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Jay Williams Says The Blazers Have The Formula To Upset The Lakers In The Playoffs

The ninth-seeded Portland Trail Blazers still have a long way to go in order to make the NBA playoffs in the Western Conference. But if somehow they sneak in, the Blazers would likely be in the tough position of facing the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the playoffs.

While it seems as the Lakers certainly have the upper-hand, former Chicago Bulls player, Jay Williams, thinks a series against the Blazers could possibly lead to a major upset. On ESPN’s First Take, Williams implied that Portland’s ability to get hot, especially Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, as the formula that could upset the LeBron-led Lakers. 

“The Lakers not having Avery Bradley. I know that they were able to get J. R. Smith, I know you got Dion Waiters and I like the way they play.

But they [Blazers] just have the formula that could upset the Lakers. This is why I will call this playoff madness. If Dame and if CJ get hot, I do not think that there are any guards that the Lakers have that can stop them. 

And LeBron, they have guys that can match up strength-wise with him. They’re not going to stop LeBron, but they can try to hinder him to a certain degree. They don’t have anybody that can stop AD. But if they got hot, that is going to make it really interesting down the stretch.”

"The Portland Trail Blazers, they might have a chance to beat the Lakers."@RealJayWilliams thinks Portland could have a chance to upset the No. 1 seed in the West, if they make the 8th spot. pic.twitter.com/bm7fmjzWFF

— First Take (@FirstTake) July 6, 2020

Before the hiatus, Damian Lillard was averaging 28.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game on 45.7% shooting from the field. The Blazers All-Star point guard was catching fire, hitting a career-high in points per game, assists per game and field goal percentage throughout the entire season.

Lillard and McCollum are very much needed for the success of the Rip City. Now that the Lakers have lost defensive guard Avery Bradley and veteran playmaker Rajon Rondo’s status being uncertain, the two gunners would have a better opportunity to take advantage of the loopholes in the Lakers’ backcourt.

Ahead of the season restart, the Trail Blazers, who are missing Rodney Hood and Trevor Ariza, are hoping that Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins will be able to join the team and help solidify their frontcourt presence, joining shot-blocker Hassan Whiteside who was averaging 16.3 points, 14.2 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game before the season was suspended.

The Blazers are 3.5 games behind the eight-seeded Sacramento Kings and will take on the Memphis Grizzlies, Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, Dallas Mavericks and the Brooklyn Nets in the eight regular season games that will determine the playoff picture in the Western Conference.