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The Portland Trail Blazers (1-0) host the London Lions on October 12, 2026, following a 123-118 preseason win over the Golden State Warriors. Deni Avdija led Portland with 23 points, while Donovan Clingan secured 10 rebounds in the victory. Ja Morant added 5 assists in the win, helping Portland maintain their first-place standing in the Northwest Division.

This episode analyzes the impact of Shaedon Sharpe being Out and Kristaps Porzingis being Day-To-Day on the Blazers' four-guard backcourt rotation. We discuss how the absence of key wings affects defensive spacing and rim protection against the Lions. Additionally, we cover the leadership role of owner Tom Dundon and the team's focus on chemistry amid injury concerns.

Hosts Sarah and Tom provide a detailed tactical breakdown of the upcoming matchup, focusing on transition defense and ball security. They predict a comfortable win for Portland, highlighting Deni Avdija's scoring consistency and the strategic advantages of facing an international opponent compared to NBA-level defenses like the Warriors.

In this episode: Matchup Storylines & Dundon Era · Injuries & Rotation Analysis · Keys to Victory & Prediction.

More Trail Blazers coverage, previews & recaps: https://www.beatlinesports.com/shows/portland-trail-blazers/
Full transcript: https://cdn.beatlinesports.com/nba/por/2026-10-11/transcript.html

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