NBA regular season continues, with the Western Conference reigniting its flames of competition. The Los Angeles Lakers hosted the Portland Trail Blazers at home. In the last five encounters between the two teams, the Lakers have dominated with a record of four wins and one loss. In their only meeting this season, the Lakers defeated the Blazers 107-98 in the absence of James and Reeves, with Russell leading the charge with an impressive 28 points, 14 rebounds, and 5 assists to claim the MVP title. However, Russell is no longer part of the team.
The Lakers currently stand at seventh in the West with an 18-14 record. After a promising start to the season, the team's defensive efficiency ranks 22nd in the league, while their offense is ranked 13th, lacking any standout strengths. However, they have shown signs of improvement recently, winning three out of their last five games. Their recent loss to the top-seeded Cavaliers after completing a trade was not unexpected, as new recruit Finney-Smith struggled with only 1 out of 4 shots made for 2 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists. Reeves has been on a tear lately, averaging 29 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 12 assists over the last three games. Davis is sidelined due to injury, but Hayes is set to return and is expected to start. On the other hand, the Blazers are struggling with an 11-21 record, ranking 13th in the league. Their offensive efficiency is 27th in the league, and their defense is 28th, making them ineffective on both ends of the court. They have won two out of their last five games, most recently losing to the 76ers with their "Big Three" lineup. The Blazers lack a clear core player, and their playing style is somewhat chaotic. They are in a tough spot, neither fully committing to rebuilding nor being competitive enough. On paper, they are significantly weaker than the Lakers, but with a young roster, they are capable of pulling off upsets.
Starting Lineups
Lakers: James, Hachimura, Hayes, Christie, Reeves
Trail Blazers: Avdija, Kamara, Ayton, Sharpe, Simons
Player Ratings
James A
LeBron started conservatively, focusing on playmaking rather than scoring. His mid-range shot wasn't on point, but he had a successful fast break and a beautiful layup at the end of the quarter. In the second quarter, he took over the offense, scoring six straight points and even hitting a three-pointer. He also showcased his athleticism with a highlight-reel dunk, helping the Lakers take the lead and extend it. He scored 14 points in the quarter, going 7 for 11 from the field at halftime for a total of 18 points, 2 rebounds, and 5 assists. In the third quarter, he continued his hot streak with more threes, including a deep one. He finished the game with 38 points, 3 rebounds, and 8 assists on 15 of 25 shooting.
Reeves B
Reeves started as the primary ball-handler for the Lakers but didn't carry over his shooting form from the previous game. He went 1 for 5 in the first quarter but made up for it with his playmaking, dishing out five assists. His composure in the game has improved. In the second quarter, he hit a mid-range jumper, assisted Hayes for a dunk, drew an offensive foul on Sharpe, and stole the ball to assist James for a three-pointer. He also scored in transition. At halftime, he had 7 points, 4 rebounds, and 9 assists on 3 for 8 shooting. His three-point shooting remained cold in the third quarter. Overall, he scored 15 points, grabbed 8 rebounds, and dished out 11 assists on 5 for 15 shooting.
Christie A
Christie struggled to find his shooting touch early on, scoring only once in the paint in the first quarter and failing to contain his opponents defensively. However, in the second quarter, he caught fire, hitting consecutive threes to spark a counterattack and using a 2+1 layup to take the lead. He also contributed with steals and blocks on defense, effectively limiting the Blazers' perimeter play. He scored 12 points in the quarter, going 5 for 9 at halftime for a total of 14 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 1 block. In the third quarter, he continued to score in the paint and hit threes, getting fully into the game. He finished with 28 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block on 9 for 16 shooting.
Hachimura C
Hachimura started strong, scoring four quick points and drawing fouls aggressively, even completing a cutting dunk. However, he disappeared after that, scoring only 4 points and grabbing 2 rebounds at halftime on 1 for 3 shooting. He didn't contribute much in the second half.
Hayes B
Hayes returned to action and started, performing well. He completed a cutting dunk for the first points of the game and grabbed three rebounds in the first quarter. However, he also had a block called for goaltending. In the second quarter, he continued with another dunk and a volleyball-style block to stop a Blazers alley-oop. At halftime, he had 4 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block on 2 for 4 shooting. He didn't get much playing time in the second half, finishing with 4 points and 6 rebounds.
Finney-Smith C
Finney-Smith came off the bench again and finally hit a three-pointer in his second game with the team. However, his offensive integration still needs work, despite his diligent defense. At halftime, he had 3 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist on 1 for 2 shooting. He continued to miss all his three-point attempts in the second half, needing more time to adjust. He finished with 3 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal on 1 for 6 shooting.
Knect C
Knect came off the bench and had an average performance, with only one dunk and no three-pointers made. At halftime, he had 4 points on 1 for 3 shooting. He didn't play in the third quarter but managed to score with a follow-up dunk in the fourth, although he still couldn't hit a three-pointer. He finished with 6 points and 1 rebound on 2 for 6 shooting.
Koloč A
Koloč was active from the start, completing three dunks in the first quarter, including one off an offensive rebound. He can really jump, as evidenced by his 6 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 block on 3 for 6 shooting at halftime. In the third quarter, he continued to score with alley-oops and grabbed multiple offensive rebounds, going crazy on the boards. He finished with 8 points and 8 rebounds, with 6 of them being offensive boards, on 4 for 8 shooting.
Game Recap
The first quarter began with Hayes completing a cutting dunk, followed by Sharpe responding with a three-pointer. Hachimura responded with a putback and two free throws after being fouled. James capitalized on a turnover for a fast-break layup, and Ayton answered with a hook shot. Hachimura completed another cutting dunk, and Simmons hit a smooth mid-range jumper as the Blazers went on a 6-0 run to take the lead. Reeves hit a three-pointer to respond, but the Blazers kept scoring from various players. Christie scored in the paint, and Koloč completed a powerful dunk. Sharpe continued to attack the rim, and Finney-Smith hit a three-pointer to respond. Henderson scored five straight points, and Sharpe completed a one-handed dunk, giving the Blazers an eight-point lead. Koloč responded with a dunk to stop the bleeding, and Kamara scored with a drive to the basket. Knect completed another cutting dunk, and James hit a layup. Kamara responded with a dunk, and both teams enjoyed some impressive dunks. Koloč scored again with a follow-up, and the first quarter ended with the Lakers trailing 27-31 by three points.
In the second quarter, Klingen continued to stabilize the score with a reverse layup. James scored with a left-handed layup after a spin move, and Avdija responded with a three-pointer. James continued to score from the free-throw line, and Murray scored with a strong drive to the basket against Knect. James then hit a step-back three-pointer, and Henderson added more points from the free-throw line, assisting Avdija for a layup. Reeves responded with a mid-range jumper, and Simmons scored two points on a drive to the basket. Christie hit consecutive threes, reducing the deficit to just one point. Sharpe stopped the bleeding with free throws, and Reeves made a great pass to Hayes for a dunk to tie the score. However, Avdija responded with a drive to the basket to stabilize the situation. James assisted Christie for a 2+1 play, giving the Lakers the lead. Reeves continued to steal the ball, and James hit another three-pointer. Mazula hit a three-pointer to stop the bleeding, but James responded with a spectacular dunk and another three-pointer, going wild. Sharpe stopped the bleeding with free throws, and Christie hit a corner three-pointer. Reeves scored on a fast break layup, and the half