Tiebreaker Tracker: The Blazers’ victory in Los Angeles has complicated the West’s playoff bracket
Tiebreaker Tracker: The Blazers’ victory in Los Angeles has complicated the West’s playoff bracket
The Portland Trail Blazers were major winners after defeating the Los Angeles Clippers on the road.
The Portland Trail Blazers are enjoying a 114-104 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers at the Intuit Dome.
The victory pushes the Blazers above. 500 for the first time since mid-January. It also brings them closer to the Clippers for the eighth spot in the Western Conference standings.
The win moves the Blazers to 39-38 with five games remaining, while the Clippers are 39-37 with six games left. The Clippers will be underdogs in their next game against the San Antonio Spurs, which might result in a tie later this week.
This was the most important game of the season, according to Blazers interim head coach Tiago Splitter, and the team rose to the occasion. That should boost the Blazers’ confidence going ahead, and they did a terrific job protecting Kawhi Leonard. Deni Avdija and Jrue Holiday combined for 58 points, and their defense on Leonard, Toumani Camara, and others was a major reason for the Blazers’ victory.
The Blazers and Clippers will meet again on April 10 before the season ends. That matchup could ultimately determine who finishes better in the standings at the end of the season.
Holiday led the game with 30 points and seven three-pointers. Avdija recorded a double-double with 28 points and 11 rebounds. He also got eight assists, putting him just short of a triple double. Camara finished with 17 points and seven rebounds, while Scoot Henderson added 15 while filling in for an injured Jerami Grant.
Leonard was the Clippers’ top scorer with 23 points. Darius Garland was next on the list, with twenty. John Collins contributed 17 points, while Brook Lopez had 18. Jordan Miller joined his teammates in scoring double digits, with 16 points off the bench.
What’s Next for the Blazers?
The Blazers have now won seven of their past nine games and will aim to maintain this momentum when they return home to face the lottery-bound New Orleans Pelicans.
The Pelicans and Blazers will face battle Thursday at 7 p.m. PT at the Moda Center. Fans may watch the game on Rip City Sports Network or NBA League Pass.