August takeaway – The Lakers are still the team to beat in the West
The Blazers are a really talented offensive team. With Steph Curry and Klay Thompson injured this year Portland had the best backcourt in the NBA, and once Jusuf Nurkic came back they were a completely different team. They were good enough to win a playoff series, but not if that series is against the Lakers. If anything, this should just be a reminder that we shouldn’t overreact to Game 1 results and small sample sizes from the bubble.
Despite winning Game 1, the Blazers never really had a chance to win that series. The Lakers have the two best players on the floor, overwhelming size at all times, and a defense that is as good as any in the NBA when they are dialed in.
After round 1 you’d be hard-pressed to find a team in the West that is a safer pick than the Lakers. While they were handling their gentleman’s sweep of the Blazers, no one else in the West was showing much to get excited about. Especially not the Clippers, who should be the biggest threat to the Lakers but haven’t found their footing down in Orlando.