The Los Angeles Lakers showcased resilience and teamwork on Monday night as they defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 123-115, despite missing star players Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves due to injuries. The Lakers opened as 3.5-point chalk. With two injury announcements, their odds went soaring to 10.5-point underdogs. Despite all of this, they showed their depth and versatility when faced with adversity.
The game turned into a nail biter when the Lakers went down by nine points in the middle of the third quarter. Collins was trying to get his groove back, Nick Smith Jr. really stepped up with 17 second half points for a surprising 25 point output. His efforts were key in swinging the momentum in the team’s favor.
JJ Redick said all eyes were on this underdog team. He has been a major factor in providing players opportunities to succeed in the absence of key cogs.
“I told the guys before the game, ‘We have enough in this locker room to win this game,’” – JJ Redick
With LeBron James currently sidelined at the beginning of the season due to sciatica, this injury has tested the Lakers’ depth more than any other. Deandre Ayton and Rui Hachimura gave us a glimpse of their talent by scoring a combined 57 points, proving they have the talent to make big impacts. Ayton jokingly gave credit to Jake LaRavia for starting the ridiculous hero trend. His recent performance, including an impressive 27 point effort vs. Minnesota last week, didn’t hurt either.
“You’ve got to sit there and blame dudes like Jake LaRavia,” – Deandre Ayton
The Lakers’ offensive vision came to fruition when they saw the benefits with six unique players scoring 25 or more points this season. That depth proved necessary as they kept pace, sometimes without their top two scorers. In order to have a chance at winning, Redick emphasized the need to have a winning mindset.
“You can’t win in the NBA without stepping on the floor and expecting to win,” – JJ Redick
Smith Jr.’s post-game comments to the media underscored the importance of camaraderie in difficult moments.
“Just coming together as a group, getting a big win, especially with our best players out,” – Nick Smith Jr.
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