LeBron James recorded 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists but was called for a flagrant foul! The Lakers fell to the Trail Blazers, with Yang Hansen playing garbage time and committing 1 turnover.

On January 18th, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued with the Trail Blazers hosting and beating the Lakers 132-116. The Lakers were without Doncic, Ayton, and Reeves due to injuries, leaving LeBron James as the sole leader. He scored 20 points, grabbed 9 rebounds, and dished out 8 assists on 6-of-16 shooting, receiving a level-one flagrant foul in the last quarter. Smart topped the Lakers with 25 points but exited due to injury late in the game. The Trail Blazers led by 10 at halftime and extended their advantage in the second half to comfortably beat the Lakers. Sharpe scored 25 points, and Yang Hansen, recently recalled from the G League, played the last 3 minutes and 28 seconds, committing only one traveling violation.

Statistics

Lakers: Smart 25 points, 2 rebounds, 4 three-pointers; LeBron James 20 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists; Timmy 21 points; Hachimura 11 points; Kleber 11 points, 5 rebounds; Vanderbilt 6 points; Bafkin 9 points; Vincent 3 points; LaRavia 2 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists.

Trail Blazers: Sharpe 25 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists; Grant 22 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists; Klingen 18 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists; Love 22 points, 7 assists; Sisoko 14 points, 5 rebounds; Lowry 8 points, 6 rebounds; Holiday 9 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists; Kamara 9 points; Reece 5 points, 5 rebounds; Yang Hansen 1 turnover.

Player of the Game

Grant, Sharpe, and Love shined, leading the Trail Blazers to victory over the Lakers.

Game Recap

In the first quarter, Kleber, starting in place of Ayton, scored the Lakers’ first 5 points. Holiday and Sisoko scored layups, Smart hit a three-pointer, and Klingen completed a 2+1 on a putback. LeBron assisted Kleber and Smart consecutively. Klingen and Kleber exchanged powerful dunks. Sharpe drained a three, and Reece made a 2+1 putback. Timmy scored on a floater and then hit a three-pointer. Vanderbilt threw down an alley-oop dunk, and Reece, Love, and Grant scored on free throws. Bronny and LeBron appeared on the court together. Love nailed a three, Kamara scored on a putback, and the Trail Blazers went on a 15-2 run. After missing his first seven shots, LeBron finally scored on a layup, hitting his first basket of the game, and Love hit another three. The quarter ended with the Trail Blazers leading 40-27.

In the second quarter, Vincent and Klingen traded three-pointers, Timmy scored on a floater, Sisoko dunked, Timmy hit another three, and Smart scored on a layup, with the Lakers trailing by 8. Holiday scored a layup, LeBron completed a 2+1, then followed with a dunk. On the Trail Blazers’ side, Love hit a three, and Grant scored consecutively, pushing the lead to 14. Hachimura scored on a mid-range shot. Vanderbilt dunked on a fast break, Grant made a behind-the-back pass to assist Lowry’s dunk. Timmy scored on a putback, LeBron missed a layup, and the Trail Blazers countered with Sharpe’s alley-oop dunk. Halftime score: Trail Blazers 71, Lakers 61.

By halftime, three players on each team had reached double figures. LeBron had 10 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists on 3-of-12 shooting for the Lakers, with Timmy scoring 14 and Smart 11. For the Trail Blazers, Grant had 15 points, Love 11, and Sharpe 10.

After the break, Klingen threw down an alley-oop dunk, Smart hit two consecutive three-pointers, Sharpe scored 4 straight points, Kamara, Sharpe, and Holiday all hit threes, Smart scored 5 more points, Sharpe nailed another three, and Klingen scored 4 consecutive points. LeBron made a mid-range jumper, Grant hit a three, and the Trail Blazers led by 19. Hachimura and Grant exchanged three-pointers. Smart scored on a layup, Hachimura hit multiple mid-range shots, Lowry scored a putback, Sisoko hit a three, and LeBron scored on a layup. The third quarter ended with the Trail Blazers ahead 107-90.

In the final quarter, LeBron hit a three, Klingen scored inside, Vanderbilt scored on a layup, and Sisoko dunked. Bafkin scored on a layup, and LeBron blocked Luyper. LeBron fouled Klingen on defense, resulting in a level-one flagrant foul call. Holiday scored a layup, Timmy and Bafkin hit three-pointers, and Kamara and Sharpe responded with threes, extending the Trail Blazers’ lead to 17. Smart left the game due to injury. Kleber scored on a hook shot, Love scored 5 straight points, and both teams brought in substitutes. With 3 minutes and 28 seconds left, Yang Hansen entered the game, Knect hit a three, Love scored on a mid-range jumper, and Yang Hansen was called for traveling. The Trail Blazers cruised to an easy victory over the Lakers.

Starting Lineups

Lakers: Vincent, Smart, LaRavia, LeBron James, Kleber

Trail Blazers: Holiday, C.J. Sharp, Kamara, Sisoko, Klingen