NBA: LA Lakers vs Portland Trail Blazers Injury Report, Predicted Lineups and Starting 5s
The Los Angeles Lakers play the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center on Saturday before returning home for a five-game homestand. The Lakers are coming off a humiliating home loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, while the Blazers have won three straight games after defeating the Indiana Pacers.
The Lakers were defeated by the Thunder yet again, this time at Staples Center. Oklahoma City wins 107-104 after the 18-time NBA champions blow a 19-point lead. The Lakers had blown a large lead against the Thunder for the second time in a week and lost.
The Blazers, meanwhile, snapped a three-game losing streak with a 110-106 victory over the Pacers on Friday. On the second night of a back-to-back, they host the Los Angeles Lakers before embarking on a three-game road trip.
Injury Update for the Los Angeles Lakers
For the game against the Portland Trail Blazers, the Los Angeles Lakers have a large number of players on their injury report. Four players are listed as out, one as questionable, and one as likely. Due to a stiff neck, Dwight Howard is categorized as likely. In the loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, he only played eight minutes.
Anthony Davis is labeled as questionable with a sprained right thumb after injuring his hand against the Thunder. Davis informed reporters after the game that his thumb was alright, but given his injury history, the Lakers will be cautious with him.
LeBron James, Trevor Ariza, Talen Horton-Tucker, and Kendrick Nunn are the four players that have been ruled out. Due to an abdominal strain, James has been ruled out for a week, while Ariza and Horton-Tucker are still recovering from surgery. Since the start of the season, Nunn has been dealing with a bone bruise in his right knee.
Final score from DTLA. pic.twitter.com/ZiDaQRIfHC
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) November 5, 2021
Injury Update for the Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers are in good shape heading into Saturday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Blazers have no players on their injury report, and they had no injuries in their last game against the Indiana Pacers.
The Blazers, on the other hand, will have to deal with a different issue ahead of Saturday’s matchup. Jody Allen, the owner of the Blazers, has opened an investigation into Neil Olshey, the team’s president and general manager, for alleged workplace misbehavior.
Olshey is being investigated for allegedly creating a toxic and hostile work environment for Blazers employees, according to Yahoo! Sports’ Chris Haynes.
Bullying methods, such as intimidation and profanity-laced rants, are among the complaints. The NBA has also begun an investigation into Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver for allegedly creating a hostile, racist, and misogynistic environment.
LA Lakers vs Portland Trail Blazers: Predicted Lineups
LA Lakers
Carmelo Anthony is set to start in place of Anthony Davis if the LA Lakers are forced to play without him against the Portland Trail Blazers. Anthony, who spent the previous two seasons with Portland, is off to a solid start as the Lakers’ sixth man.
Since the start of the season, DeAndre Jordan has been the team’s starting center, although Avery Bradley is set to return to the lineup. In place of LeBron James, Kent Bazemore moves to small forward, and Russell Westbrook takes over as the team’s starting point guard.
If Davis and Dwight Howard are unable to play, the LA Lakers will have to play a very minimal ball rotation versus the Blazers. Off the bench, they have guards Rajon Rondo, Malik Monk, Austin Reaves, and Wayne Ellington.
Portland Trail Blazers
The LA Lakers are slated to face the Portland Trail Blazers with the same starting lineup. Damian Lillard, who has been struggling, is the point guard, with CJ McCollum at shooting guard. Lillard has had a tough start to the season, scoring only four points in a win over the Indiana Pacers.
Meanwhile, Jusuf Nurkic will play center for the squad, with Normal Powell and Robert Covington rounding out the frontcourt. Anfernee Simons, Larry Nance Jr., Nassir Little, Cody Zeller, and Tony Snell are among the Blazers’ bench players.
LA Lakers vs Portland Trail Blazers: Starting 5s
LA Lakers
Point Guard – Russell Westbrook | Shooting Guard – Avery Bradley | Small Forward – Kent Bazemore | Power Forward – Carmelo Anthony | Center – DeAndre Jordan
Portland Trail Blazers
Point Guard – Damian Lillard | Shooting Guard – CJ McCollum | Small Forward – Norman Powell | Power Forward – Robert Covington | Center – Jusuf Nurkic