The Lakers play the Trailblazers (14-13) tonight at Staples Center after losing on the road to the Nuggets. The last time the two teams met, Portland defeated the Lakers 116-106 in their season opener. L.A is a much better team with Nash, but they still lack defensively.Hopefully the Lakers can come out strong in the first half and generate a nice lead. The Blazers are a poor road team at 4-9 away from the Rose Garden, and a fast Laker start will diminish Portland’s confidence. Again, the defensive game needs to be more in sync, but hopefully Howard can come out str0ng tonight. Certainly, Nash and Kobe will facilitate a powerful game pace and the rest of the team will play off their usually high energy.
Coming at a bad time is another injury for Pau Gasol. Gasol went through an MRI on Thursday and it revealed that he has plantar fasciitis in his right foot. Gasol previously dealt with tendonitis in his knees which caused him to be sidelined for several games, and has only been back for a few games since that injury. It is rumored the big man will be playing tonight, but he is listed as a game time decision.
Have a Twitter account? Soon you may be able to chat with Kobe Bryant on Twitterverse. The Black Mamba hinted at making his own account yesterday after he took over the Nike Basketball account for the past 72 hours. I would love being able to follow the superstar, as I am sure many of you would. If Kobe does get Twitter, what would you ask him?
For more on the pregame report, click here.
Portland Trail Blazers (14-13) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (14-15)
7:30 PM PST, December 28, 2012, Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
TV: TWC Sports Network
Trail Blazers Projected Starting Line-up
PG: Damian Lillard
SG: Victor Claver
SF: Nicolas Batum
PF: LaMarcus Aldridge
C: J.J. Hickson
Key Reserves: C Meyers Leonard, F Luke Babbitt, G Sasha Pavlovic
Lakers Nation News
Shootaround Report: Lakers Defensive Problems – Effort or Confusion?
Charles Barkley On Lakers: ‘They’re Old, Slow And Unathletic’
Pau Gasol Will Play Against The Trail Blazers On Friday Night
Lakers Rumors: Kobe Bryant Hints At Joining Twitter
Mike D’Antoni Willing to Keep Steve Nash on the Court
Lakers News: Jamaal Wilkes Prepares For Jersey Retirement Ceremony
Lakers News: MRI Reveals Pau Gasol Has Plantar Fasciitis
Lakers Vs. Blazers Pre-Game Report: Team Begins 4-Game Home Stand
Former Lakers Coach Phil Jackson Targeted By The Brooklyn Nets?
Lakers News
Kobe Bryant’s Supreme Efficiency, Steve Nash Doing All the Things In-Between, and Dwight Howard’s Lack of Effort [Silver Screen and Roll]
Beast or Burden: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back [Silver Screen and Roll]
Pau Gasol will play against Trailblazers [Silver Screen and Roll]
Unimpressive Dwight Howard Not Helping His Image [ProBasketballTalk]
The Breakdown: Steve Nash Setting Screens [Forum Blue and Gold]
Pau Gasol Diagnosed with Mild Plantar Fasciitis, Probable Friday [ProBasketballTalk]
Unwilling or Unable, Howard Has Been Unimpressive [OC Register]
Lakers Defense Remains Unreliable [Lakers Index]
Kobe Passes LeBron for Top All-Star Vote-Getter, Starters Stay Same in 2nd Round of ASG Returns [Ball Don’t Lie]
Steve Blake Could Return to Lakers in 2-3 Weeks [ProBasketballTalk]
Preview: Lakers vs. Trail Blazers [Lakers Now]
Pau Gasol says Lakers ‘on the right path’ [LA Times]
Welcome Back Steve Nash [True Hoop]
The 10-Man Rotation, Starring Dwight Howard’s Familiar Uninspiring Play [Ball Don’t Lie]
Los Angeles Lakers Launch Mobile App With Lucid Appeal [Lakers.com]
Dwight Howard Fined $35K for Flagrant-Two Foul on Kenneth Faried, but No Suspension [ProBasketballTalk]
NBA News
Doc Rivers Pays Clippers Championship-Level Compliment After 29-Point Blowout of Celtics [Ball Don’t Lie]
Phil Jackson, Stan Van Gundy not Interested in Nets Job [ProBasketballTalk]
Celtics Sstep Back Again, Fall to Clippers [Celticsblog]
Darren Collison Hits a Shocking One-Handed Buzzer-Beater to Force Overtime (VIDEO) [Ball Don’t Lie]
The InBounds: Nets Need Shaw, Not Phil [Eye on Basketball]
DeMarcus Cousins, Reinstated After Suspension, On Playing vs. Knicks: ‘I Don’t Expect Anything’ [Ball Don’t Lie]
Evolution of the Point Guard: From Small to Big, Back to Small [NBA.com]
Thunder Final Score: Thunder Outlast Mavericks in OT, 111-105 [Welcome to Loud City]
Dwyane Wade Responds to Suspension, Says He’s ‘Far From Being a Dirty Player’ [ProBasketballTalk]
New York Knicks Will be Without Carmelo Anthony on Friday [Eye on Basketball]
Struggling Nets Fire Head Coach Johnson [NBA.com]
Kevin Durant Pins Darren Collison Layup, Goes Coast-to-Coast to Baptize Chris Kaman (VIDEO) [Ball Don’t Lie]