Lakers News: Damian Lillard will not be active in Game 5 for the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Los Angeles Lakers blew the Portland Trail Blazers out of the water in Game 4 of their first-round NBA Playoff series, 135-115. While the win was only the Lakers’ third, the team has essentially already won the series.
It is already insanely difficult to come back from a 3-1 deficit in a playoff series and especially tough as the eighth seed against a first seed. Now, we are guaranteed a Lakers’ win in Game 5, which will wrap up the series and give the Lakers some time to rest for round two.
The reason why Game 5 is a formality at this point? Damian Lillard. Lillard planted his leg awkwardly in Game 4 and left the game early. That injury has now been diagnosed as a right knee sprain and Lillard is officially out for Game 5.
We here at Lake Show Life never root for injuries and it is a shame that Lillard will not be suiting up for Game 5. As basketball fans, we are happy that it appears to be a minor injury that will not affect Lillard in the long-term and it is smart for the Blazers to err on the side of caution down 3-1.
Lakers: The unfortunate reality for the Blazers is that this ensures that the Los Angeles Lakers will win Game 5.
There is no way that the Blazers can overcome the Lakers without Damian Lillard. The Lakers have proven in the last three games that they simply outmatch the Blazers and have been the only team to solve the Blazers’ offense in the bubble.
Even if the Lakers’ Game 1 loss, the Blazers’ offense was not particularly great and it was more of a case of the Lakers playing poorly on the offensive end. Even if they play poorly in Game 5, the Blazers just do not have the firepower without Lillard to overcome this brilliant defensive effort by the Lakers.
Of course, anything can happen in the sports world and there is always a chance that this article becomes perfect fodder for the “Freezing Cold Takes” Twitter account.
At the end of the day, without Dame, I would be very shocked if the Los Angeles Lakers lose to the Portland Trail Blazers. On to the next.