When they take on the falling Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday, the Los Angeles Clippers hope to secure their place in the NBA playoffs.
Los Angeles (42-38) has the potential to finish as high as the fifth seed if they win their final two games, which they will do against Phoenix on Sunday afternoon, but they also have the potential to fall as low as ninth.
The Clippers scored a huge triumph their last break, finishing a two-game skid Wednesday by beating the Lakers 125-118. Ivica Zubac had a double-double of 17 points and 13 rebounds, and Norman Powell scored 27 points off the bench. Kawhi Leonard had 25 points.
That gave them an advantage over the Lakers and Pelicans in their attempt to avoid the play-in tournament and earn a top-six seed.
Since March 23, Los Angeles has been without Paul George, who averaged 23.8 points per game, which is a team-high.
In a loss to New Orleans last week, Leonard, the Clippers’ second-leading scorer with 23.7 points per game, scored 40 points and grabbed eight rebounds. He scored 24 points in the Clippers’ 117-102 victory over Portland on March 19 in Los Angeles.
Damian Lillard, a star guard for the Blazers, made his final appearance on that night. Lillard has been out of the game since the March 22 game, when he scored 21 points on 4-of-17 shooting and had nine assists.
Portland (33-47) has utilized a youthful setup lately since missing being wiped out from the end of the season games, Thursday beginning a quintet of John Steward, Jeenathan Williams, Drew Eubanks, Skylar Mays and Trendon Watford in a 129-127 misfortune at San Antonio.
Eubanks scored 23 focuses, while Kevin Knox fell off the seat for a season-high 24 focuses.
Portland ran with Shaquille Harrison (10 points and nine assists off the bench) and Mays (11 points) in Lillard’s point guard position.
Since March 19, the Blazers have also been without Anfernee Simons, who averaged 21.1 points per game. His most recent appearance was in Portland’s loss to the Clippers, where he scored 16 points.
Los Angeles can finish a season clear with a success in Saturday’s early show. In addition to their victory on March 19, Powell scored 32 points—his season high—in the Clippers’ 118-112 victory on November 29.
The Clippers will travel to Phoenix on Sunday to play a possible preview of their playoff series in the first round. Early in the week, the Suns won the fourth seed.
