Moda Center will be packed with Blazers fans screaming “Beat LA” and Lakers fans decked out in purple and gold tonight as the beat-up Portland Trail Blazers host the battered visiting Los Angeles Lakers. Each team’s roster is decimated by injury to key contributors.
LA will sit Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves (and perhaps Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes). The team has lost four out of its last five games including a Thursday night drubbing meted out by the Charlotte Hornets. While Luka, the Chosen One and the Chosen Son (h/t Blazer’s Edge commenter ThrowItDownBigMan) have led the Lakers to a better record (24-15) than the Blazers (20-22), LA’s season has been marred by porous defense, inconsistent play and locker room drama. The team enters Portland during a stretch of five games in seven nights.
On the Home side of the court, the Blazers will also trot out a skeleton crew. Deni Avdija is listed as doubtful with what is now being called a back strain. The return of Jrue Holiday and Jerami Grant to the lineup restored a point guard and a veteran scorer to the floor. But, those two are listed as questionable tonight as the team manages recovery from their injuries. If Portland’s hungry young guys can take advantage of the Lakers’ lack of defensive commitment, the Blazers could give those opposing fans something to stick in their craw on the drive home.
What you Need to Know
Los Angeles Lakers – (24-15) at Portland Trail Blazers (20-22) Wed., Jan. 17 – 7:00pm Pacific
How to watch via antenna or cable: See your options on the Rip City Television Network
How to stream: BlazerVision in Oregon and Washington; League Pass everywhere else
How to listen: Trail Blazers Audio Network
SB Nation Affiliate: Silver Screen and Roll
Trail Blazers Injuries: Scoot Henderson, Damian Lillard, Kris Murray, Matisse Thybulle, Blake Wesley (Out); Deni Avdija (Doubtful); Jerami Grant, Jrue Holiday (Questionable).
Lakers injuries: Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, Adou Thiero (Out); Deandre Ayton, Jaxson Hayes (Questionable).
Kit: The Blazers will take the floor in its carpet Icon Edition jerseys. Los Angeles will wear its white Association Edition unis.
In the last week: Trail Blazers: W vs HOU, L vs NY, L vs GSW, W vs ATL
Lakers: L at SAC, W vs ATL, L vs CHA
Stat Leaders: Trail Blazers: Points, Avdija (26.1 per game). Rebounds, Clingan (10.7). Assists, Holiday (7.3). Steals, Thybulle (2.5). Blocks, Clingan (1.3).
Lakers: Points, Dončić (36.6 per game). Rebounds, Ayton (8.7). Assists, Dončić (8.7). Steals, Dončić (1.6). Blocks, Ayton (1).
Tale of the Tape: Trail Blazers: Offensive rating: 113.1 (23rd place) Defensive rating: 115.5 (17th place)
Lakers: Offensive rating: 116.8 (8th place) Defensive rating: 117.6 (26th place)
Up Next: The game is the first of two Blazers back-to-backs this week. The team plays LA at home tonight and at Sacramento tomorrow. Portland returns home to host Miami Thursday and Toronto Friday.
Storylines
Inching Closer to Full Health
Just as President Ulysses S. Grant helped stabilize the country’s post-Civil-War economy, the return of veteran forward Jerami Grant helped fuel the Blazers’ victory over the Hawks. The team needs scoring and Grant can deliver when healthy and available.
Blazers center Donovan Clingan talked about Grant’s impact with Joe Freeman of The Oregonian after his return to the lineup:
“He’s a special player and a big part of this team,” Clingan said of Grant. “He has the ability to knock down big-time shots. He allows us to have more guys out there who can guard 1 through 5. His activity, his knowledge, it’s important. He’s a vet in this league and he’s been doing it for a long time. So, really, just having that is big time for us.”
So Much Drama
As if the on-the-court issues weren’t enough for the Lakers to navigate, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin wrote about how intrigue broke out in the stands during a recent game in reaction to Adele’s husband-to-be, longtime James confidant and super agent Rich Paul publicly calling for the team to trade Austin “Stone Cold” Reaves.
One of Reaves’ agents, Reggie Berry of AMR Agency, approached Paul on the sideline near half court at halftime of the Lakers-Hawks game Tuesday. The two spoke for more than five minutes and the topic of conversation was Paul’s public trade scenario regarding Reaves, sources told ESPN.
What Others Are Saying
Still on the Blazers’ Payroll
While Donovan Clingan continues to thrive as a Portland starter, Deandre Ayton’s inconsistent play has become a hallmark of this edition of the Lakers. LA coach, JJ Reddick knows Ayton can offer more than he regularly shows. Reddick left Ayton on the bench in two recent fourth quarters, a storyline Thuc Nhi Nguyen of the LA Times wrote about:
Ayton’s energy has appeared to fluctuate in recent games, including two games in which he did not finish the fourth quarter on the court. Ayton promised to be a defensive anchor for the team that picked him up in free agency after he flamed out with Portland last season, and the 7-footer has been good, Redick said, “when he’s engaged.”
“It just, you know, just more consistency,” Redick said. “He’s shown he can do it … Deandre’s told on himself: he can be a really good defender.”
Enough Whining
Meanwhile, after the Lakers’ loss to Charlotte, Marcus Smart appeared to call out Lakers leading scorer, Dončić, for his histrionics.
“Instead of getting back (on defense), we’re talking to the officials a lot,” Smart said. “We gotta be able to play on and move on to the next play.”
Blood in the Water
In a sign of his diminished leadership role, the 41-year-old James did not address the media after the Hornets’ victory. But Smart wasn’t done. In comments you might expect from a team’s coach or best player, the 2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year questioned the effort of his teammates.
“I mean, it doesn’t matter who it is. Doesn’t matter the team, doesn’t matter the player,” Marcus Smart said. “If they were shooting 20% [before], they’re shooting 50%. And it’s unfortunate, but that’s part of the game. It’s tough. We got to figure it out. We got to play with a little bit more urgency on that end, especially, and kind of impose our will. It’s not easy. Especially when you play for the Lakers, you always are the hunted— no matter what.”
No Help For It
Edwin Garcia over at Silver Screen and Roll says the Lakers’ Thursday night loss to the Hornets might indicate a problem larger than just a lack of defensive effort.
The reality might be that there is no solution for the Lakers’ defensive woes.
Perhaps they are simply too slow, too unathletic and too old to keep up with a league that seems to be getting bigger, younger and faster by the day. And no amount of rest, film work, or player desire can alter this team’s defensive trajectory.
No matter which Blazers players are healthy enough to take the court tonight, they will face an opponent battling some self-inflicted wounds.
“Fans, you’re the Sixth Man, and the Moda Center is OUR house!”
Let’s hear it: BEAT LA!
