LA Clippers vs Portland Trail Blazers Prediction & Match Preview - December 6th, 2021 | NBA Season 2021-22
The Portland Trail Blazers will host the LA Clippers come Monday at Moda Center. The Trail Blazers, who are coming off a 117-145 loss at the hands of the Boston Celtics, are having a terrible start to their season. They stand 10th in the Western Conference with a 10-13 record.
Meanwhile, the LA Clippers have fared slightly better than their Monday night opponents this season. They will head to Portland with a 12-12 record and a loss against the Sacramento Kings behind them.
Match Details
Fixture: LA Clippers vs Portland Trail Blazers | NBA Season 2021-22.
Date & Time: Monday, November 6th, 10:00 PM ET (Tuesday, November 7th, 8:30 AM IST).
Venue: Moda Center, Portland, OR.
LA Clippers Preview
Without Kawhi Leonard amongst their ranks, the LA Clippers have looked rusty. Despite having reliable offensive depth, they are unable to win games. Their current offensive rating of 106.3 is ranked 25th in the league. The only good thing they have going on at the moment is their defense. They have a defensive rating of 105.4 which is ranked 4th in the league.
It's interesting to note that the LA Clippers' three-point shooting averages are better than their opponents'. This means that while they have been able to freely attack from downtown, landing 12.9 threes per game, they have defended their opponents well beyond the arc, allowing only 11.8 threes per game. The Clippers will have to overwhelm the Portland Trail Blazers with their suffocating defense or risk losing the game.
Key Player - Paul George
Paul George is a pure hustler. He has that touch of old-school small forwards in his way of attacking and defending. Currently George is averaging 25.1 points per game and is the top scorer for his team. In Kawhi's absence, he has stepped up as the unquestionable leader of the LA Clippers.
Too smooth for Paul George 😮 https://t.co/fCLj0CTkJe
In addition to his gifted scoring, George is also a reliable rebounder and one of the best three-point shooters on his team. He lands 2.8 of his 8.6 attempts from downtown. He'll be a substantial threat to the Portland Trail Blazers come Monday.
LA Clippers Predicted Lineup
G - Reggie Jackson | G - Paul George | F - Marcus Morris | F - Serge Ibaka | C - Ivica Zubac.
Portland Trail Blazers Preview
Damian Lillard will most likely miss his fourth straight game on Monday. Portland's star player is healing from abdominal tendinopathy and is expected to miss at least a couple more games, according to CBS Sports. Without Lillard, the Portland Trail Blazers have Jusuf Nurkic and CJ McCollum, who'll have to share Lillard's offensive load.
Furthermore, Anfernee Simons, who was sidelined for the game against the Boston Celtics, has not yet been cleared for Monday's game against the LA Clippers. Dennis Smith Jr. and Tony Snell will play more minutes if Lillard and Simons remain sidelined.
Key Player - CJ McCollum
CJ McCollum is one of the best shooters in the league. He is a constant threat from anywhere on the floor and can launch shots from mid-range and downtown.
Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum underwent X-Rays on his ribs and results came back negative, league sources tell @YahooSports. He suffered bruised ribs and will be re-evaluated tomorrow.
McCollum is currently averaging 20.6 points per game. With a 39.3% success rate from beyond the arc, he has averaged 3.2 three-pointers per game. He will be one of the most important players for the Portland Trail Blazers come Monday.
Portland Trail Blazers Predicted Lineup
G - Dennis Smith | G - CJ McCollum | F - Norman Powell | F - Robert Covington | C - Jusuf Nurkic.
Clippers vs Trail Blazers Match Prediction
The LA Clippers have a fearsome defense and although their offense isn't as strong, Paul George will prove to be a tough opponent for Portland.
The Portland Trail Blazers' defensive rating has plummeted to 114 and is ranked 30th in the league and will face constant attacks from Ty Lue's team. We predict that the Clippers will win the upcoming matchup.
Where to watch Clippers vs Trail Blazers?
ROOT SPORTS PLUS and Bally Sports SoCal will be the official local broadcasters for the game between the LA Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers. Meanwhile, fans will be able to watch the game online as well via the NBA League Pass.