Austin Reaves scored 41 points to follow up his career-high 51 on Sunday, but the Los Angeles Lakers fell to the Portland Trail Blazers 122-108 on Monday at Crypto.com Arena. Deni Avdija led Portland with 25 points, while Jrue Holiday added 24 points and six assists.
Jerami Grant contributed 22 points off the bench, and Shaedon Sharpe and Donovan Clingan each added 16 as the Trail Blazers secured their first road win of the season. Portland pulled away in the second half, taking advantage of Los Angeles’ depleted roster.
The Lakers were missing seven players, including stars LeBron James (sciatica) and Luka Doncic (sprained finger/leg bruise), along with guards Marcus Smart and Gabe Vincent. Reaves served as the team’s primary ball handler in a lineup short on experienced playmakers.
Portland forced 25 Lakers turnovers while shooting efficiently from 3-point range. Avdija went 5 of 8 from beyond the arc, Holiday made 4 of 7, and Grant added three triples, keeping the Blazers ahead.
Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton each scored 16 points, and Jarred Vanderbilt added 14 for Los Angeles, but the supporting cast struggled to generate consistent offense. The Lakers made just 7 of 27 three-point attempts (25.9%), limiting their ability to mount a comeback.
The Trail Blazers improve to 2-2, while Los Angeles falls to an even 2-2 record. Portland will finish their three-game road trip against Utah on Wednesday, and the Lakers travel to face Minnesota the same night.
