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Clippers-Trail Blazers Game 2: Predictions, final thoughts

By Tom West

Apr 17, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) controls the ball against Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) and guard Chris Paul (3) during the second half in game one of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 17, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) controls the ball against Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) and guard Chris Paul (3) during the second half in game one of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /
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After dominating Game 1 115-95, the Los Angeles Clippers are primed to take a 2-0 series lead over the Portland Trial Blazers. Here are some thoughts and predictions for Game 2.

With a 115-95 win in Game 1, the Los Angeles Clippers dominated the opening of their first round series against the Portland Trail Blazers. After winning the regular-season series 3-1 and holding the Blazers to 9.9 points per game below their average, it looked likely that the Clippers would open in a similar defensive manner and defend Staples Center in Game 1. That they did, and some more of the mismatches in this series were highlighted.

So, in preparation for Game 2, here are some thoughts and takeaways from the last game, highlighting some more matchups you can focus on (for a more detailed breakdown, read what my fellow editor Trisity Miller had to say here). If the Clippers can take Game 2 in a similar manner, winning in five looks like a real possibility when considering the problems Portland has.

  • Blake Griffin looks great. Is he 100 percent? Not yet. He’s still only played in six games since coming back. However, the explosion, aggression and rebounding was on display in Game 1, which is exactly what the Clippers needed to see after noticeable tentativeness over the last couple of weeks. With 19 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, one steal and one block, Griffin was a driving force to be reckoned with. And to make matters worse for the Blazers, they didn’t seem to have anyone — from Mason Plumlee to Al-Farouq Aminu in smaller lineups — who could guard him.

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  • J.J. Redick played in Game 1 despite being questionable at first due to a bruised heel, showing no signs of hinderance in his 26 minutes. With 17 points on 8-of-12 shooting, he was both healthy and impactful, helping the Clippers’ offense with his tireless off-ball movement and runs off screens.
  • Similarly to the issue with the Blazers’ frontcourt when guarding Griffin, they had an incredibly tough time against DeAndre Jordan, too. From smothering players with his four blocks to his pick-and-roll threat, Jordan is going to be incredibly difficult for Portland to stop. So, after falling far behind, they resorted to some not-so-thrilling Hack-a-Jordan. It didn’t work, and Jordan finished with 18 points, 12 rebounds, four blocks, and the Clippers’ lead was never reduced.
  • Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum struggled again. The Clippers’ improved defense this season hasn’t received nearly as much credit as it deserves, soaring from 15th in efficiency last year to 4th in 2016. Headlined by the efforts of Chris Paul and Austin Rivers in the backcourt, L.A. forced Lillard and McCollum to shoot a combined 10-of-29 from the floor for 30 points, exactly 15.9 points below their combined season average. If the Clippers keep limiting their output, the Blazers’ offense can quickly run out of options.

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  • Meanwhile, the reverse of this matchup is another element of Game 2 to look out for. Can the Blazers’ fairly weak defensive backcourt come out on top? Paul toyed with the Blazers to the tune of 28 points on 10-of-19 shooting, 11 assists, six rebounds and two steals, even going to the extent of telling Lillard when he was going to shoot in one-on-one situations. And Lillard still couldn’t stop him.
  • Finally, keep an eye on the Clippers’ rebounding numbers. They’ve hardly won any battles on the boards throughout this season as the 29th ranked team in terms of rebounding rate, meaning that the Blazers (ranked 10th in the same area) should come out on top. Yet, in Game 1 at least, the Clippers performed far better on the glass, coming out on top 48-40 with the reunited duo of Griffin and Jordan leading the way. Perhaps with those two together and Cole Aldrich always hustling hard off the bench, the Clippers can survive.

At 10:30 PM ET, we’ll see how things transpire in Game 2 as the Blazers play in Staples Center again. For a final prediction, I’m going for another Clippers win of around 108-97.

Next: Clippers think they can go past second round of playoffs

Who knows what the score will actually be, but if the Blazers are at least able to find some comfort offensively and keep the Clippers below the 53.8 percent shooting they recorded in Game 1, Wednesday’s contest could be slightly closer.

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