The Portland Trail Blazers entered the Staples Center in search of revenge for their expulsion from the 2020 NBA playoffs at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers. After a slow start, when LA Biggs pushed Portland firmly, the Blazers created guard power and went on to win the World Champs, 11-10-201 past. Gary Trent was the knockout star of the evening with 28 points on a 7-11 shooting from Junior Arc. CJ McCollum added 20 and Damien Lillard 31 in the Blazers’ victory.
Portland got off to a slow start once again as LeBron hit 3 bucks for 7 points in the first three minutes of the game to give the LA an instant 9-2 lead. And that was when he threw down the unmanned dunk on the break. Portland’s ball movement was fooling someone. The Lakers were going into the first 30 against the new Portland defense, which looked very similar to the old Portland defense.
The Blazers closed the gap with another unit, though … definitely a new development. Trent killed three thrashings after an investigation with junior preliminary bench players. He would score 16 points by halftime, while McCullum added 13, 11 in the second quarter.
Portland were delighted when they stopped pitching the ball around the perimeter and attacked the rim hard. Some simple scores inside opened the arc, and suddenly the Lakers defense that felt cement-solid became cracked and porous. The Blazers led 58-54 in intermission.
If the first half had a series of runs (Portland had 11- and 12-point streaks), the Lakers are committed to making the trend their own as soon as they start with the second. They hit 15 balls straight after half time. The early Portlanders, contributing to the dominance of the LA, continued the game-long trend of turning the ball. Injuries to the third period strengthened the Blazers guards, but Dennis Schroeder tore them to the other end. LA led 85-84 at the end of three.
As soon as the final period began, Trent Jr. argued strongly for his name to be typed in all caps next month, hitting three more pieces, keeping the boots safe. Robert Coving Wington and Derrick Jones, Jr. turned in their already excellent defensive games 11, and then Damien Lillard caught fire. At the time, the blazers weren’t stopping. Jusuf Nourik gave a big bounce in the stretch and the Blazers went on to win the youth season 2-1.
LeBron James had 29 points in the loss. Ans Carter added 12 of Trent Jr.’s 28, helping the Blazers to 45 points off the bench this evening.
Talk about the following game as you await Steve DeWald and a detailed recap of all the action in detail.
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