LOS ANGELES — In a thrilling matchup, LeBron James shined with an impressive 38 points, while Max Christie set a personal milestone by scoring 28, leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a 114-106 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night.
James showcased an exceptional shooting performance, nailing a season-best seven 3-pointers, while Christie supported with five 3-pointers of his own. The win marks the Lakers’ impressive streak, having clinched six victories in their last eight games. Austin Reaves helped solidify the team’s success with 15 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds, contributing to the Lakers’ fifth consecutive win over Portland.
In a notable absence, star player Anthony Davis rested due to a sprained left ankle, an injury he sustained back on Christmas. This marked just his second missed game of the current season. Additionally, guard Gabe Vincent was sidelined with a hip injury.
For the Blazers, Anfernee Simons made a significant impact by scoring 11 of his 23 points in the final quarter. Teammates Shaedon Sharpe and Deni Avdija each contributed 19 points as well. Jaxson Hayes, filling in for Davis, made his mark with four points after returning from a lengthy injury absence of 15 games.
Veteran players Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton found limited success, contributing three and four points, respectively, in their second game with the Lakers after a recent trade with Brooklyn.
Key Takeaways:
Trail Blazers: Despite a promising start and a strong finish in the first and fourth quarters, the Blazers fell short, failing to establish aggression early in their five-game road trip following a difficult December with a record of 3-9.
Lakers: Christie is emerging as a reliable asset in his third year, scoring in double digits for the fourth time in five outings, demonstrating his capabilities on both ends of the court.
The turning point of the game came when Portland found themselves trailing 99-86 with just over six minutes remaining. They executed a valuable 14-4 run, but in the end, James and Christie combined for 11 points down the stretch, including James’ seventh 3-pointer with just 59 seconds left on the clock.
Key Stat: Over the past four games, James has impressively shot 14 of 24 from beyond the arc, a remarkable performance as he recently celebrated his 40th birthday.
Looking ahead, the Lakers are set to host the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, while the Trail Blazers will face off against Damian Lillard and the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday.
