The Portland Trail Blazers have come out of the chute winning their first two games, surprising critics and delighting fans. Now it’s time for their next test: a Sunday matinee on the road against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.
On Friday night, the Blazers opened up the home schedule with a gutsy 113-111 overtime victory over the Phoenix Suns. Damian Lillard defied the doubters with 41 points, but important contributions came from up and down the roster. Jusuf Nurkiu0107, in particular, drew special praise for 20 points and 17 rebounds.
At the other end of the emotional scale are the Lakers, losers of their first two games.