The new season had officially begun.
The first game of the new season at the Staples Center was reserved for the LA Lakers. The Clippers, who were based in the same city, flew to Portland to face off against the Blazers for their first game of the season.
The Blazers were a strong team. They had been consistently made the playoffs in recent years. They had also been improving. In the fiercely competitive Western Conference, reaching the playoffs proved a team's strength.
In comparison, the Clippers were not considered a strong team. They had traded away their key player, Ronny. They signed on some retired ex-stars who were making their comebacks. They had become a shelter for the old and weak. Commentators and fans alike were optimistic about the Blazers' chance of victory.
In the predictions made before the game began, every commentator interviewed said that the Blazers would win. The betting odds by the gaming company verified this.
