddens me. There is still an embarrassing lack of Timbers (and especially Thorns) coverage across the board.

https://twitter.com/MerrittPaulson/status/1232765844519677952?s=20

Coverage Plans

Ok, the sad part’s over. here comes the scary part.

My personal goal for this year is to cover as many Timbers and Thorns matches as possible. The only place I have felt more excited than the press box is in the stands.

I avoided saying “all” matches because I’m not yet sure if that’s realistic. I do have college classes, a job, and travel plans that make covering matches maddening, but I will do my best to produce as much quality content as I can.

To anyone reading this, thank you for supporting independent local journalism! No one at this site gets paid for what we do—we do it for the love of the teams and sports we cover. Even if you never read my work again, it’s worth knowing I can help grow the game, even by the smallest fraction.

When I started writing about the Timbers on my own almost a year ago, I was literally tweeting out shared links to Google Docs of my thoughts on players and matches.

I couldn’t be happier that I reached out to Doug and met everyone else here, and I’m anxious to continue improving.

For more of my coverage, check back here or follow @CascadiaSN, @folkestad3, and @doublepostpodcast on Twitter.

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