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Match Details
Fixture: Portland Trail Blazers vs LA Lakers
Date & Time: Thursday, August 20th, 2020, 9:00 PM ET (Friday 6:30 AM IST)
Venue: AdventHealth Arena, Disney World, Orlando, FL
The Portland Trail Blazers lead the first-round series against the LA Lakers 1-0 after their victory on Tuesday. We look forward to their game on Thursday in which the Lakers will hope to level the series and regain their rhythm before it becomes too late.
Portland Trail Blazers Preview
The Portland Trail Blazers are on a roll. Since their loss to the LA Clippers, they have turned up the heat against all their opponents. Damian Lillard has been playing at an elite level and scored a team-high 34 points in Game 1, while CJ McCollum had 21 on the night.
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Jusuf Nurkic racked up a double-double with 16 points and 15 rebounds, and his defense in the interior against Anthony Davis was stellar. Carmelo Anthony showed up once again with a three-pointer late in the fourth quarter.
The Portland Trail Blazers have all the talent and momentum to make it to the second round of the playoffs. They will hope to beat the LA Lakers in Game 2 and take a 2-0 lead in the series.
Key player - Damian Lillard
Portland Trail Blazers' star Damian Lillard has been destroying team after team and has been unstoppable on the offensive end with his long-range three-pointers. He will be key to the Portland Trail Blazers' chances in this series. Lillard will have to battle double and triple teams that will undoubtedly be thrown at him.
We will likely see his playmaking skills on display in Game 2. With a better set of shooters around him, Lillard seems to have the edge in his battle against LeBron James. Who will be the better playmaker in Game 2, LeBron James or Damian Lillard?
Portland Trail Blazers Predicted Lineup
Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum, Gary Trent Jr, Carmelo Anthony, Jusuf Nurkic
Also Read: When is the NBA Draft Lottery? - Everything you need to know
LA Lakers Preview
The LA Lakers are facing an uphill challenge in this first-round series against the Portland Trail Blazers. With their 100-93 loss on Tuesday, many holes in their offense were exposed as they shot just 35.1% from the field and a horrendous 15.6% from beyond the arc.
LeBron James was the sole bright spot for the LA Lakers with a monster 23-point, 17-rebound, 16-assist triple-double. Anthony Davis had a 28-point night but struggled shooting, going just 8-24 from the field. He was unable to hold up against the Portland Trail Blazers' bigs.
The LA Lakers will have to turn things around in Game 2 against the Portland Trail Blazers or else this could be a very short series.
Key player - Anthony Davis
With LeBron James playing his heart out on both ends of the floor, Anthony Davis needs to step up and make his shots in Game 2 for the LA Lakers. He has been stellar on the defensive end and kept drawing fouls on the offensive end. He was, however, unable to make most of his shots and his misses cost the LA Lakers the game.
We look forward to his battles with the Portland Trail Blazers' big men, Jusuf Nurkic and Hassan Whiteside in Game 2. Will Anthony Davis turn things around for the LA Lakers?
LA Lakers Predicted Lineup
LeBron James, Danny Green, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Anthony Davis, JaVale McGee
Portland Trail Blazers vs LA Lakers Match Prediction
This game will once again be a close contest but we expect the Portland Trail Blazers to win Game 2 against the LA Lakers.
Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum have been lights out in the NBA bubble. Carmelo Anthony has been reliable in the clutch while Jusuf Nurkic and Hassan Whiteside have dominated the interior, not allowing Anthony Davis to control the flow of the game.
While LeBron has performed at an elite level, he will have to lift the team to victory with his scoring as well if their shooting struggles continue. Danny Green and Dion Waiters will need to step up and make three-pointers if the LA Lakers are to have a chance in this series against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Where to watch Blazers vs Lakers?
Local coverage of the match can be seen on Spectrum SportsNet and NBC Sports Northwest. The same will be broadcast on national television on ESPN. Fans in India can live stream the fixture on Sony Six. You can also live stream the fixture via NBA League Pass.
