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By Andy Popp
GAME 70: Blazers (40-29) vs Los Angeles Lakers (49-20)
March 20, 6:30 PM, KGW
Previous match-up(s):
Sunday, November 7th Blazers 96 Lakers 121
Wednesday, February 23rd Blazers 101 Lakers 106
Related: Trail Blazers Games, Schedule, and WIN Tickets

The Blazers flew down to Los Angeles late last night for a potential playoff preview against Lakers.

After sputtering in the middle of the season, the Lakers have come on recently and won 11 of their last 12 (6 of those wins came on the road). The Blazers have been hot recently (7 wins out of their last 10), but will need to play almost perfect basketball tonight to steal one at Staples Center.

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
Andrew Bynum will not play tonight because of an absurd flagrant foul on Michael Beasley. Here’s a video of it. The Blazers have lost both of their games so far this season to the Lakers.

The on Lakers on paper:
Starting five: Ron Artest, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher
Off the bench: Lamar Odom, Matt Barnes, Steve Blake, Shannon Brown

STRATEGY
The Lakers are a tough match-up for the Blazers because of their size in the front court. The Blazers caught a break with Bynum being out tonight; they need to exploit this by pounding the rock inside.

LET’S GET RICH
To date: 30-22-2
Blazers +6. It’s going to be close, I think the Blazers cover tonight.

TRADE ME
Rudy Fernandez

NUMBER OF BACK TO BACKS THIS SEASON (IN SETS)
17

NEXT 5
vs Washington
vs San Antonio
@ Oklahoma City
@ San Antonio
@ New Orleans

BOTTOM LINE
John Hollinger’s playoff odds have the Blazers making the playoffs in 93.2% of his simulations. Denver and New Orleans are right with the Blazers for the 5,6 and 7 seeds. Ideally the Blazers avoid the 7th seed (and the Lakers in the first round). In order to do that the Blazers are going to have to keep winning as the season winds down and their schedule gets harder.