Lakers Now Given -220 Odds to Win Series After Stunning Game 1 Loss to Trail Blazers
- The Portland Trail Blazers took Game 1 of their first-round series with the Lakers on the back of a complete team performance
- On the back of some offensive struggles in the seeding games, the Lakers had another difficult night
- Get the latest odds, betting discussion for what promises to be a brilliant series
This isn’t your usual one seed versus eight seed matchup. The Portland Trail Blazers are dangerous, as they have shown in the bubble, and they set down a marker for their first-round series with the Lakers, taking Game 1 by a score of 100-93.
The Lakers haven’t been playing like NBA Championship odds favorites as of late. If they are to realize their title ambitions, they face a brutal run to the NBA Finals – Portland is only the start. After Tuesday’s performance, the Lakers will have to come from behind if they are to take down Damian Lillard’s Blazers.
The latest odds for the series are in the table below – will Portland spring an upset?
Los Angeles Lakers vs Portland Trail Blazers Series Odds
| Team | Odds to Win Series at FanDuel |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles Lakers | -220 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | +176 |
Odds taken August 19th
Lakers Misfiring Offense
The Lakers shot five-for-32 from three in Game One, a performance reminiscent of the Houston Rockets’ three-point shooting meltdown against the Golden State Warriors a couple of seasons ago. Per ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, the Lakers were also just seven-for-26 in transition – 19 misses is the most since such data has been tracked.
There is some overlap in these stats, but the failings in transition are a real concern for a team that has been among the efficient teams in the league in fast-break situations this season.
LA’s three-point shooting has been woeful in the bubble. They looked an underprepared team in Game One – many of their shots were a long way short.
Their perimeter starters – Danny Green, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope – are limited offensively. If they are not hitting their threes, they don’t offer much. They shot a combined two-for-13 from deep. The Lakers’ two superstars were unable to bail out the team either (James and Davis went one-for-10 from the perimeter).
The bubble has had me in one spot for two days! pic.twitter.com/Sdu3FOBjNP
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) August 19, 2020
There are some fundamental offensive issues. The spacing was often dodgy. Frank Vogel needs to play his centers less. Beyond that, though, the Lakers simply need to start hitting shots. They missed far too many open looks from outside, while Portland shot over 38% from three.
They have enough shooters, and LeBron creates enough good looks, to assume they will hit more threes. The cold spell needs to end quickly.
Asking LeBron to Go Again
James became the first player in playoff history to record a 20/15/15 game. He had the most playoff assists in a Laker jersey since Magic Johnson. It was a complete LeBron performance, facilitating for the first half and getting more aggressive as the game progressed (which he needed to with how his teammates were shooting).
Through the Years: LeBron & Melo! pic.twitter.com/udMGpAHh0B
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) August 18, 2020
It would be a mistake to assume James won’t do that again. Of course, he could, but the fact he put in a performance like that and the Lakers still lost should worry Vogel. His numbers were so high because he has to be their point guard – no one else on the roster can penetrate the defense and create shots for themselves and others.
If the Lakers are to beat Portland, let alone go on a deep run, they cannot afford to waste performances like this one.
Messy Game One
This wasn’t a perfect game from the Blazers. Several of their players got into foul trouble, CJ McCollum shot 40% and Carmelo Anthony struggled from the field. They defended well on the perimeter, and Hassan Whiteside came up with some key blocks, but they can play better.
Bubble MVP continues to put on a show.@dame_lillard | @Biofreeze pic.twitter.com/UZ1RaW2beD
— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) August 19, 2020
Aside from a LeBron-inspired Lakers run, the Blazers rarely looked tired, which is perhaps a surprise after the effort they had to put in to even make the playoffs. Wenyen Gabriel gave Terry Stotts some good minutes in Zach Collins’ absence, providing hustle and length.
For the Blazers to win this series, they need more magic from Lillard. It was a low-scoring game by his recent bubble standards, but a couple of outrageous threes made the difference late on.
A dramatic Game One has set up a potentially classic series. The Lakers still make sense as favorites. Even with a great Portland performance, they likely win Game One if they even shoot the three poorly rather than horrendously.
Sam Cox is a freelance writer and sports junkie, who has spent the past several years immersed in the online gaming industry. He has worked with 888sport, Oddschecker, and Colossus Bets to name a few. Based in the UK, Sam also runs Franchise Sports with his brother.
