Trail Blazers on the rise, prep for Clippers, Bulls, Raptors: Morning Blazer

UPDATED BELOW

Hey there, Rip City. Welcome to the Morning Blazer! Let’s get this Monday started right.

Well, here we are again, Trail Blazers fans. The beginning of another work week.

Anybody got a case of the Mondays?

Well, we’ve got the perfect solution for that. (Not really. But it sounds good.)

Let’s get rollin’.

Trail Blazers vs. Clippers

The Trail Blazers (27-22; 6th in the Western Conference) have three games this week.

First, they head to Los Angeles to take on the Clippers (25-24; 9th in the West). The Trail Blazers have won two in a row and five of their last six. And the squad is starting to gel in a good way. Big kudos to Terry Stotts, who knows how to build a winner with spare parts and second-hand items.

The Trail Blazers are third in the super-crowded Northwest Division; just three-and-a-half games back of the first-place Minnesota Timberwolves.

And the Blazers are in a good spot to move up in the Western Conference, too, with just four-and-a-half games separating them from the third-seeded San Antonio Spurs.

The Clips have won eight of their last 11 games, including a six-game winning streak. They’re led once again by Blake Griffin, whose last-second three-pointer beat the Trail Blazers 104-103 in their first and only meeting thus far this season, back on Oct. 26 at the Moda Center.

The match-up on Tuesday will be the second of four games between the two teams this season.

Tuesday’s tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. The game’s on TNT, which means the broadcast will last for about 14 hours. (Editor’s Note: This is sarcasm. TNT broadcasts do not last 14 hours; they just feel like they last 14 hours.)

The Rest of the Week

The Trail Blazers’ Tuesday tilt against the Clippers is the first of an away-home back-to-back.

On Wednesday, the Chicago Bulls head to the Moda Center for a 7 p.m. game.

This will be the second and final time these two teams play each other this season.

Portland beat the Bulls 124-120 in overtime on New Year’s Day.

Then on Friday, Portland travels to Toronto to take on the mighty Raptors for the second and final time this season. That game tips at 4:30 p.m.

The Raptors spanked the Trail Blazers 99-85 on Oct. 30 at the Moda Center.

A Fun Look Back

Three years ago today, this happened:

The police did good work, apparently. About a week later, Damian Lillard was named to his second consecutive NBA All-Star team, replacing an injured Griffin.

Next: Terry Stotts builds another winning Trail Blazers lineup

The All-Star snubs would come the next two seasons for Lillard.

But Dame will return to the All-Star Game for the third time in 2018.

Have a great week, Rip City.

And go Blazers!

UPDATE

The Clippers traded Blake Griffin Monday to the Detroit Pistons. The Trail Blazers play the Pistons in Detroit next Monday (Feb. 5).