The Portland Trail Blazers’ 132-116 win over the Los Angeles Lakers was simple on Saturday night. The almost routine nature of the victory — Portland’s second straight 16-point win with star Deni Avdija out of the lineup — reflects the newfound stability this team has found as it moves past the midway point of the season just one game below .500.
Avdija’s absence was balanced out by the Lakers playing without superstar Luka Doncic. With both teams’ No. 1 player out of the lineup, the remaining Blazers
looked far superior to the remaining Lakers, even with the eternal LeBron James in action.
The Blazers led by double-digits after every quarter and built a lead as large as 24 in the fourth. They shot 52.3% from the field. They bull-rushed the rim on their way to 20 free throw attempts in the first quarter and 34 for the game, knocking down 26 of those. And they did it all with balance, as three Blazers scored over 20 points.
“We took care of business,” Blazers forward Jerami Grant said. “We maybe started a little bit slow but picked it up right from there. I think we controlled the game for most of it. A few mental lapses, a few runs, but I think that’s the game of basketball. We finished it off strong.”
Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe led that balanced attack. Carrying a bigger offensive burden without Avdija, the fourth-year pro delivered with 25 points (on 9-18 shooting, 4-8 from 3), four assists, three rebounds and two steals. He got those numbers with a healthy dose of pull-up 3s, courtesy of separation-creating step-backs and one nasty crossover that sent Drew Timme moving the wrong direction. He also attacked the rim for gliding layups and powerful dunks.
Each time the Blazers surged on offense, Sharpe was in the middle of it. He scored 10 points during the third quarter to help Portland seize firm control of the game. Then in the fourth quarter, Sharpe provided what felt like an early dagger when he knocked down the previously mentioned 3-pointer against Timme, putting the Blazers up 17 with 5:42 remaining.
“He shot well from 3. He was trying to be aggressive there,” Blazers acting coach Tiago Splitter said about Sharpe. “He has less of those midrange shots. I think he’s giving us more effort on defense as well, getting a couple stops, a couple steals.”
For the second straight game, Grant reminded everybody how helpful it is to have him back from injury. The vet scored 22 points (on 6-12 shooting) while mixing hard drives with a 3-4 shooting night from long distance. He helped set the tone in the first quarter by getting to the line six times, and he shot 7-9 from the free throw line for the game.
Rookie guard Caleb Love was the third Blazer to reach over 20 points, marking the 14th straight game he has scored in double figures. He dropped in 22 points on 8-15 shooting, seven assists and two steals against LA as he continues to be a revelation off the bench. Center Donovan Clingan struggled with his 3-point shot but he finished almost everything in the paint, adding 18 points and 11 rebounds on 7-14 shooting. Fellow starter Sidy Cissoko provided an ultra-efficient 14 points on 5-7 shooting.
Elsewhere on the roster, Jrue Holiday, Toumani Camara and Robert Williams III got close to double figures with nine, nine and eight points, respectively. Holiday added four assists in 19 minutes, repeatedly getting into the paint with his patient, intentional pace.
Splitter said Saturday’s matchup felt like a “trap game.” Not only were the Lakers missing Doncic, but they were playing without starters Austin Reaves and Deandre Ayton. Splitter was worried his players might underestimate their shorthanded opponent or not bring the required urgency and focus. But for four quarters, the Blazers took care of business, forcing the benches to empty late.
A month ago, the Blazers didn’t seem good enough to qualify for trap games. This type of comfortable win almost seemed impossible, especially if Avdija was out. But with the Blazers improving and healthy bodies returning to the lineup, they’re back to a higher standard.
“[They’re] able to give us a different pace and control the game,” Camara said about Grant and Holiday, who also returned from injury earlier this week. “They’ve been in this [league] for a very long time so to be able to have their experience all around throughout the whole game, it really helps us and makes us feel more comfortable.”
“Jrue, first of all, him being the leader on the team and the point guard, he’s able to control the pace. That’s huge for us,” Grant added. “But I think we’re all kinda growing up a little bit … not trying to rush, especially when we have a little lead and things like that. [We’re] showing up to play from the beginning.”
In the 34 games before Jan. 1, just four of Portland’s wins came by a margin of 10 points or more (and only two of those came after October). In the nine games since the new year, Portland has already recorded four such wins.
The Blazers are getting closer to the solid health and form they began the season with in October.
“Of course, we know that we’re not 100%,” Splitter said. “Jrue is still getting shape and Jerami is still not there, and we have Deni still out. But slowly, we start to see that picture again.”
