
The Portland Trail Blazers started a five-game trip Thursday night at the Los Angeles Lakers with coach Chauncey Billups eager to see his team improve defensively in the new year.
The Blazers showed positive signs in that regard but the offense needed wasn’t there during a 114-106 loss at Crypto.com Arena.
The Blazers went 3-9 in December, dragged down by a 124.4 defensive rating, the worst in the NBA that month.
They looked better defensively against the Lakers, who were playing without center Anthony Davis. But 18 turnovers that led to 24 points for the Lakers, who dominated 26-12 in fast-break points, and LeBron James proved too difficult to overcome.
To the Blazers’ credit, they remained in the game despite trailing by as much as 15 in the fourth quarter. The Blazers used a small lineup to roar back to trail just 103-100 when Anfernee Simons hit a three-pointer with 2:30 remaining.
“I loved everything about how we fought back down the stretch,” Billups told reporters.
Simons led the Blazers with 23 points, while Deni Avdija and Shaedon Sharpe each scored 19.
But James, who led all scorers with 38 points, couldn’t be stopped with the game on the line.
His three-pointer with 58 seconds left gave the Lakers a 110-102 lead. His reverse layup with 17 seconds on the clock pretty much iced the game at 112-106.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, center, shoots as Portland Trail Blazers forward Kris Murray, left, and center Donovan Clingan defend during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) APAP
Portland shot 50% from the field and 34.6% from beyond the arc, compared to 45.7% and 34.9% for the Lakers, who committed just 12 turnovers.
The Blazers won the first quarter 31-27 and led by seven with 7:59 remaining in the second quarter. But the Lakers outscored the Blazers 24-8 the rest of the way to take a 60-51 lead into halftime.
“I was happy the way we fought,” Simons told reporters. “We could have just laid down in that moment. We still continued at it, kept encouraging each other when we were able to get back into the game.”
The lineup of Simons, Sharpe, Avdija, Toumani Camara and Scoot Henderson did wonders for the team offensively. They combined to score 29 points on 11-of-18 shooting in the final quarter.
WHAT IT MEANS
The Blazers (11-22) moved to 3-14 on the road this season. They lead only New Orleans (5-29, 1-15 on the road) in wins away from home.
The Lakers (19-14) played only their second game this season without Davis. On Nov. 11, they lost 131-114 at the Memphis Grizzlies with Davis sidelined.
DALANO BANTON RETURNS
Dalano Banton, who missed three games with a hip injury, returned and played just under five minutes. He scored two points with one rebound.
GRANT REMAINS OUT
Jerami Grant missed a second game with a face contusion. Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said Wednesday that Grant did not suffer a concussion when Dallas guard Kyrie Irving accidentally hit him in the face with his arm during Saturday’s win. But the Blazers forward did not feel well enough to practice Wednesday after missing the team’s loss Monday to Philadelphia.
Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons, left, shoots as Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) APAP
SIMONS CLIMBS CHART
Simons hit a three-pointer in the third quarter to move into third place in Blazers’ history with 827.
Simons, 25, passed Wesley Matthews, who made 826 during his time with the Blazers from 2010-2015.
CJ McCollum (1,297) ranks second behind Damian Lillard (2,387).
Simons ended the night 4 of 9 on threes and with 830 career three-point field goals.
Simons also surpassed the 5,000-point mark after entering the game with 4,996. He now has 5,019.
NEXT UP
The Blazers take on Lillard and the Milwaukee Bucks (17-15) at 5 p.m. Saturday.
— Aaron Fentress | afentress@Oregonian.com | @AaronJFentress (Twitter), @AaronJFentress (Instagram), @AaronFentress (Facebook)