The Portland Trail Blazers will enter their matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday, March 31 without several key contributors.
Damian Lillard (left Achilles tendon) and Jerami Grant (right calf) are both out, along with Vit Krejci (left calf) and Shaedon Sharpe (left fibula). Chris Youngblood remains unavailable on the two-way contract.
Portland’s depth will be tested as top scorers like Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara are expected to carry heavier workloads. Avdija is averaging 23.8 points and 6.9 rebounds per game, while Camara contributes 13.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per contest.
The Clippers are also missing major pieces at the Intuit Dome. Bradley Beal (left hip fracture) and Isaiah Jackson (right ankle sprain) will not play, while Yanic Konan Niederhauser remains sidelined with a right Lisfranc ligament tear.
Kawhi Leonard leads the team with 28.2 points per game, supported by Bennedict Mathurin’s 20.3 points per contest and John Collins’ 13.5 points and 5.2 rebounds.
Portland enters the game with a 38-38 record, fresh off a 123-88 win over Washington on March 29, snapping a two-game losing streak. The Clippers are 39-36, coming off a 127-113 victory at Milwaukee.
The Clippers have won both prior meetings this season, 114-107 on October 26 and 119-103 on December 26.
Tuesday’s matchup could be pivotal for playoff positioning in the Western Conference. Both teams sit near the middle of the playoff picture, with the Clippers holding the eighth spot and Portland in ninth.
The Trail Blazers and Clippers tip off at 11:00 PM ET at the Intuit Dome.
