Heading into this season the playoffs seemed like a longshot. But the Trail Blazers defied preseason expectations and made the postseason as the fifth seed in the Western Conference. Portland is playing with house money entering their first round series with the favored Clippers.
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Portland Trail Blazers +7
Los Angeles Clippers -7
Over/Under 207.5
LOOK AHEAD
Portland overcame big odds to reach the postseason. Most prognosticators had the Trail Blazers finishing near the bottom of the Western Conference standings after losing every starter besides Damian Lillard from last season’s team. But they surged into fifth place behind their dynamic backcourt of Lillard and C.J. McCollum, winning seven of their final nine games. The Blazers did struggle on the road down the stretch losing nine of their last 11. Their only wins in that span came against Sacramento and New Orleans. Portland’s 16 away victories during the regular season are the fewest of any playoff team.
The Clippers won their first six games following Blake Griffin’s return to the lineup and won 10 of their final 12 games. The defeats came when coach Doc Rivers rested his starters, including Wednesday’s season finale. While the Blazers are playing with house money since no one expected them to be here in the first place, the Clippers are getting their lineup in order with the return of Griffin.
INJURIES
Portland’s Chris Kaman missed the final three regular season games with an ankle injury and is unlikely to play on Sunday. The reserve center rarely sees the floor anyway, so his potential absence won’t affect the team’s rotation.
Clippers guard J.J. Redick has been diagnosed with a heel bruise and he sat out Wednesday’s regular season finale, though he likely would have been rested along with the other starters. The injury doesn’t appear to be serious and Redick is expected to play when the series opens on Sunday.
KEY MATCHUP
Portland’s success this season has been spearheaded by the team’s unequivocal leader Damian Lillard. The only starter remaining from last season’s 50-win, division champions, Lillard has ascended to superstardom in his fourth season. He led the team with a 25.1 points per game average while dishing out 6.8 assists per game, and on Wednesday he drained three three-pointers to become the franchise career leader in that category with 828. Portland must win the battle of the backcourts to have a chance against the Clippers. Nearly every other matchup favors LA. That’s where Lillard comes in. He’s struggled in his career against the Clips with his scoring average more than five points below his overall average. But that won’t stop him from trying to take over a game, like’s he’s done so many times this season.
QUICK PICK
The Blazers have nothing to lose and the Clippers have plenty to prove as we enter the postseason. Portland will play loose and free as the heavy underdog in this game and the series and that makes them a dangerous squad. LA surpassed the 50-win mark for the fourth consecutive season, but their playoff struggles are noteworthy. A meltdown in last year’s conference semifinals still lingers, but the Clips are poised to make a strong run this season. And they have a rested Griffin back after a lengthy absence to make the lineup whole.
NBA Odds: Los Angeles 108, Portland 103
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BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! The contest pitting the Portland Trail Blazers versus the Los Angeles Clippers will commence Sunday, April 17, 2016, at 10:30 p.m. ET at Staples Center. The contest will be broadcast nationally on TNT.
