The Blazers' Video Game Backcourt is Officially Here
Portland is rolling out Ja Morant and Damian Lillard in a starting lineup that has the Blazers off to a 3-0 start ahead of a massive revenge game against Memphis.
HotTakes Editorial TeamUpdated 1 min read
Finding live odds…

The Portland Trail Blazers are rolling out a starting five that looks like a late-night video game simulation where someone forgot to turn the salary cap back on. Ja Morant and Damian Lillard sharing a backcourt is officially happening on Thursday.
Underdog NBA confirmed Portland is starting Morant, Lillard, Deni Avdija, Toumani Camara, and Donovan Clingan. This is no longer just a fun offseason thought experiment. It is the engine of an undefeated basketball team that is currently terrorizing the Western Conference.
"Underdog NBA confirmed the starting lineup of Morant, Lillard, Avdija, Camara, and Clingan."
Portland is sitting at a clean 3-0 after hanging 136 points on the Los Angeles Lakers and 128 on the Sacramento Kings. When you have two point guards who can pull up from the parking lot or break down a defense at will, opposing units tend to look like they are running in wet cement.
Morant is quietly shooting an absurd 58.8 percent from the floor in his first three games in a Blazers uniform. He is letting Lillard do the heavy lifting while picking his spots, which is a terrifying development for anyone trying to set a defensive rotation against this roster.
The frontcourt is doing exactly what it needs to do to keep the guards clean. Avdija is already putting up historic numbers for a Portland debut, joining Lillard as one of the only Blazers in two decades to drop 20 points and five boards in his first three games.
If you are looking at player props, figuring out who gets the primary usage between Morant and Lillard is going to be a nightly headache. The offensive pie is huge, but guessing who gets the biggest slice on any given night is a coin flip.
The real story is the schedule. Thursday night brings the Memphis Grizzlies to town. Morant gets to face his former team, which happens to be 4-0, with a starting lineup designed to run them out of the gym. Get your popcorn ready.
Key stats
Portland is 3-0 to start the season.
Ja Morant is shooting 58.8 percent from the field in his first three games.
Deni Avdija is one of three Blazers in the last 20 seasons to record 20+ points and 5+ rebounds in his first three games.
What's next
Morant will face his former team, the undefeated Memphis Grizzlies, on Thursday night in Portland.

Key stats



