The Los Angeles Lakers and the Portland Trail Blazers are 1-1 in their series this season. Portland won the first meeting, 122-108, in Los Angeles, while the Lakers beat the Blazers in Portland in the second encounter, 123-115. The winner of their matchup this Sunday decides who takes that series. Check out our preview of this matchup below.
Catch this game live on Sunday, January 18, 2026 at 11:00 AM, Manila time
Away: Los Angeles Lakers (24-15, 13-7 Away)
Projected Starting Five:
- Gabe Vincent
- Marcus Smart
- Rui Hachimura
- LeBron James
- Deandre Ayton (Questionable)
It has been a rough ride of late for the Lakers. A 141-116 home win over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday was the one positive over a tough stretch for the Lakers over the past several days. They enter Sunday’s meeting with the Blazers having won just once in their last four outings — and without Luka Doncic in uniform.
Doncic has been ruled out for the Blazers game as he is dealing with left groin soreness. Meanwhile, big man Deandre Ayton is labeled questionable with a knee issue. With Austin Reaves still on the shelf, LA could have a very thin lineup against Portland, which also means the team relying a lot again on the shoulders of 900-year old LeBron James.
Well, things could be worse for the Lakers, so at least they have the still above-average LeBron guiding them on the floor for this matchup with Portland. For what it’s worth, James did not play in either of the first two LA-Portland games this season.
Home: Portland Trail Blazers (20-22, 11-10 Home)
Projected Starting Five:
- Jrue Holiday (Questionable)
- Toumani Camara
- Deni Avdija (Doubtul)
- Jerami Grant (Questionable)
- Donovan Clingan
Things have looked much better for the Blazers over the past several days than for the Lakers. Portland snapped a two-game losing skid with a 117-101 home win over the Hawks on Friday. The Blazers are 6-2 straight up in their last eight outings, and that stretch included back-to-back wins against Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets and a victory over Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs on the road.
All that being said, the Blazers could be far from their 100 percent form for this showdown versus Los Angeles, with Jrue Holiday, Deni Avdija and Jerami Grant all carrying injury designations at the time of this writing. However, they have Shadeon Sharpe, who’s been having his best season yet in the NBA.
So far this campaign, the former Kentucky Wildcats star is putting up 21.5 points per game. He averaged 19.5 points in the previous two meetings with the Lakers.
Picks
Spread: Portland Trail Blazers (-3.0)
Over/Under: Over (223.5)
