Lakers look to bounce back against Trail Blazers
The Los Angeles Lakers (18-14) will play the Portland Trail Blazers (11-21) at home on Thursday. The Lakers are looking to bounce back after their loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday.
This is the first game of 2025 for the Purple and Gold and the second game with new additions Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton.
Ahead of the game, let’s break down the keys to getting a win over the Trail Blazers.
Austin Reaves this season:
18.3 PPG (Career-high)
5.7 APG (Career-high)
4.3 RPG (Career-high)
1.0 SPG (Career-high)
45/36/81%@statmuse pic.twitter.com/Xwpm5YwUsq— BronMuse (@BronMuse) January 2, 2025
Austin Reaves continues his elite play
Austin Reaves is having a career year and has been on a tear the last three games. Over the last three contests, Reaves is averaging 29/8/12 on 50/44/85 shooting splits.
Reaves’s efficient scoring and playmaking have helped LA drastically. His usage rate has continued to climb after the team traded away D’Angelo Russell.
The Lakers will need Reaves to put together another great performance with Anthony Davis out. They will also need more from Reaves as a ball-handler, with backup guard Gabe Vincent out.
The others step up in Davis’s absence
With Davis out, LA’s rotation will need to give an all-around effort. New acquisition Finney-Smith will need to hit his three-point shots, play great defense, and potentially be a small-ball five in certain lineups tonight.
Rui Hachimura will also need to have a good game, as he could see some time as a small-ball five. Jaxson Hayes and Christian Koloko will need to play well as rebounders and rim protectors as the traditional bigs in tonight’s matchup.
Even without Davis and Vincent, the Lakers should be able to get back on track against a young and injured Blazers team.
