Lakers get dominated in loss to Damian Lillard, Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers forward Drew Eubanks, right, is called for a blocking foul as Lakers forward Anthony Davis, left, drives to the basket. during the second half on Monday night in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Steve Dykes)
Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, center, drives to the basket as Lakers forward Anthony Davis, left, and guard Dennis Schroder defend during the first half on Monday night in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Steve Dykes)
Lakers forward Rui Hachimura shoots over Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard during the first half on Monday night in Portland, Ore. (Photo by Amanda Loman/Getty Images)
Portland Trail Blazers forward Cam Reddish, right, passes the ball as Lakers forwards Rui Hachimura, left, and Anthony Davis, center, defend during the first half on Monday night in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Steve Dykes)
Lakers big man Anthony Davis drives to the basket as the Portland Trail Blazers’ Drew Eubanks defends during the first half on Monday night in Portland, Ore. (Photo by Amanda Loman/Getty Images)
Portland Trail Blazers forward Cam Reddish, left, drives to the basket as Lakers guard Dennis Schroder defends during the first half on Monday night in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Steve Dykes)
Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, right, drives to the basket as Lakers forward Anthony Davis defends during the first half on Monday night in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Steve Dykes)
Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard handles the ball as Lakers guard Dennis Schroder defends during the first quarter on Monday night in Portland, Ore. (Photo by Amanda Loman/Getty Images)
Lakers big man Anthony Davis drives to the basket as the Portland Trail Blazers’ Drew Eubanks defends during the first half on Monday night in Portland, Ore. (Photo by Amanda Loman/Getty Images)
Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons, left, drives to the basket as Lakers forward Troy Brown Jr., right, defends during the first half on Monday night in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Steve Dykes)
Lakers forward Anthony Davis shoots over Portland Trail Blazers forward Drew Eubanks during the first half on Monday night in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Steve Dykes)
Portland Trail Blazers guard Matisse Thybulle, left, and Lakers forward Anthony Davis go after the ball during the first half on Monday night in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Steve Dykes)
Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, left, looks to drive past Lakers guard Dennis Schroder during the first half on Monday night in Portland, Ore. Lillard scored 30 of his 40 points before halftime as the Blazers overwhelmed the Lakers by making 17 3-point shots before the break. (AP Photo/Steve Dykes)
Lakers forward Troy Brown Jr., left, drives to the basket as Portland Trail Blazers forward Drew Eubanks defends during the second half on Monday night in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Steve Dykes)
Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, left, looks to pass the ball as Lakers forward Troy Brown Jr. defends during the second half on Monday night in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Steve Dykes)
Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell, center, drives to the basket past Portland Trail Blazers forward Drew Eubanks, left, as guard Matisse Thybulle, right, looks on during the second half on Monday night in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Steve Dykes)
Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, center, shoots the ball as Lakers forward Troy Brown Jr., left, and Anthony Davis defend during the second half on Monday night in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Steve Dykes)
Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, left, shoots the ball over Lakers forward Anthony Davis during the second half on Monday night in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Steve Dykes)
Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell, center, passes the ball as Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons, left, and forward Nassir Little defend during the second half on Monday night in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Steve Dykes)
The Portland Trail Blazers’ Jabari Walker drives to the basket as the Lakers’ Wenyen Gabriel defends during the second half on Monday night in Portland, Ore. (Photo by Amanda Loman/Getty Images)
Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt, center, drives to the basket as Portland Trail Blazers forward Drew Eubanks, left, and Nassir Little, right, defend during the second half on Monday night in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Steve Dykes)
The Portland Trail Blazers’ Trendon Watford drives to the basket past the Lakers’ Anthony Davis during the second half on Monday night in Portland, Ore. (Photo by Amanda Loman/Getty Images)
Lakers guard Dennis Schroder, center, drives to the basket as Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, left, and forward Nassir Little, right, defend during the second half on Monday night in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Steve Dykes)
The Portland Trail Blazers’ Damian Lillard drives to the basket past the Lakers’ Dennis Schroder during the second half on Monday night in Portland, Ore. (Photo by Amanda Loman/Getty Images)
The Portland Trail Blazers’ Damian Lillard drives to the basket past the Lakers’ Dennis Schroder during the second half on Monday night in Portland, Ore. (Photo by Amanda Loman/Getty Images)
Lakers big man Anthony Davis shoots over the Portland Trail Blazers’ Trendon Watford during the second half on Monday night in Portland, Ore. (Photo by Amanda Loman/Getty Images)
The Lakers’ Austin Reaves drives to the basket as the Portland Trail Blazers’ Trendon Watford defends during the second half on Monday night in Portland, Ore. (Photo by Amanda Loman/Getty Images)
The Portland Trail Blazers’ Jabari Walker drives to the basket as the Lakers’ Lonnie Walker IV defends during the second half on Monday night in Portland, Ore. (Photo by Amanda Loman/Getty Images)
The Lakers’ Jarred Vanderbilt reacts to an official’s call during the first half of their game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night in Portland, Ore. (Photo by Amanda Loman/Getty Images)
Lakers big man Anthony Davis looks to pass as the Portland Trail Blazers’ Matisse Thybulle defends during the second half on Monday night in Portland, Ore. (Photo by Amanda Loman/Getty Images)
The Portland Trail Blazers’ Shaedon Sharpe looks to dunk during the second half of their game against the Lakers on Monday night in Portland, Ore. (Photo by Amanda Loman/Getty Images)
Lakers guard Dennis Schroder, left, drives to the basket as Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, right, defends during the second half on Monday night in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Steve Dykes)
The Portland Trail Blazers’ Ryan Arcidiacono directs the offense as Lakers rookie Max Christie defends during the second half on Monday night in Portland, Ore. (Photo by Amanda Loman/Getty Images)
PORTLAND, Ore. — During a third-quarter timeout, LeBron James, wearing a button-up shirt and a beanie, stood under the rim, casually flicking in shots off the glass.
The Lakers will need the NBA’s all-time leading scorer back in uniform soon, making baskets that count.
James’ absence – his third straight missed game – was felt deeply Monday night in a 127-115 loss that saw the Portland Trail Blazers (28-29) toy with the Lakers (26-32) on a razor-sharp shooting night. Damian Lillard had 30 points by halftime and finished with an easy 40.
The 32-year-old has already notched a 60-point game this season, but he was in cruise control with eight 3-pointers, all before halftime. As a team, the Blazers were a whopping 23 for 47 from behind the arc, a mark made more painful by even Matisse Thybulle, just a 33% deep shooter, going 4 for 6. Part of the Lakers’ game plan was to get the ball to shooters like Thybulle, but their success tore their hopes apart.
“Just try to do your best to make it as difficult as possible for him,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said of Lillard. “Outside of stealing his sneakers, I don’t know what else you can do.”
It was that kind of night, and when the Blazers stacked up 17 3-pointers by halftime, the Lakers’ defense became so stretched and frenetic that Portland was able to effortlessly cut on them in the third quarter, solidifying the result.
The 13th-place Lakers find themselves in the agonizing position of needing every win they can get, and they bungled a valuable opportunity to move closer to the team directly ahead of them in the Western Conference standings when the night started. They have just one more game against the New Orleans Pelicans before the All-Star break, which they probably sorely need, too.
“Obviously it’s our second game together,” Lakers big man Anthony Davis said of the significant roster changes made ahead of the trade deadline. “Still trying to figure it out.”
Davis finished with 19 points and 20 rebounds, but he looked tentative especially on offense despite being guarded by spot starter Drew Eubanks in the frontcourt. He was just 8 for 18 from the field, his shooting touch still slow to come back in his return from injury so far.
“I still have to be productive for my team to win basketball games,” Davis said. “I feel fine. I just gotta make shots.”
After debuting with a win on Saturday at Golden State, the Lakers’ newcomers put up similar numbers: D’Angelo Russell had 16 points and four assists; Jarred Vanderbilt had six points and six rebounds; Malik Beasley had 22 points, but loaded up his stats during garbage time minutes in the fourth quarter.
None of them, however, made a discernible impact as the Lakers searched for a comeback attempt – crystalizing the notion that the Lakers’ success isn’t tied to its trade acquisitions, but to the play of its stars. Russell, in his second stint with the Lakers, acknowledged he’s still learning plays, his teammates’ tendencies and the Lakers’ defensive terminology.
“It’s a complete new team. A complete new everything,” he said. “So on a scale of 1-10, I’m a one right now. … It’s not going to happen right away.”
Portland led by as much as 27 points, and the Lakers were never within single digits after the first quarter. Portland’s 3-point percentage (49%) was higher than its 2-point percentage (46%).
The Blazers had already racked up nine 3-pointers in the first quarter alone when they ran their final play of the frame with 1.6 seconds remaining. Unfortunately for the Lakers, that was more than enough time for Lillard, who pulled up from 40 feet as Austin Reaves and Vanderbilt tried to contest, then could only watch it splash through the net.
That quarter, which ended with the Lakers down 34-19, was the most lopsided of the game. But the Blazers kept swishing throughout the night, and by midway through the second quarter, it felt clear the Lakers would not catch them.
D’Angelo Russell, Lakers’ newcomers hope to hit the ground running
When these two teams played at Moda Center on Jan. 22, the Lakers erased a 25-point halftime deficit with a dazzling display of defensive intensity and rapid-fire transition. Many of the central figures in that comeback – Pat Beverley and his dogged defense; Thomas Bryant and his shooting touch – are now gone from the roster. And James, one of the few impact players still on the roster, is hoping for a Wednesday return.
Russell said he looked forward to seeing James on the court alongside him on Wednesday, thinking his presence would smooth out some of the issues they’ve faced so far. But even if James isn’t ready, Russell understood it’s not something that will give the Lakers any comfort if they can’t turn things around.
“We can’t dwell on it but knowing that we have every excuse in the world to use, are we going to use it or are we going to just kind of go out there and try to make something happen?” he said. “Guys’ energy is good. I think the energy is shifted right now and we’re figuring it out and we want it. So, we’ll see.”
“We definitely have to win more games than we lose for sure.” @AntDavis23 gives his perspective on the # Lakers’ future and team cohesiveness. pic.twitter.com/tev5w12NDm
“He’s just a phenomenal ball player… outside stealing his sneakers I don’t know what else to do.” Darvin Ham gives credit to Dame tonight and talks about the #Lakers figuring things out. pic.twitter.com/I1xWOckfHn
