Here is what you need to know before the Lakers go head-to-head with the Portland Trail Blazers.
1) Wayne Ellington is out for the season after averaging a career-high 10.0 points on 41.2 percent shooting in 65 games. Ellington suffered a separated right shoulder in the fourth quarter of Wednesday’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans and joins Steve Nash, Julius Randle, Xavier Henry, Kobe Bryant and Ronnie Price on the list of Lakers who have been lost for the season due to injury.
2) Up until March 30, Jordan Clarkson had zero double-doubles in 49 career games. However, the rookie has now reached double-digit points and assists in back-to-back contests. Clarkson has played exceptionally over the last week, averaging 20.7 points, 9.3 assists and 6.3 rebounds, while shooting 23-for-38 (60.5 percent) over his last three games.
3) The Trail Blazers are looking to sweep the Lakers for the first time in 21 years. L.A. has struggled to contend in its first three games against Portland, dropping the last two by 12 and 16 points.
4) The key to Portland’s success against the Lakers has been the stellar play of Damian Lillard. The Oakland native ranks third among players who have faced L.A. more than once with 29.3 points per game. Lillard has also been a monster down the stretch, averaging 16.5 fourth-quarter points against the Lakers, though he also sat out the entire final period in their last meeting on Feb. 11.
5) LaMarcus Aldridge ranks in the top 10 in scoring (23.6) and rebounding (10.3), but the way he is putting up these numbers has been arguably more impressive. Aldridge is second in the NBA in points on second-chances (4.2) and post-ups (8.5). Meanwhile, he is grabbing 72.1 percent of his rebound chances, which is the third-best mark in the league.
6) Two of Portland’s struggling shooters have found their strokes recently. Nicolas Batum is shooting career lows from the field (40.9) and 3-point range (32.8), but he is 19-for-29 and 12-for-18, respectively, over his last three games. Meanwhile, Arron Afflalo is hitting his worst percentage (42.8) since his rookie season, but he has gone 20-for-33 during that same span.
7) However, Portland is missing arguably its best shooter, as Wesley Matthews is out for the season due to a torn left Achilles tendon. Portland had gone 41-19 before Matthews — who is first in team history in made 3-pointers (826) — went down, but it is just 7-7 since.
8) The Trail Blazers rely on their starting five for the majority of their offense. No current bench player averages at least nine points, and the reserves rank second-to-last in the NBA in scoring (26.6). Meanwhile, the starters rank second in points scored (76.3).
9) The Trail Blazers have been the league’s best free throw shooting team, hitting 79.7 percent of their foul shots. However, Portland’s opportunities have been seldom, as they take the third-fewest shots from the charity stripe (19.8).
10) Portland grabs the NBA’s second-most rebounds (45.9), and it has been efficient doing so. Led by Aldridge, the Trail Blazers also rank second in rebounds per chance (62.7 percent).
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