Trail Blazers @ Lakers Game Thread
After sweeping a three-game homestand, the Trail Blazers make a quick pit stop in Los Angeles to take on the rival Lakers. So far, the Trail Blazers are 0-2 against the Lakers, falling hard 121-96 back on November 7th and gave away a heartbreaking, 106-101 defeat on February 23rd. But this will be the first time the two teams have met with the newly acquired Gerald Wallace in the lineup, a well-known thorn in the Lakers' side from his Bobcat days. A lot will be riding on this game as Portland has now grabbed a hold of a 5th place tie with Denver and opened up a two-game lead in the loss column over the Hornets. A win pushes them into 5th while a loss makes the makes it tougher to breathe in the Wild, Wild West.
For the Blazers to walk away victorious, they will have earned it. The Lakers are scorching hot, winners of 11 of their last 12 since the All-Star Break. Rebounding is obviously key, since La possesses a lot of length and height. 3-point shooting will also play a role. If our shooters can't dial it in from downtown, LA will double LaMarcus all night, making it hard to operate. Finally, bench production will be vital. If B-Roy, Rudy, Patty & Marcus can outplay their LA counterparts, most notably Shannon Brown & Lamar Odom, the Blazers could be the talk of the town.
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