The Portland Trail Blazers are staying at home to take on the Los Angeles Lakers for the second game of a brief three game homestand.
This is the second meeting between the two teams in the young 2025-26
NBA season. Portland came away with the win in the first contest, but the Lakers now have Luka Doncic back from injury and are looking to extend their three game winning streak.
What You Need to Know:
Portland Trail Blazers (4-2) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (5-2) – Mon. Nov. 3 – 7pm Pacific
How to watch via antenna or cable: See your options on the Rip City Television Network.
How to watch via streaming: BlazerVision in Oregon and Washington; League Pass everywhere else.
How to listen: Rip City Radio 620AM
Trail Blazers injuries: Scoot Henderson, Damian Lillard, Matisse Thybulle, Blake Wesley (Out); Shaedon Sharpe (Probable)
Lakers injuries: LeBron James, Maxi Kleber, Gabe Vincent, Adou Thiero, Deandre Ayton (Out)
SB Nation Affiliate: Silver Screen and Roll
What To Watch For:
Luka’s Return to Portland. Doncic is back from injury and has played a major role in Los Angeles’s last two wins. The Slovenian superstar has been averaging 41.3 points, 11.5 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game so far this season. However, he also averages 4.0 turnovers per game, something that the Blazers will hope to exploit to disrupt the incredible talent that is Doncic.
Steals, steals and more steals. Portland is first in the league in steals, taking the ball away 12.0 times per game. On the other side, the Lakers are 24th in the NBA in turnovers per game, averaging 15.9 per contest. If the Blazers are able to continue their thieving ways, they could get a lot of opportunities in transition against a relatively sloppy Los Angeles team. However, they will be without the services of Matisse Thybulle and Blake Wesley, two players who have been very effective at forcing turnovers.
Efficiency vs Second Chances. The Blazers and Lakers are at opposite ends of the efficiency landscape in the NBA. Los Angeles is second in the league in field goal percentage, making 52.0% of their shots, whereas Portland makes just 44.4% putting them at 25th. However, the Blazers make up for this difference by being 6th in offensive rebounds per game at 14.0 and the Lakers are all the way down at 28th with 8.6. Whether second chances or making the first shot will prove to be the more effective strategy remains to be seen.
What Others Are Saying:
Jacob Rude of Silver Screen and Roll graded each Lakers after their recent win over the Miami Heat, including one of their newest additions in guard Marcus Smart.
Marcus Smart
27 minutes, 11 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 4 fouls, 4-9 FG, 3-7 3PT, +11
As a somewhat skeptic of the Smart signing, I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop and him to have a bad game and, well, it’s not happening! Smart has been awesome this year and is making such a big impact on both sides of the ball. There’s really no other way to put it and he’s been a huge plus for the Lakers.
Grade: A
