The LA Clippers knew they had a tough task ahead of them entering the night. The 8-3 Portland Trail Blazers, coming off of a two-game win streak and ranking top-5 in Offensive Rating and Defensive Rating through their first 11 games, had been outscoring their opponents by roughly 10 points a game. Led by their starting-guard duo of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, the Blazers have appeared poised to be a threat in the NBA’s Western Conference.
The Clippers, riding their own two-game streak and ranking top-10 in Offensive and Defensive Rating entering the night, appear to be a well-rounded team by a variety of crucial metrics.