NBA Playoffs must-follow storylines: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Portland Trail Blazers

The duel between the Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers provides one of the most anticipated 1-8 matchups in the history of the NBA playoffs.

1-8 matchups are rarely more than an afterthought among first-round series in the NBA playoffs, but the Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers enter their opening-round matchup under incredibly unique circumstances.

LA cruised to the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference all season long, seemingly hitting their stride just before the NBA’s suspension with wins over the Milwaukee Bucks and LA Clippers. Eight seeding games later and they don’t inspire nearly as much confidence as they did following that weekend after finishing 3-5.

The Blazers weren’t expected a chance at the playoffs, but the months-long hiatus worked in their favor. Adam Silver opened a door that meant close enough would give Portland a shot. The return of Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins made whole a team ravaged by injuries all season. On the shoulders of Damian Lillard, Portland leapfrogged past the Memphis Grizzlies for the eighth seed and took them out in the seeding game.

Nurkic hasn’t missed a beat after more than a year away with 17.6 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. Along with Gary Trent Jr.’s perimeter emergence and Carmelo Anthony‘s clutch contributions, these are not the pre-bubble 29-37 Blazers.

These are two teams who enter the postseason at opposite ends of the standings yet couldn’t differ more surprisingly in the confidence they’re emitting. That doesn’t make it time for the Lakers to hit the panic button, but the Blazers are not the opponent they’d hope to ease into the playoffs against.