The Portland Trail Blazers are back in action Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Lakers in a nationally-televised game that will hand one team its first loss.
The Blazers (2–0) will be well-rested after three full days off following Friday night’s 128-120 win in Sacramento. The Lakers (3-0) held off the Utah Jazz 132-123 on Sunday afternoon thanks to 52 points and 10 assists from Luka Doncic.
With the crew from NBC and Peacock on hand for the national broadcast, tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 PM
Pacific. Let’s take a closer look at tonight’s game.
What you need to Know:
Portland Trail Blazers (2-0) at Los Angeles Lakers (3-0) – Tuesday, October 27th – 8:00pm Pacific
How to watch: NBC, Peacock
How to listen: Rip City Radio 620AM
Trail Blazers Injuries: Shaedon Sharpe (Out), Jayson Kent, John Tonje, Chris Youngblood (Out — G League); Branden Carlson, Scoot Henderson (Questionable).
Lakers Injuries: Cameron Carr, Adou Thiero (Out).
What to Watch For:
Offensive Fireworks: The Lakers own the league’s highest scoring average at 128 points per game, while the Blazers are second at 126 points per game. It’s way too early to know how much of the scoring barrage is sustainable, but it is safe to say that both teams are clicking offensively over the first week of the season.
The Blazers torched the Suns in the opener with 19 three-pointers in 47 attempts (40.4%). Then when the threes weren’t falling in Sacramento (14-48, 29.2%), the Blazers found other ways to score. They converted an absurd 32-of-48 (66.7%) two-pointers and got to the free throw line 30 times against the Kings.
The Lakers have the best shooting percentage (54.5%) in the NBA and are second in three-point percentage (42.1%). To win this one, the Blazers will need to light up the scoreboard again.
Guard Depth: Like the Blazers, the Lakers employ a long list of talented guards. Doncic will be the primary facilitator when he’s on the floor, but Austin Reaves will get plenty of opportunities to run the offense as well. Quentin Grimes and Collin Sexton, both acquired this offseason, will be available off the bench. Grimes got an opportunity to play significant minutes over the last season and a half in Philadelphia, where he scored 15.7 points per game. With a career average of 18.3 points per game, Sexton has been getting buckets around the NBA for nearly a decade now.
But none of those Lakers guards are known for defense. Can the Blazers win the battle of the backcourts?
At the time of this writing, Scoot Henderson is listed as questionable with ankle soreness. If he is able to play, could he produce his first standout performance of the season? In the first two contests combined, he made just 1-of-9 from behind the three-point line, but there are encouraging signs. He is 7-of-11 on shots from within 15 feet of the basket, where he has historically been inefficient. If he plays, look for him to be aggressive against the Lakers’ second unit.
Thybulle’s Assignment: Matisse Thybulle will take on his former team for the first time as a member of the Lakers. He has started the season’s first three games and has been primarily responsible for defending the opposing team’s best perimeter player or lead ballhandler, including:
- Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors
- Darius Garland of the Los Angeles Clippers
- Keyonte George of the Utah Jazz
Where does he spend most of his time against the Blazers? Hounding Ja Morant as he initiates offense? Chasing Damian Lillard off the ball? Trying to stay in front of Deni Avdija? That’ll be a conundrum for a lot of Blazers opponents this year, and it will be interesting to see how the Lakers deploy their most disruptive defender.
What Others are Saying:
ESPN had some interesting statistics after Doncic dominated the Jazz on Sunday:
It was Doncic’s fourth career 50-point and 10-assist game, breaking a tie with Nikola Jokic, Russell Westbrook, Damian Lillard and Nate Archibald for the second most in NBA history behind James Harden (8).
Doncic becomes the second player in NBA history to have a 50-point, 10-assist game with multiple franchises (Lakers and Mavericks), joining Wilt Chamberlain (76ers and Warriors).
