NBA: Portland Trail Blazers vs LA Clippers Prediction And Match Preview
When the Los Angeles Clippers take on the Portland Trail Blazers at Staples Center on Monday, they’ll be hoping to snap their losing run. The two playoff-bound teams will meet twice this week, with the second showdown taking place in Oregon on Friday.
Match Details
Fixture – Portland Trail Blazers vs LA Clippers | NBA Season 2021-22
Date & Time – Monday, October 25th, 2021; 10:30 PM ET (Tuesday, October 26th, 8:00 AM IST)
Venue – Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
Portland Trail Blazers Preview
The Portland Trail Blazers did not make any offseason changes, but they remain a potent playoff club. As starters, CJ McCollum and Robert Covington have been outstanding.
So far, McCollum has led the squad in scoring in both of the team’s last two games. Against the Sacramento Kings, he scored 34 points on 14-24 shooting, and against the Phoenix Suns, he scored 28 points on 10-19 shooting.
Meanwhile, Jusuf Nurkic has returned to full strength. In the Blazers’ first game, the Bosnian big man had 20 points and 14 rebounds, and in the second game, he had 9 points and 12 rebounds.
So far, Larry Nance Jr., Nassir Little, and Cody Zeller have provided solid productivity off the bench for the Portland Trail Blazers. Anfernee Simons scored 18 points in 24 minutes against the Phoenix Suns, and he was a plus-25 for the night.
This season, new head coach Chauncey Billups will be looking to enhance his team’s defense. Despite the fact that the Blazers have only played two games, their pick-and-roll coverage appears to be improving, as they are now ranked fifth in the league in defensive rating.
When you get your first win as a head coach you get the game ball & a shower đ¤Łâ¤ď¸
(video coming soon) pic.twitter.com/Qm4P5mm75P— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) October 24, 2021
Portland Trail Blazers Predicted Lineup
G – Damian Lillard | G – CJ McCollum | F – Norman Powell | F – Robert Covington | C – Jusuf Nurkic
Preview of the Los Angeles Clippers
After all, the Los Angeles Clippers might be without Kawhi Leonard. Despite Paul George’s great numbers, they opened the season from 0-2 on the road. Serge Ibaka, who is out with a back injury, as well as youngster Keon Johnson, are also sidelined for the Clippers.
Following his spectacular performance in Game 6 of the 2021 Western Conference Semifinals, Terance Mann is expected to take on a larger role off the bench.
Coach Tyronn Lue prefers Marcus Morris Sr. to start, therefore Nicolas Batum will now come off the bench. Furthermore, with Patrick Beverly’s departure, Reggie Jackson has taken over as the team’s full-time point guard. During the 2021 NBA playoffs, he made an impression on the NBA community, and the LA Clippers re-signed him in free agency.
Tyronn Lue is one of the finest coaches in the league when it comes to making in-game adjustments, as he demonstrated in the last two games. Both losses were tight, with an average margin of four points between them.
As a result, the LA Clippers don’t have much to be concerned about; all they have to do now is keep the course.
LA Clippers Predicted Lineup
G – Reggie Jackson | G – Eric Bledsoe | F – Paul George | F – Marcus Morris Sr. | C – Ivica Zubac
Match Prediction: Trail Blazers vs. Clippers
In comparison to the Los Angeles Clippers, the Portland Trail Blazers appear to be in better shape. The Clippers have dropped their last two games, while the Blazers have just defeated the Phoenix Suns. Furthermore, the Los Angeles Clippers are plagued by ailments, although the Portland Trail Blazers are mostly healthy.
The Blazers appear to be the clear favorites to win this game.