Tough night for the purple and gold. If you were looking for a bounce-back win at the Moda Center, the lakers score last night game against the Portland Trail Blazers probably left you staring at your TV in frustration. Portland walked away with a 132-116 victory on Saturday, January 17, 2026, and honestly, the final margin feels like it could have been even wider if the Blazers hadn't taken their foot off the gas late in the fourth.
The Lakers entered the building shorthanded. No Luka Doncic. No Deandre Ayton. That’s a lot of production sitting on the bench in warmups. Luka has been the engine of this offense all season, leading the league with 33.6 points per game, but a sore left groin kept him out. Without his gravity on the floor, the Lakers looked disjointed, struggling to find a rhythm against a young, hungry Portland squad.
Breaking Down the Lakers Score Last Night Game
Portland jumped out early and basically never looked back. They dropped 40 points in the second quarter alone. By halftime, the Lakers were staring at a 71-61 deficit.
LeBron James tried to keep things respectable. He finished with 20 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists, nearly flirting with a triple-double. But at age 41, asking him to carry the entire scoring load without his primary co-stars is a tall order. Marcus Smart actually led the Lakers in scoring with 25 points, hitting four triples before leaving the game with a visible limp in the fourth quarter. That’s another injury headache JJ Redick really doesn’t need right now.
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The Blazers' side of the box score was much more balanced. Shaedon Sharpe looked like a superstar in the making, dropping 25 points and punctuating the night with a massive dunk in the third quarter that silenced the traveling Laker fans. Jerami Grant and Caleb Love chipped in 22 apiece.
The Bench and the "Doncic Effect"
When Luka doesn't play, the margin for error evaporates. Drew Timme was a bright spot, coming off the bench for 21 points on 9-of-12 shooting. He’s been a reliable spark plug, but the Lakers' defense was the real issue here. Portland shot the lights out, and L.A. couldn't buy a stop when it mattered.
Portland led by as many as 24 points late in the game. Redick finally pulled LeBron with about five and a half minutes left, effectively waving the white flag. It was the right move. With a back-to-back situation and a mounting injury list, there’s no point in grinding the King into the dirt for a game that was already out of reach.
The foul trouble didn't help either. The Lakers committed 25 fouls, sending Portland to the line repeatedly and killing any momentum they tried to build in the third quarter. It’s hard to build a comeback when the whistle is blowing every other possession.
What This Loss Means for the Standings
This loss drops the Lakers to a 24-16 record. They’re still in the mix in the Western Conference, but these "trap games" against teams like Portland (21-22) are the ones that haunt you come April seeding.
The Blazers have now won seven of their last nine. They are playing inspired basketball, even without their own top scorer, Deni Avdija. For the Lakers, the focus shifts immediately to health. If Marcus Smart’s injury is serious, the backcourt depth is going to be tested in a way we haven't seen yet this season.
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JJ Redick mentioned pre-game that Luka’s MRI was clear, which is the only real "win" for Lakers fans today. He’s officially day-to-day. They need him back, and they need him back fast.
Next Steps for Laker Fans
If you're tracking the team's progress, keep an eye on the official injury report for Sunday's matchup. The Lakers return home to Crypto.com Arena to face the Toronto Raptors.
- Check the status of Luka Doncic and Marcus Smart about 90 minutes before tip-off; that's usually when the final "active" list drops.
- Watch the defensive rotations. Redick has been preaching "high-hands" defense, but the Lakers gave up too many easy looks at the rim in Portland.
- Monitor the minutes. If Smart is out, expect more run for Kobe Bufkin and maybe even some situational minutes for Bronny James, who saw about eight minutes of action last night.
The season is a marathon, but this two-game slide needs to end before the upcoming road trip against Denver and the Clippers.