Trail Blazers vs Lakers: Will LA Make It Three Straight Heading Into The Postseason? (Apr 13)

• The Trail Blazers are 35-46 and have been eliminated from the postseason contention.
• LA is 49-32 and recently wrapped up the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference playoff race.
• These teams last played on Feb. 20, with the Lakers claiming a 110-102 victory.

One of the games on Sunday’s NBA slate features the Portland Trail Blazers hosting the Los Angeles Lakers. Will the Blazers end their season on a positive note in our Trail Blazers vs Lakers pick?

Trail Blazers Hope To End Three-Game Skid

After a 112-103 victory against the Toronto Raptors on Apr. 3, the Trail Blazers have dropped three of their last four games, including a 103-86 setback against the Golden State Warriors on Friday.

Jabari Walker, who comes off the bench, made the most of seeing extended playing time. He led the way with 19 points and six rebounds, connecting on six of his 10 shot attempts.

Ryan Rupert also provided the team with some scoring punch off the bench. He added 15 points, and rookie big man Donovan Clingan chimed in with 14 points and a game-high 15 rebounds.

Portland was within 11 points in the third quarter. Unfortunately, Golden State used a key 17-3 run to extend its advantage to 25 points (67-42), effectively putting the game out of reach for the home team.

Lakers Seeking Fifth Victory In Six Games

Following a seven-point loss against the Golden State Warriors on Apr. 3, the Lakers have responded with four wins in their last five outings, including a blowout 140-109 win over the Houston Rockets on Friday.

Luka Doncic guided an offense in which five players, including four starters, registered double-digit scoring totals. He led the way with 39 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and shot 5-for-9 from beyond the arc.

Austin Reaves dropped 23 points, along with seven boards and six dimes. Rui Hachimura and LeBron James chipped in with 16 and 14 points, respectively.

With Houston opting to rest four of its starters, Los Angeles seized control of the matchup in the second quarter, outscoring its opponent by a 40-24 margin, which resulted in a 78-56 lead at intermission, making the second half of the contest a mere formality.

Trail Blazers vs Lakers Pick: Who Has The Edge In Meaningless Game For Both Teams?

Portland is just 3-7 in its last 10 games and ranks in the bottom third from an offensive standpoint, averaging 110.9 points per outing. The Trail Blazers are somewhat better at the other end of the floor, ranking 15th in scoring defense.

On the other hand, the Lakers are 7-3 across their previous 10 contests. This group is ranked 15th in defensive rating and 11th in offensive efficiency.

Not only have the Lakers won all three meetings between these teams this season, they have also won six straight in this series. Despite this being a meaningless game for both sides, look for the Lakers to sweep the season series.