Portland Trail Blazers vs Brooklyn Nets: Injury Updates and Lineup Predictions

The time that everyone has been waiting for is inching closer and closer. The battle to make it to the playoffs continues and with that, the Brooklyn Nets are taking on the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday. This will be the last seeding game for both teams. Maybe not for the Nets, but this last game will have major playoff implications for the Blazers.

On one side, we have the underdog team that has surpassed all expectations that were placed on them in the bubble. On the other side, the Blazers have put in all they had to make it this far. If the Blazers win, their eighth position will be sealed. However, if this does not pan out then the only way they can still make it is if the Spurs and Suns, both lose their games. The Nets seem relaxed at this point. They are only looking to win this to gain momentum for the playoffs since they’ve already clinched the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference.

Portland Trail Blazers injury update and lineup prediction

Damian Lillard’s dominance has helped the Blazers drastically this season. His back-to-back record-breaking performances has made the Blazers one of the deadliest in the game so far. However, it is far from the truth that he is the only one running the team. In all of the past seven games, many players have been scoring in double digits and supporting the team. Lillard is currently averaging 29.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 8 assists.

A lot of social media chatter against Lillard and his potential as a player has been making rounds. This hasn’t affected his performance at all. Moreover, he seems to have taken on the mission to prove himself. So far, he has been very successful at doing this. CJ McCollum and Carmelo Anthony have been major contributors to the offense as well.

This game is crucial for the Blazers to ensure their spot in the play-in tournament. Their entire roster is healthy and ready to make it or break it.

The lineup prediction would be Carmelo Anthony, Damian Lillard, Zach Collins, Jusuf Nurkic, and  CJ McCollum.

Brooklyn Nets injury update and lineup prediction

The Brooklyn Nets hobbled into the bubble with several of its key players missing, namely Kyrie Irving, DeAndre Jordan, and Spencer Dinwiddie. Yet, they are 5-2 and have kept the wins flowing. However, the team does have certain shortcomings that could be problematic for them against the Blazers. Their three-pointer consistency and ball protection are a few of those.

Their shooting guard and small forward, Jamal Crawford has been ruled out with a left hamstring strain. Chris Chiozza and Donta Hall have also been listed as probable for the game.

Caris LeVert is the best offensive player on the team and Jarrett Allen’s defense has added to the team’s efficiency. Jarrett’s effort to remain foul free will go a long way in limiting Damian Lillard in the paint.

With this, the lineup prediction would be Joe Harris, Jarrett Allen, Rodions Kurucs, Caris LeVert, and Garrett Temple.

Game Predictions

It is of utmost importance for the Portland Trail Blazers to not blow this game. The Brooklyn Nets have also shown immense potential by beating a few of the top playoff contenders. It is still most likely that the Blazers will win this matchup. They can outdo the Nets in every position as of now and it will take a lot out of the Nets to prevent that from happening.