If you were hoping for a late-night Lakers thriller at the Moda Center, I’ve got some tough news for your Sunday morning. The score of the Lakers game ended in a lopsided 132-116 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.
It wasn't just a loss; it was a grind.
Watching the Lakers right now feels a bit like watching a luxury car try to win a race with half its engine parts missing. You see the flashes of brilliance, sure, but the consistency just isn't there. Playing without Luka Doncic—who has been an absolute titan for Los Angeles this season—was always going to be a massive mountain to climb. Combine that with Deandre Ayton sitting out due to knee soreness, and the Lakers were basically walking into a track meet with lead boots.
Breaking down the score of the Lakers game and what went wrong
Portland came out swinging. Shaedon Sharpe looked every bit like the star the Blazers have been waiting for, dropping 25 points and basically treating the Lakers' perimeter defense like a suggestion rather than a rule.
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The Blazers lead by 14 in the first half.
The Lakers tried to make it a game in the second quarter. LeBron James, who finished with 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists, threw down a dunk that actually woke up the Portland crowd. It cut the lead to 53-47, and for a second, you thought, "Okay, maybe they’ve got a run in them."
But the reality of the score of the Lakers game is that Portland had too many weapons. While the Lakers were scrambling to find offense, Portland had Jerami Grant and Caleb Love both chipping in 22 points.
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The injury report is getting scary
Honestly, you can't talk about this game without looking at the training table. The Lakers were down:
- Luka Doncic (Top scorer)
- Deandre Ayton (Starting center)
- Austin Reaves
- Jaxson Hayes
That is a lot of talent to have in street clothes. When you're missing your primary playmaker in Luka and your rim protection in Ayton, you end up with a scoreline where the opponent drops 132. Marcus Smart tried to pick up the slack with 25 points, including a couple of big threes in the third quarter that pulled LA within eight, but every time the Lakers got close, Portland responded with a dunk or a transition bucket.
Shaedon Sharpe's answer to Smart’s third-quarter three was a thunderous dunk that felt like the unofficial end of the comeback attempt. By the time JJ Redick pulled LeBron with 5:40 left in the fourth, the lead had ballooned to 24.
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Is it time for Lakers fans to panic?
Look, the Lakers are 24-17 now. That’s not a disaster, but the trend line is getting a little shaky. They’ve lost four of their last five games, including that tough one against Charlotte and a close one to Milwaukee.
The problem isn't the effort; it's the depth. When the stars aren't there, the Lakers struggle to find a secondary identity. Gabe Vincent struggled tonight, going 1-for-6 from the field. Jake LaRavia played 28 minutes but only managed two points. You just can't win in the modern NBA with that kind of production from your rotation players when your superstars are out.
Portland, on the other hand, is hot. They’ve won seven of their last nine. They played fast, they shared the ball, and they exploited the fact that the Lakers didn't have a true big man to protect the paint.
Actionable insights for the week ahead
If you're following the team's trajectory, keep an eye on these three things before the next tip-off:
- The Luka Timeline: The Lakers' offense is almost entirely dependent on Doncic’s gravity. Check the injury reports on Monday morning. If he’s out for the Denver game on the 20th, it’s going to be another long night.
- The Buyout or Trade Market: With Ayton and Hayes both dealing with injuries, the Lakers are dangerously thin at center. Expect rumors to heat up about a 10-day contract or a minor move to bring in some size.
- Defensive Rotations: The Lakers are giving up way too many points in the paint. Whether it's a scheme change or just better effort from the wings, something has to give before they face Nikola Jokic.
The final score of the Lakers game (132-116) reflects a team that is currently exhausted and undermanned. They have a few days to regroup before heading to Denver, but without some of those key names returning to the lineup, the road ahead doesn't get any easier.