Trail Blazers at Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers breezed their way to the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference despite operating without All-Star forward Blake Griffin for over three months. Griffin is back in the fold for the playoffs and will try to help the Clippers slip past the fifth-seeded Portland Trail Blazers, who visit for Game 1 on Sunday.
Griffin returned to the lineup on April 3 after missing extended time due to quad, hand and suspension issues and played in five of the final seven games, averaging 10.4 points on 40 percent shooting in 24.6 minutes. “We still have to get Blake even better, but I think he has looked great,” Los Angeles coach Doc Rivers told reporters. “I think his pace is back, his speed, and more important, I think his confidence that he can play is back.” The Clippers could have their hands full against the Trail Blazers, who were not even expected to make the postseason but instead surged all the way to the No. 5 spot and clinched it on the final day of the regular season. “It’s going to be tough,” Portland guard Damian Lillard told reporters of the matchup with Los Angeles. “They’re a really good team. but we know that we have a chance. We have to go out there and be ourselves, lock in and be ready.”
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT, KGW (Portland), Prime Ticket (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (44-38): Portland’s low preseason prognostications drove the team throughout the campaign and inspired the players to drive for the highest playoff seed possible. “When everybody came out with the expectations and all their expertise about what we were going to do this season, I feel like that was the biggest thing that, not only just me, but everybody remembered," guard Allen Crabbe told reporters. "One person picked us as what, 15 out of 15 in the West? The list goes on, man. Everybody felt disrespected, and that’s not what our season is gonna be. It was everybody’s goal since training camp that we were gonna play hard." The Trail Blazers were 15-24 after a loss on Jan. 8 but went 29-14 the rest of the way.
ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (53-29): The big challenge might be avoiding looking ahead to a potential second-round meeting with Golden State, and Los Angeles is comfortable being overlooked in the West behind historically great teams like the Warriors and San Antonio Spurs. “I don’t think anybody really gives us any kind of chance of winning (it all),” Griffin told reporters. “We’re not favored by any means, so that (underdog mentality) should be our mindset.” Los Angeles is hoping guard J.J. Redick, who suffered a bruised heel Tuesday against the Grizzlies and sat out practice on Friday, is ready to go on Sunday.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Clippers limited opponents to 43.4 percent shooting in the regular season – the best mark in franchise history.
2. Portland took the first meeting 102-91 at home on Nov. 20 but dropped the next three.
3. Lillard averaged a career-high 25.1 points but put up an average of just 18 on 32.4 percent shooting in four meetings with Los Angeles.