Will Trail Blazers Overcome Odds at TD Garden Against Celtics?

The Portland Trail Blazers are gearing up for a challenging encounter as they visit the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. With the game scheduled for April 7, fans are eager to see if the Blazers can turn their fortunes around after a series of tough games.

In their most recent outing on March 30 against the Miami Heat, the Blazers suffered a heavy defeat, scoring only 82 points to Miami's staggering 142. The statistics from that game paint a grim picture: Portland managed just a 40 percent field goal percentage and an even more concerning 17 percent from beyond the arc. Their defensive efforts were equally lackluster, with an efficiency rating of just over 77 and allowing Miami to lead by as much as 60 points.

However, it wasn't all doom and gloom for POR in their previous games. On March 27 against the Atlanta Hawks, despite losing with a score of 106-120, they showed signs of life with an improved field goal percentage of 51 percent and an impressive assist-to-turnover ratio of nearly two. This performance was bolstered by strong bench contributions totaling 54 points.

Against Houston Rockets on March 26, POR displayed resilience despite falling short by an end scoreline of 92-110. They led for over half the game time and boasted six blocks defensively but were ultimately undone by turnovers and poor three-point shooting (21 percent).

As they prepare to face BOS, it's clear that Portland must capitalize on its strengths while addressing glaring weaknesses in defense and consistency from downtown. The Celtics will not be easy opponents; they have shown formidable prowess throughout the season.

For POR fans looking ahead to this matchup, there is hope in unity – if every player contributes as seen in flashes during past performances – there is potential for an upset at TD Garden.

The upcoming clash between these two teams promises excitement and will test whether Portland can execute under pressure while improving upon their defensive strategies. It's crucial that players like Damian Lillard step up to provide leadership both on offense and defense if they wish to leave Boston with a win.

The Trail Blazers' journey continues on April 7 at TD Garden where tip-off is set for noon PT (3:00 ET). Fans can catch all the action live on NBCS-BOS or ROOT Sports NW networks or tune into ROOT Sports NW+ for extended coverage.