Clippers could be getting too comfortable heading into Game 2 against Portland

The last thing the Clippers need to do is to get comfortable.

If we know anything from the game of Damian Lillard and how he carries his team in times of need, Game 2 of the first round series between Portland and Los Angeles should be that much more interesting.

The Clippers exploded for a 115-95 win in Game 1, but the Trail Blazers, if anyone, would be the team that could rebound from such a loss with a powerful win in the next game.

With that in mind, Los Angeles needs to be prepared for anything Portland throws at them.

One area that Portland may try to expose more or approach differently is the issue of guarding Blake Griffin.

To open the series, the Trail Blazers couldn’t really do much to prevent Griffin from getting to the basket. This allowed the Clippers to get into an offensive rhythm that’s nearly impossible to stop if everyone’s on the same page.

Mix that with the efforts of Jamal Crawford and JJ Redick alongside Chris Paul and Portland has its work cut out for them.

Los Angeles was out-shooting Portland by a full two percent from beyond the arc, along with a 14% more efficient shooting percentage from the field.

What cost Portland was their 12 turnovers compared to the nine of the Clippers. In a gap of just three, that could be anywhere from six to nine points that the Trail Blazers left on the scoreboard.

And if they get those buckets to drop, we could’ve seen a much different outcome to start this series.

The reason the Clippers cannot get comfortable yet, on top of what we await from Damian Lillard based on what he’s put out there thus far this season is the fact that the series still hasn’t shifting to the Trail Blazers’ territory yet.

We expect Portland to not do so great away from home, especially when you consider that they won just 16 of their 41 road games this season. When the Trail Blazers are the hosts, however, Lillard and company have a record of 28-13.

Los Angeles holds a 24-17 road mark of its own, but adding to the situation the idea of continuing to fit Blake Griffin into the lineup the right way while maintaining momentum in a series that could swing at any second isn’t an easy thing to grasp.

The Clippers might actually be able to play with more of a chip on their shoulder if they fall in Game 2 at Staples Center. It would give them much more drive going into the midpoint of the series on the road instead of leaving town with a 2-0 lead.

This team plays much better with their backs against the wall anyway, and if this is really the year that the Los Angeles Clippers enter the championship conversation, they are going to have to earn it the hard way.

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