The Portland Trail Blazers are coming out of the All-Star break to face the Los Angeles Lakers at home in Portland.
Losers of three in a row, the Blazers arguably have more clarity about the rest of the season than they had during their January/February hot streak. After getting dangerously close to flirting with a play-in berth - and at one point being as close to 21st-best draft position as sixth-best - their recent losses and the unfortunate calf injury to Deandre Ayton should help steer Portland closer to where they should be: the top end of the lottery.