The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the injury-riddled Los Angeles Clippers, 108-98, to take a 3-2 lead in their Western Conference first-round playoff series on Wednesday night at Staples Center.
It was business as usual for the dynamic duo of C.J. McCollum and Damian Lillard, as the backcourt pair combined for 49 points on the night. Both made an impact on the defensive end as well, with Lillard grabbing three steals and McCollum blocking two shots. The Blazers' starting frontcourt also made a splash, with Mo Harkless scoring 19 and Miles Plumlee pulling down 15 rebounds. It was a comfortable win for Portland, as the team held a 53-45 advantage on the boards and a 12-6 advantage in terms of three-point shooting.
Los Angeles, meanwhile, has suffered a severe string of bad luck that threatens to cut its season short. All-Stars Blake Griffin (quad) and Chris Paul (hand) both had season-ending injuries announced earlier this week. The team went in shorthanded and without its normal superstar one-two punch on Wednesday, and the stars' absence showed. The team shot just 6-for-20 from three-point territory and saw disadvantages in rebounding, turnovers, assists, and free-throw shooting. While center DeAndre Jordan pulled down 17 rebounds, no other Clipper had more than six.
The Blazers will attempt to sink the Clippers' ship on Friday as they return to Moda Center for Game 6.
