Portland Events, Music, Art, Entertainment, Sustainability | PDXPIPELINE.com

The game starts at 4: 30 PM (happy hour time!) on Comcast Sports Network. If you do not have television or want a good Portland establishment to enjoy the game with friends, here are several suggestions from our sponsors.

Watch Trailblazers Games in Portland:

Tanker Bar (Se Hawthorne & 48th) | (503) 445-4635 | More info: tankerbar.com
Tanker Bar will be playing all games on their 6 large LCD TVs. $1 Pabst during all Blazers & Football games, and $1 off Nachos during all games. 15 beers on tap, Buckhunter, free popcorn.

Blitz (Ladd, Pearl, Tigard, NW 21) | More info: blitzbarpdx.webs.com
Blitz's FOUR locations will be happening as always with tons of televisions, drinks specials, and games (ping pong, shuffleboard, buckhunters, horseshoes in Tigard, and more).

East Burn (East Burnside & 18th) | (503) 236-2876 | More info: www.theeastburn.com
East Burn will have the game on a large projection screen on their heated patio and also downstairs. Recess discount menu from 3-6PM. They have daily drink specials (pdf of specials here). After Game: Watch NEW Portlandia Episode @ East Burn

NE 15th Avenue & Hawthorne Hophouses | More info: oregonhophouse.com
15th Avenue: 1517 NE Brazee | Hawthorne: 4111 SE Hawthorne Blvd.
The Blazers are back and we are ready to make up for lost time. While they dunk, we'll drink. Come watch the Blazers take on the Cavaliers at 6pm at the Hophouse! Dress in Blazer gear and get your first beer for $2.00.

-------------------------------------

Preview: Portland Trail Blazers @ Detroit Pistons

By Cain Stoneking

Portland Trailblazers (9-6) @ Detroit Pistons (3-13)
Saturday, January 21st, 4:30pm CSN

Game Notes:With a win and LaMarcus Aldridge’s historic night in Toronto now behind them, the Trail Blazers face the Detroit Pistons. LaMarcus’ 33 point, 23 rebound effort was only the second 30/20 game a Blazer has posted since 1977. He is looking every bit the all-star as he is now eighth in the league in scoring and second in scoring among power forwards. He will have a chance to pad those stats against a very hapless team in the Detroit Pistons.

The Pistons are having another bad year with no real stars or building blocks on their roster. Greg Monroe is probably the only bright spot but even he can’t carry a team this bad. Both teams will be coming off a back-to-back and while the Blazers have not been very good in back-to-backs, they also haven’t had the luck of playing the Pistons. The Pistons are currently in a four game losing streak and all of those losses have been against teams with a losing record.

The Pistons:

Starting Lineup: Brandon Knight, Ben Gordon, Greg Monroe, Tayshaun Prince, Ben Wallace

Bench: Jason Maxiell, Jonas Jerbko, Austin Daye, Walker Russel JR, Rodney Stuckey

X’s and O’s:

The Pistons don’t scare the Blazers. They don’t generate fast break points, second chance points or points off turnovers. They are a slow paced team that somehow turns the ball over a lot and their defense has a lot of holes in it. The one thing they can do well is shoot the three and we have seen already this season that this alone can kill the Blazers. As long as the Blazers guard the three point line, this should be an easy game.

Advantage Blazers:

With the Blazers fully healthy and the Pistons carrying a few injuries, the bench in tonight’s game is going to have a huge advantage. This is good because the Blazers will be able to rely on them playing the second game of a back-to-back. Craig Smith has shown the ability to score inside when no other Blazer is hitting. He doesn’t want to make offense a big part of his game but will when the time calls for it.

Crawford is limiting his turnovers and adding assists even though his scoring and shooting are way down. Batum is back and playing very energetic basketball and will have to keep that up. Nolan Smith is finally playing meaningful minutes and is beginning to look like he might understand what it takes to play point in the NBA.

Last Words:

With a win tonight, the Blazers would split this tough six game road trip and return to the Rose Garden to play three games in three nights. It will be the first back-to-back-to-back for the Blazers this year and they will have to play another one later in the season. The Blazers would be wise to get out to a great start and hope the bench can hold the lead so they can rest their legs for the upcoming week.

Games this week:

Sacramento – 23^rd

Memphis – 24^th

@ Golden State - 25

Phoenix - 27^th

@Utah – 30^th

Blazers coverage by Cain Stoneking, a life-long Oregonian who breathes Blazers basketball. During the offseason he enjoys backpacking and playing music in his local band Foxtrot. Follow him on twitter at Letsgoblazers, or write to him at lightcain@gmail.com.