Following an upset loss in Game 1, Los Angeles has taken control of the series with a pair of comfortable victories that improved the Lakers to 7-2 ATS in the last nine meetings. Portland is averaging just 98.7 points per game against LA after scoring 124-plus in five of its previous six.
- Date/Time: August 24, 9 p.m. ET
- Arena: The Arena (WWOS)
- TV Coverage: ESPN
- Sportsbook Odds: Lakers -7.5 | O/U 224 (Line History)
- Lakers vs Trail Blazers Matchup Report
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
No surprises here with the Sportsbook line after the first three games closed with LA favored between 6.5 and 7.5 points. The total is the lowest of the series, marking the third straight game oddsmakers have dropped the OVER/UNDER, but Saturday’s contest went UNDER by just half a point.
Los Angeles News & Notes
LA could have some added motivation when it takes to the court Monday in its first game after what would have been Kobe Bryant’s 42nd birthday. The Lakers will reportedly wear their Black Mamba uniforms for the contest in honor of the late legend, and coach Frank Vogel told reporters Sunday that Bryant’s passing is still very much on the minds of his team.
Los Angeles’ chances of honoring Bryant’s memory with a victory should be quite strong if the Lakers can continue to exploit their size advantage inside. LeBron James and Anthony Davis combined to score 67 points Saturday, when the Lakers also enjoyed a 43-19 advantage in free-throw attempts. Danny Green, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Alex Caruso complemented that interior attack by shooting a combined 6-for-14 from behind the arc.
Injured point guard Rajon Rondo is listed as doubtful as he continues to battle back spasms. Rondo, who was activated Saturday but did not play, has not seen action since March.
Portland News & Notes
The grind of playing must-win basketball for a couple of weeks may finally be catching up to the Trail Blazers. After a 7-1 stretch that saw them earn the final playoff spot in the West and then upset the Lakers in Game 1, Portland has dropped the last two contests by a combined total of 31 points. The Blazers offense has also cooled, scoring 108 or less in three straight games after posting 124-plus in five of its previous six outings. Portland has gone UNDER in each of those last three games following an 8-1 run to the OVER.
Damian Lillard’s dislocated finger injury in Game 2 certainly hasn’t helped Portland’s cause either. The unanimous MVP of the seeding round, Lillard hit just two of his nine second-half field-goal attempts in Portland’s 116-108 loss Saturday in Game 3. Lillard admitted to reporters after the game that he feels discomfort when handling the ball, including when he gathers to shoot.
Betting Pick: UNDER 224
Lillard and the Blazers have been a great story in the bubble, but they look like they’re simply running out of gas. The Lakers have gone UNDER in seven of their 11 Orlando games and I expect them to lean on their defense once again to grab a 3-1 series lead.
- The Lakers are 3-8 ATS in their 11 games in the Orlando bubble.
- The total has gone UNDER in the first three games of this series.
- The Lakers are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 vs the Trail Blazers.
