Lakers Vs. Blazers: Eight More To Go

The Los Angeles Lakers host the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night at Staples Center. Tip-off is 7:30 p.m.

In less than two weeks, the 2014/15 Los Angeles Lakers will be no more.

Eight games remain in a season that had been anything but enjoyable, and the struggle of the season only continues as the Lakers welcome the Portland Trail Blazers to Staples Center on Friday night. Damian Lillard and the Blazers are fighting for home court in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs, so they have plenty of motivation to complete their season sweep of the Lakers and rout the home team.

Lillard, in particular, loves playing against the Lakers. When these teams met in Portland on Jan. 5, Lillard scored 39 points to lead the Blazers to victory. Less than a week later, Lillard came to Staples Center and dropped 34 points to go along with seven assists and thee rebounds. While the Blazers' point guard has not scored over 30 points in nearly a month, betting against Lillard on Friday night would not be a safe bet.

Hoping to overshadow Lillard is LA's promising rookie Jordan Clarkson. For the month of March, Clarkson averaged 15.8 points, 5.2 assists and 4.8 rebounds in 32.4 minutes. However, the rookie has shifted into a new gear starting with his 30-point performance against Russell Westbrook in Oklahoma City.

Over his past six games, Clarkson is averaging 21.0 points, 6.7 assists and 5.3 rebounds. In Wednesday's loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, Clarkson flirted with a triple-double, which would have put him in a exclusive club of Lakers' rookies that only includes Elgin Baylor, Jerry West and Earvin "Magic" Johnson.

With eight games to go, Clarkson's development is at the forefront of reasons to continue watching. Forty-five players heard their names called before the Lakers' second-round draft pick, but approaching the end of the 2014/15 season, fewer than 10 of those names truly offer an argument against the Lakers' rookie on an NBA court. Based entirely on play, Clarkson should rank in the top-five rookies and looks in line to qualify for the All-Rookie first team.

For those who point to the Lakers' record and disregard the rookie's performances, Clarkson is playing efficient basketball even when the score is lopsided. He shot 45.2 percent from the field for the month of March and has been shooting 54.0 percent over the last six games.

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Lillard has already established his name as one of the top young point guards in the NBA, and Friday night provides Clarkson an opportunity to take a step forward on his journey to do the same.

Notes: Wayne Ellington will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a shoulder separation near the conclusion of Wednesday's loss to the Pelicans. Lakers coach Byron Scott hinted the team could sign another players as early as Friday night. Ellington's season-ending injury increases the season tally to six players lost for the season due to injury: Steve Nash, Julius Randle, Xavier Henry, Kobe Bryant,  Ronnie Price and Ellington. Nick Young's return remains in doubt, as Young slowly recovers from a minor fracture in his knee cap. If Young does not feature in the final eight games, the Lakers will have lost seven players to season-ending injuries during the 2014/15 season.

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