The Lakers took Saturday off before beginning a tough three-game road trip against Portland, Houston and San Antonio. They will try to snap a six-game losing streak at Portland’s Rose Garden on Monday.

Why have they had such a tough time winning in the Beaver State?

“They always have pretty good teams,” center Pau Gasol said. “ They have a young team that feeds off the energy in that building and I think everybody gets excited to play against the Lakers.”

Odom thinks it’s specific to the Trail Blazers, a good team who is really good at home (25-5 this year).

“It’s a team that really gets up for us,” he said. “We’re definitely going to have our concentration caps on. ”

Gasol at least will get a warm welcome from his Spanish countrymen Rudy Fernandez and Sergio Rodriguez, who are key reserves for Portland.

“It’s always nice to see my guys and play against them,” Gasol said. “It’s not just the playing against them, mostly its the going to dinner, going to lunch, off the court stuff.”