The Los Angeles Lakers have traditionally evoked bitter and heartbreaking reactions from Portland Trail Blazers fans. Name one NBA franchise that Portland would like to beat over and over, and L.A. would top the list. But the bright lights of Hollywood shouldn’t obscure one of the team’s other famous rivalries over the years. Before the Seattle SuperSonics moved to Oklahoma City in 2008, the Blazers and Sonics were separated by a mere 174 miles, leading to a natural competition between the clubs, and their respective fanbases, that lasted nearly four decades.
There were a number of memorable moments between the two I-5 adversaries over that time, so let’s take a walk down memory lane and remember the good (and bad) times.