FSM Essential Recap: Lakers vs Trail Blazers - Game 58

FSM Essential Recap: Lakers vs Trail Blazers – Game 58

Franchise Sports Media

Los Angeles Lakers (26-32) | Portland Trail Blazers (28-29)

 

With LeBron James missing his third-straight game, the Los Angeles Lakers failed to contain the Portland Trail Blazers and Damian Lillard from beyond the arc, losing 127-115.

The Lakers vs Trail Blazers pregame. 

The Los Angeles Lakers were no match for the Portland Trail Blazers’ otherworldly display from 3, falling on the road 127-115 and ending the season series between these two teams tied at 2-2. The Lakers have now fallen to 26-32. 

“Just make it tough for him, try to limit his touches, limit fouling him, make it difficult, try to keep length on him the whole time,” D’Angelo Russell said to reporters pre-game on the many ways to try and slow down Portland’s Damian Lillard.

However, the Lakers didn’t heed Russell’s words, as Lillard had himself an impressive night. He finished with 40 points on 8-14 shooting from three. Lillard also added six rebounds and five assists. “He’s just a phenomenal ball player,” Lakers head coach Darvin Ham said about Lillard.

The end of Lakers vs Trail Blazers pregame.

The Trail Blazers shot 48.9 percent from beyond the arc on Monday night.  Portland made more 3s in the first half than any team this season with 17. 

The Lakers vs Trail Blazers start of the first half. 

Los Angeles was without LeBron James  again due to left ankle soreness for a third-straight game. Lisa Salters of ESPN on ABC reporterd that James is likely to return against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Ham had said that “in all likelihood,” James should play in the Lakers’ final game before the All-Star break.

Ham said that he’d continue to start both of his point guards, Dennis Schroder and Russell, for the foreseeable future. 

“Their games complement each other,” he said. “They’re not the same player. They’re different types of players.”

Russell finished with 16 points on 16 field goal attempts.

Schroder himself had a tough outing, as he finished with two points (1-for-7) and six assists. The two guards combined for 2-for-10 from 3.

The Trail Blazers, without Jusuf Nurkic and Jerami Grant, started their newcomers Matisse Thybulle and Cam Reddish (both acquired from recent trades). Thybulle totaled 14 points on 4-of-6 shooting from 3, along with six rebounds and three blocks. Reddish finsihed with just five points.

The Lakers had themselves a nice start, as they went up 14-5. However, they struggled to score, mostly against a Portland zone defense, as a 20-2 run had them down by nine, which turned into a 29-5 Trail Blazers run to end the first quarter.

The Lakers vs Trail Blazers end of the first half. 

The Lakers managed to salvage their stat lines toward the end of the game, as the score made this one seem closer than it was.

The Lakers vs Trail Blazers start of the second half. 

Malik Beasley found himself in a rhythm since be acquired from the Minnesota Timberwolves via trade. Beasley had it going late, hitting 5-for-6 3s in the fourth quarter en route to 22 points off the bench. Of course, the Lakers are going to need him to shoot like that in non-garbage time minutes, and it was a lone bright spot on such a sorrowful loss.

Lakers center Anthony Davis had 19 points, 20 rebounds, and three blocks in 31 minutes. It should be noted that it also took him 18 shots to get those aforementioned 19 points. However, it was an overall inefficient night all around for the Lakers.

There just seemed to be something missing in this one. Either Ham didn’t prepare his guys the right way, or it was truly a wondrous display of basketball from the Trail Blazers. Of course, the Lakers weren’t at full strength without King James, but they’re also still without Mo Bamba, who was traded to the Lakers from the Orlando Magic at the deadline. Bamba continues to serve a four-game suspension for an on-court altercation with Minnesota’s Austin Rivers during a game back on February 3rd.

The Lakers vs Trail Blazers end of the second half. 

The Lakers face the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, Feb. 15th, at 7 p.m. PT at Crypto.com Arena. The game will be available on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and Spectrum SportsNet.

– Jake Ideguchi-Furukawa – Franchise Sports Media

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