Rip City Project
Fansided

Portland Trail Blazers vs. Los Angeles Lakers: Preview, injury report, and how to watch details

By Marlow Ferguson Jr.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 22: Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers drives to the basket past Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half of Game Three of the first round of the playoffs between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Portland Trail Blazers at the AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 22, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 22: Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers drives to the basket past Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half of Game Three of the first round of the playoffs between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Portland Trail Blazers at the AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 22, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

In a rematch of last year’s Western Conference Quarterfinals, the Portland Trail Blazers open road play against the defending-champion Los Angeles Lakers. Here’s what you should know about Monday’s game.

Here’s an early-season take that may as well be hot enough to heat up the room: three games into 2020-21, the Portland Trail Blazers are a work in progress.

They’re far from championship-ready — few teams in December are — but Monday night will give them a chance to access their progress during the road opener against the defending-champion Los Angeles Lakers.

The two teams have some familiarity, particularly from last season’s Western Conference First Round series, when the Lakers deemed the Blazers ineligible in a gentleman’s sweep.

Those losses helped create the basis for this year’s Portland team, showing them the team they would likely need to beat to win a championship. Groupthink within the Blazers’ front office went out to acquire talent to combat the Lakers’ length and versatility after Los Angeles stifled Portland’s No. 1-ranked offense in the Orlando bubble.

The Lakers found a way to contain Lillard by forcing the Blazers to run offense through everyone else. But, Frank Vogel didn’t showcase that new wrinkle until the postseason. Given how early we are into the season, and the fact that the Lakers’ roster is filled with new faces, a chance for Portland to attack, especially if they can turn defense into offense.

Portland put that on display in spurts during their 128-126 win over the shorthanded Houston Rockets, when deflections and defensive awareness became the deciding factor.

Well, that and the gift that is having CJ McCollum in tow. The often-overlooked guard exploded for 44 points (the second-highest of his career), the 13th time in his career that he and Damian Lillard each had 30+ points in the same game.

The Lakers are welcoming in a remarkable amount of new players themselves, which could give the Portland Trail Blazers an opportunity to strike. Here are a few things to know.

How to follow the action:

— Date: Monday, December 28th
— Time: 7:00 pm PT
— How to watch: NBATV, or FuboTV
— How to listen: NBA League Pass Radio or Rip City Radio 620 AM

Injury report, per CBS Sports

— (POR) Nassir Little, health and safety protocols (game time decision)
— (POR) Zach Collins, ankle (expected to be out until at least Jan. 20)
— (POR) Carmelo Anthony, health and safety protocols (per The Athletic‘s Jason Quick)

— (LAL) Anthony Davis, calf (expected to be out until at least Dec. 28)

— (LAL) LeBron James, ankle (questionable for Monday’s game, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin)

— (LAL) Alex Caruso, hand (questionable for Monday’s game, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin)

Projected starters:

— POR — Damian Lillard (G), CJ McCollum (G), Derrick Jones Jr., (F), Robert Covington (F), Jusuf Nurkic (C)

— LAL — Dennis Schroeder (G), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (G), LeBron James (F), Anthony Davis (F), Marc Gasol (C)

Blazers: Predictions on GTJr. and Collins' contract extensions. dark. Next