Trail Blazers at Lakers
The Portland Trail Blazers just saw a pleasant streak come to end and now look to halt an unsavory one when they visit the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday. Portland had its 11-game winning streak snapped by the Phoenix Suns on Friday and would like to end a six-game losing string when playing the Lakers in Los Angeles. The Lakers have won five of their last six games while bracing for the upcoming return of Kobe Bryant.
Bryant won’t play against Portland but there is a chance he will make his return from Achilles’ tendon surgery Friday against Sacramento. Los Angeles will have four days with no games prior to that contest and practice time will be used to determine whether Bryant is ready to play for the first time since last April. “I don’t want to anticipate anything,” Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni said after Saturday’s practice. “We will re-evaluate how he feels after the three days and then make a decision going forward.”
TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, CSN Northwest (Portland), TWC SportsNet (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (13-3): Two of Portland’s three defeats have come against Phoenix with Friday’s loss ending the winning streak that tied for fourth-longest in franchise history. Nobody was hanging their heads over the club’s first loss since Nov. 5 against the Houston Rockets. “I think it’s something to be proud of,” Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts said afterward. “Eleven-game win streaks don’t happen very often and you have to appreciate it for what it was. But now – just as I said before – we’re more concerned about the next game.”
ABOUT THE LAKERS (9-8): Different players keep stepping up as a one-game go-to player in the wake of Bryant’s absence. Friday’s victory against Detroit marked Wesley Johnson’s opportunity and the fourth-year guard scored a season-high 27 points, two off his career best. Johnson was 9-for-11 from the field, including 6-of-7 from 3-point range. Johnson’s performance came one game after Nick Young played the part of scoring machine with a season-high 26 points.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Los Angeles has won 11 of its past 12 home games against the Trail Blazers.
2. SG Wesley Matthews (47) and PG Damian Lillard (44) have made 91 of Portland’s 157 3-point baskets.
3. F Pau Gasol (ankle, hand) and F Jordan Hill (ankle) are expected to play for the Lakers on Sunday.