Blazers at Staples Center -- A Preview

Tonight the Blazers have traveled back to the city of Angels and the Staples Center to take on the Los Angeles Lakers, one of Portland's biggest rivals. This game brings a huge pivotal moment in the Blazers' season as it could very well tell the tale of the post season. With a San Antonio win last night, Portland is going to have to fight that much harder to obtain the 7th seed so we could very well see a POR/LAL match up in the first round.

• The Lakers have won five straight contests between the teams in Los Angeles and 14 of the past 16. Portland’s last road win in the series came on Feb. 21, 2007 (112-108). • The Trail Blazers earned a 107-98 victory in the first game of the series Jan. 8 in the Rose City behind Brandon Roy’s 32 points (9-11 FG, 13-14 FT). Portland never trailed, leading by as many as 20 points in the fourth quarter.

• Portland had defeated the Lakers in nine straight meetings at the Rose Garden before L.A. earned a 99-82 win on Feb. 6 in a game played without injured stars Brandon Roy and Kobe Bryant. The Lakers carried a 47-30 rebounding margin, including a career-high tying 22 boards by Lamar Odom, and a 48-22 advantage in points in the paint.
• Portland and the L.A. Lakers meet just three times this year, as the Lakers are one of two teams the Trail Blazers visit only once (San Antonio). Portland’s only trip to STAPLES Center to face the Lakers on Sunday marks its final road contest of the season. • The Trail Blazers and Lakers split last year’s series, with each game going to the home team. Portland won by 12.5 points per game at the Rose Garden, while Los Angeles outscored Portland by 17.0 points in two games at STAPLES Center.
• In four meetings last season, the Lakers outshot the Trail Blazers, 46.0% to 41.1%, from the floor. Los Angeles bested Portland from the foul line, 80.5% to 67.3%. • Brandon Roy led Portland with 21.7 points, 6.0 assists and 1.67 steals in his three games vs. the Lakers last season.
• Rudy Fernandez and the Lakers’ Pau Gasol were the two leading scorers on the Spanish National Team’s silver medal performance at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, falling to Nate McMillan and the United States in the championship game. • Lakers radio broadcaster Mychal Thompson played seven seasons for the Trail Blazers from 1978-86, averaging 16.7 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.39 blocks in 551 games.

                           Probable Starters:

    Portland:                                                      Los Angeles:

LaMarcus Aldridge                                              Ron Artest

   Nicolas Batum                                                 Lamar Odom

   Marcus Camby                                                    Pau Gasol

   Andre Miller                                                  Shannon Brown*

    Brandon Roy                                                    Derek Fisher

* - Shannon Brown would be starting in place of Kobe Bryant, who's been out the past couple games for his finger, but he is probable for tonight's game.

In our last game against Dallas, we allowed their physicality and the officiating determine the outcome. If we want to come away with a win tonight, we need to really battle the Lakers and come out with urgency. The Lakers have really been struggling as of late with the loss of Andrew Bynum and if we battle down low and play the level of basketball this team is not only capable of but has proven this season, we can come away with one of the biggest wins of the season. 

Go get it Portland!!