Two Western Conference giants set to collide in a pre-season game as Denver Nuggets play last season’s conference finalists Portland Trail Blazers on the road.
Though it’s a game with no stakes and hardly an indicator of how the team may or may not fare in the entire regular season, Nuggets will still be looking at this game as an opportunity to avenge the last season’s conference semifinal loss to the same opponent.
That said, a host of superstars are likely to miss this game, so Nuggets fans may have to wait a little longer for the desired result. But that doesn’t mean, that the Nuggets can’t win this game. The squad is deep the talented to beat any team in its day.
Portland meanwhile will surely be targetting to emulate the last season’s performance. For Balzers’ conference finals appearance was the first instance that the team passed the first round hurdle.
Nuggets and Blazers finished 2nd and third respectively in the Western Conference, with just one game separating both the teams.
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MATCH DETAILS:
Match Timing: October 09, 2019, @ 05:30 AM IST
Venue – Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Capacity- 12,888
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DEN vs POR Dream11 Team News:
Portland Trail Blazers:
Pau Gasol (left foot) and Jusuf Nurkic (left leg rehabilitation) both have been ruled out of this game due to their injuries.
Expect limited minutes for the superstars:
But Blazers are a talented roster with the other superstars available for selection. However, if Blazers’ head coach Terry Stotts’ statement is anything to go by, then expect both Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum to get a limited opportunity in this match.
New players looking to make an impact:
Portland added proven stars such as Kent Bazemore, Hassan Whiteside (doubtful for this game) and Pau Gasol (out of this game), as well as, Anthony Tolliver, Jaylen Hoard and Mario Hezonja, to their 2019-20 roster. So expect these players to get some minutes in this game.
Rodney Hood stayed put with the team and will be playing this season for Blazers.
While in terms of departure, Evan Turner, Meyers Leonard, Seth Curry, Jake Layman, Al-Farouq Aminu, Enes Kanter, and Moe Harkless all left the franchise.
Squad – Portland Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum, Moses Brown, Nassir Little, Rodney Hood, Zach Collins, Anthony Tolliver, Mario Hezonja, Jaylen Hoard, London Perrantes, Anfernee Simons, Gary Trent Jr., Troy Caupain, Pau Gasol, Skal Labissiere, Hassan Whiteside, Kent Bazemore, Jusuf Nurkic
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Denver Nuggets:
Injuries:
Serbian superstar Center Nikola Jokic will not be playing this game as he has been allowed a rest, while new signing Bol Bol missing has been ruled out due to a foot injury.
Nuggets clearing the roster: Isaiah Thomas, Trey Lyles, Tyler Lydon, Thomas Welsh, and Brandon Goodwin all left the franchise in the off-season.
Squad – Denver Nuggets: Will Barton, Malik Beasley, Bol Bol, Vlatko Cancar, Tyler Cook, Jerami Grant, Torrey Craig, PJ Dozier, Gary Harris, Juancho Hernangomez, Nikola Jokic, Paul Millsap, Monte Morris, Jamal Murray, Mason Plumlee, Michael Porter Jr., Jarred Vanderbilt, Tyler Zeller
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DEN vs POR Dream11 Playing Team (Probable 5):
Portland Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum, Rodney Hood, Zach Collins, Hassan Whiteside
Denver Nuggets: Mason Plumlee, Will Barton, Jamal Murray, Gary Harris, Paul Millsap
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DEN vs POR Dream11 teams:
Contest haven’t opened yet.
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DEN vs POR Dream11 predictions: