Overview
- Portland beat Los Angeles 116-97 on Friday, grabbing the inside track to the Western Conference’s eighth seed.
- Deni Avdija led the Blazers with 35 points as Donovan Clingan added 18 points and 13 rebounds and Robert Williams III posted 13 points and 10 boards.
- Portland controlled the interior and the ball, outrebounding the Clippers 46-35 and winning the turnover battle.
- Shaedon Sharpe returned from a 28-game absence and scored eight points in 15 minutes, giving Portland a needed wing option.
- A win over Sacramento would lock Portland into the 7–8 play-in in Phoenix against the Suns, which affords two shots to qualify for the postseason while ninth place must win twice.