Los Angeles Lakers vs Portland Trail Blazers: Will Lillard’s shooting slump end against a favorite foe?

The new NBA season has not started pleasantly for Damian Lillard or the Portland Trail Blazers. The Blazers won last night against the Indiana Pacers to break a three-game losing streak, but they have mustered just four wins in their first nine games.

A big part of that is Damian Lillard’s early shooting struggles. Lillard has long been one of the NBA’s elite scorers, but his shot has not been falling so far.

Damian Lillard Through Nine Games of the 2021-22 NBA Season vs Previous Career Lows vs Overall Career Numbers

2021-22 Season

• PPG: 17.8
• FG%: 33.7
• 3PT FG%: 21.7

Previous Career Lows

• PPG: 19.0 (2012-13, Lillard’s rookie season)
• FG%: 41.9 (2015-16)
• 3PT FG%: 34.3 (2014-15)

Overall Career Numbers

• PPG: 24.6
• FG%: 43.7
• 3PT FG%: 37.3

As much as some like to think that elite athletes shouldn’t have slumps this severe, they are as human as anyone else, it is a major, major overreaction to say that there is something seriously wrong with Lillard or that this is how his entire season is going to go. A turnaround is imminent, and we’ll soon enough see him light teams up on a regular basis once again.

But for now, it is a tough sight to see one of the NBA’s most prolific performers off of his game for a long stretch. Lillard has shot below 40 percent from the field in seven of nine games, and after averaging more than four made threes per game each of the last two seasons, he has made four or more only twice so far. Astoundingly, he has missed all of his attempted threes in a game three times already. Last season, he did that the same amount of times the entire season, regular season and postseason included.

But there is a good possibility that Lillard might start to shake his slump tonight as the Blazers host the LeBron-less Lakers.

Los Angeles Lakers (5-4) vs Portland Trail Blazers (4-5), NBA TV, 10:30 p.m. ET

Los Angeles Lakers vs Portland Trail Blazers NBA Betting Odds

Moneyline

• Los Angeles Lakers +188
• Portland Trail Blazers -225

Total

• OVER 223 (-110)
• UNDER 223 (-110)

Spread

• Los Angeles Lakers +5.5 (-110)
• Portland Trail Blazers -5.5 (-110)

Los Angeles Lakers vs Portland NBA betting odds are via BetOnline Sportsbook as of Saturday, November 6, 2021 at 5:45 p.m. ET. To compare NBA betting odds from several top online sportsbooks, check out our NBA odds.

Los Angeles Lakers vs Portland Trail Blazers NBA Betting Picks

Check out our Los Angeles Lakers vs Portland Trail Blazers NBA betting picks, betting stats, and other matchup info here: Los Angeles Lakers vs Portland Trail Blazers Matchup: NBA Betting Picks, Odds, Stats and More

Betting News aggregates our NBA betting picks from trusted sports betting industry sources. Along with NBA picks for every NBA matchup, we also offer MLB picks, NFL picks, and NHL picks.

Career Numbers Against Lakers Point to Positive Performance for Lillard

The Blazers are solidly favored to handle the Lakers tonight at home. The Lakers are without LeBron and are coming off of another blown big lead against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night. After blowing a 26-point lead against the Thunder last week in Oklahoma City, the Lakers blew a 19-point lead at Staples Center in a 107-104 loss.

While there is also a rush to search for issues with the Lakers, especially with last season in mind, it does have to be said that their only losses since losing their first two games of the season…are both against the Thunder, of all teams. That doesn’t really make a lot of sense, but then again, a lot of things don’t make sense in sports and in sports betting, do they?

That said, they happen to be the perfect slump-busting opponent for Lillard, as they are one of his favorite teams to play against.

Career Numbers for Damian Lillard Against the Los Angeles Lakers (In 30 Games)

• PPG: 28.4 – Lillard averages more points per game against only the Golden State Warriors, which is no surprise given his Bay Area roots.
• RPG: 4.4 – This is about in the middle of the pack for his career numbers against individual teams.
• APG: 7.0 – This is in the upper half of his career numbers against individual teams.
• FG%: 46.7 – Lillard has shot better against only two opponents, the New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets and the Utah Jazz.
• 3PT FG%: 39.6 – Lillard has a better perimeter percentage against only five teams (the Cleveland Cavaliers, Warriors, Nets, Jazz, and New York Knicks, in that order).

With those numbers in mind, it’s a good night to consider Lillard props. You don’t have to jump on all of them, but a few especially stick out: points, to score 30+ points, and the points + rebounds and points + rebounds + assists combos.

Damian Lillard Player Props

• Points: OVER 26.5 (-104), UNDER 26.5 (-118)
• To Score 25+ Points: -158
• To Score 30+ Points: +180
• Top Points Scorer: +110
• Made Threes: OVER 3.5 (-154), UNDER 3.5 (+120)
• 4+ Made Threes: -150
• 5+ Made Threes: +162
• Points + Rebounds: OVER 30.5 (-113), UNDER 30.5 (-113)
• Rebounds + Assists: OVER 12.5 (-113), UNDER 12.5 (-113)
• Points + Rebounds + Assists: OVER 38.5 (-125), UNDER 38.5 (-102)

Damian Lillard player props are via BetOnline Sportsbook as of Saturday, November 6, 2021 at 5:25 p.m. ET.

For what it’s worth, if Lillard doesn’t have his best game of the season tonight against the Lake Show, don’t bank on it being in the Blazers’ next game. The Clippers, who host Portland on Tuesday night in TNT’s late game, are arguably Lillard’s least favorite opponent from an individual standpoint. Lillard averages only 19.4 points per game against the Clippers, his lowest average by some distance against any team (the Celtics are next at 21.1 points per game). And the Clippers are one of only three teams against whom Lillard has shot under 40 percent, with the Celtics and Memphis Grizzlies being the other two.