Saturday, August 22 – 5:30 p.m. PTBlazers injuries: Rodney Hood (out), Trevor Ariza (chose out), Caleb Swanigan (decided out), Zach Collins (out), Nassir Little (out) Lakers injuries: Avery Bradley (pulled out), Rajon Rondo (doubtful) How to view on TV: ABC (or take a look at Fubo for your streaming needs) Radio: 620 AMSBN Affiliate: Silver Screen and Roll
Los Angeles beat Portland in pretty much every element in Game 2. The only benefit for Portland from Thursdays video game was that it enabled Terry Stotts to rest the starters in the 4th quarter.
The Portland Trail Blazers head into Game 3 licking their injuries after suffering their worst loss in Orlandos bubble. The Los Angeles Lakers held Portland to their most affordable score since December 2018 in a 111-88 beat down. Damian Lillard blazed a trail for Portland with 18 points, but made just one of his 7 three-point efforts. Lillard left the game in the 3rd quarter with a dislocated finger on his left hand. Lillard is anticipated to play in Game 3, however will be using a splint.
What to expect
Three-point shooting. The Blazers were one of the best three-point shooting teams in seeding play, hitting more than 15 3s a video game while shooting 41.4 percent. The Lakers were the worst, making less than 10 threes and shooting just 30 percent. That benefit was reversed on Thursday as Portland made just 8 threes on 27.6 percent shooting while Los Angeles struck 14 on 36.8 percent shooting. Part of Portlands struggle can be credited to the Laker defense. They were likewise holding Portland listed below 30 percent partway through the 4th quarter of Game 1 before Portland turned it on to end up that game at 38 percent. The Blazers need to discover a way to get great looks from beyond the arc and to knock them down. If they cant out-shoot LA from 3, they are going to have a difficult time beating the Lakers.
Who will step up? The Lakers are appropriately focusing their protective attention on restricting Damian Lillards scoring. Portland needs to make them pay by getting somebody else going. Throughout the video games in Orlando the Blazers have seen huge scoring video games from CJ McCollum, Carmelo Anthony, Jusuf Nurkic, and Gary Trent Jr., but none have actually been effective up until now against the Lakers. McCollum has shot 13 of 36 (38.9 percent) in the series. Anthony is 4 of 17 (23.5 percent), Nurkic is 8 of 21 (38.1 percent), and Trent Jr. is 5 of 15 (33.3 percent). If they want to get back on track in Game 3, the Blazers require one or more of their other scorers to get going.
Toughness inside. While the Lakers outscored Portland from distance on Thursday, they count on controling inside. Half of LAs points have can be found in the paint in the series, the highest mark in the playoffs. The Blazers require to do a much better job of crashing the defensive boards. They permitted 17 and 15 offending rebounds in Games 1 and 2, respectively. On Thursday the Lakers turned those extra belongings in 20 second-chance points. Portland does not require to outscore the Lakers in the paint to win the series, but they cant make things easier for them by quiting additional possessions.
What theyre saying
Harrison Faigen of Silver Screen and Roll took a look at Kentavious Caldwell-Popes bounceback Game 2:
[W] hen Caldwell-Pope is the one making the defense pay for sending out additional bodies at James and Davis, he will get the credit for all the other things he does to assist his team, too, from the energy he gives the method he chases after around opposing guards defensively.
Game 2 he shot the ball well. Game 1 he didnt. Both video games he played really well.
Jonathan Tjarks of The Ringer questions if LeBron is showing his age:
Perhaps this is nothing. Perhaps LeBron is just conserving himself for a long playoff run. The chances are that he will ultimately blow up for a 30- or 40-point game versus a defense as bad as the Blazers.
However hes also no. 8 perpetuity in profession minutes (48,551) and no. 1 among active gamers. Vince Carter was no. 2 prior to retiring at the end of the season. Pau Gasol (no. 3) might be best behind him.
In his 17th season, LeBron is competent and still huge enough to control without being the finest professional athlete on the flooring. He did end up being the very first player in NBA history with a minimum of 20 points, 15 rebounds, and 15 helps in a championship game in Game 1. However the Lakers may still have to make some concessions to his age as the level of competitors increases down the line in the playoffs.
Mark Medina of USA Today blogged about the relationship in between Anthony Davis and LeBron James:
” I was truly down on myself after Game 1. I didnt feel like I carried out to the level I needed to,” Davis said. “( LeBron) let me have my moment and kind of get on myself and then he talked to me.”
What did James state?
He said its one video game and as a person whos won several champions and has been in these situations before, he understands what to expect,” Davis stated. Because it was just one video game.”
The Portland Trail Blazers head into Game 3 licking their wounds after suffering their worst loss in Orlandos bubble. Los Angeles beat Portland in quite much every element in Game 2. They were also holding Portland listed below 30 percent partway through the 4th quarter of Game 1 prior to Portland turned it on to end up that game at 38 percent. Throughout the games in Orlando the Blazers have seen huge scoring games from CJ McCollum, Carmelo Anthony, Jusuf Nurkic, and Gary Trent Jr., however none of them have actually been efficient so far against the Lakers. He did become the first gamer in NBA history with at least 20 points, 15 rebounds, and 15 helps in a playoff video game in Game 1.
