LeBron Dominates in Win Over the Trail Blazers
The Los Angeles Lakers started the new year by hosting the Portland Trail Blazers, who have struggled this season. Portland’s downward trend continued as LA secured a 114-106 victory at Crypto.com Arena.
Following a rough loss to Cleveland on New Year’s Eve, the Lakers needed this win to regain momentum heading into the new year. While it wasn’t the highest-scoring game in the world, the matchup featured dominant performances from key players on the roster.
LeBron James
The King had a signature performance last night, scoring 38 points while shooting 70% from three. James’s seven three-pointers were a new season high and contributed to a 14-24 stretch over the last four games.
With Anthony Davis out for the game with a sprained ankle, LeBron stepped up and was clearly the best player on the floor.
Following the D’Angelo Russell trade to the Nets, the Lakers will need others to step up and provide consistent perimeter shooting. It will be interesting to see if James can continue his hot streak from beyond the arc.
NO BETTER WAY TO START 2025 THAN WITH A HOME W 😈🎉 pic.twitter.com/asnCujXJie
— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) January 3, 2025
Max Christie and Austin Reaves
Max Christie also had a true breakout night for the Lakers, scoring 28 points off of 56% shooting including five threes. He also had a notable day on defense, providing good effort on-ball and recording a block and two steals.
After a rough start to the season, Christie’s emergence as a key role player for the Lakers has been pivotal. This is his fourth time scoring 10+ points over the last five games, and his solid defense makes him a very valuable 3-and-D player moving forward.
Meanwhile, Austin Reaves didn’t have the flashiest night compared to LeBron and Christie, but he was still an important factor. He scored 15 points and led the team in assists with 11 while also tying for the lead in rebounds with eight.
Reaves has been on fire lately, as this is his fourth straight game with a double-double. He is averaging 25/8/11 since Christmas.
The Front Court
One of the biggest takeaways from this game is that the Lakers should not be done in the trade market, as they desperately need to acquire another backup center. Jaxson Hayes failed to make much of a difference in Anthony Davis’s absence, and the Lakers interior defense struggled as a result.
Deandre Ayton had a quiet night but forwards Toumani Camara and Deni Avdija both scored 18+ points. The Blazers’ backcourt also had many nice finishes in the paint. This aspect of the Lakers roster will continue to be exposed by better teams down the stretch.
Newly acquired Dorian Finney-Smith – who had a nice game – can play center in a pinch, but that is still not a good enough backup plan in the event that Davis misses time. If the Lakers hope to truly contend this year, they should take a good look at Walker Kessler from the Jazz.
