If we’re being honest, the Portland Trail Blazers 100-93 Game 1 victory over the Lakers on Tuesday night could be a problem, the Lakers couldn’t buy a three last night. Which is concerning, considering the NBA is a 3-point shooting league now. The Lakers shot 5-32 from deep, but this is about the Blazers’ late-game shot-making, and how their record doesn’t reflect their threat level. Damian Lillard arms them with a lethal crunch-time weapon, a superstar who can make you pay for giving him space or he can pass it to his side kick CJ McCollum.
The Lakers have two megastars in Anthony Davis and Lebron James guarantees them nothing. They need to worry about their guard rotation, their bricky three-point shooting, Davis’ penchant for taking junky long twos and his own absence of range beyond the arc. This series is different because of the circumstances the world faces with COVID. Every game counts there is no home court advantage. Damian Lillard has brought his game to another level in the bubble, and is carrying Portland.
On the other hand the Lakers as a whole need to step. For the Lakers to win this series Anthony Davis has to be the best player on the floor, and the rest of the role players will follow. Do I think the Lakers will have a bad shooting night again during this series probably not, but for that to happen certain things must change for them to win. Danny Green and Kentavious Caldwell pope are 3&D players who can no longer shoot 3-pointers or play defense, their playing time should decrease. Give JR and Dion waiters their minutes this would make the Lakers weaker defensively but stronger offensively. The Lakers have to find shooting or they will be able to compete with Portland and their two snipers from deep.
