LeBron James scored 38 points with eight assists and Max Christie added a career-high 28 as the Los Angeles Lakers overcame the absence of Anthony Davis to earn a 114-106 victory over the visiting Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday.
Austin Reaves scored 15 points with 11 assists as the Lakers won for the sixth time in their last eight games. Davis, who leads Los Angeles with 26.1 points and 11.6 rebounds, was a late scratch with a left ankle sprain.
Anfernee Simons scored 23 points, while Shaedon Sharpe and Deni Avdija each added 19 as the Trail Blazers lost for the 10th time in their last 13 games. Toumani Camara scored 18 points and Avdija added 10 rebounds for Portland, which lost its seventh consecutive road game. Two of those defeats have come against the Lakers.
Trailing by as many as seven points in the second quarter, the Lakers closed the first half on a 10-2 run to take a 60-51 lead into the break.
Christie, who is known for his defensive presence in the backcourt, scored 12 points in the second quarter alone, while James had 14 in the period.
Los Angeles widened the gap to 88-75 heading into the fourth quarter, with James (nine points) and Christie (seven) leading the third-period charge as well.
The Lakers led 99-86 with 6:13 remaining after Christie’s fifth 3-pointer of the game before the Blazers rallied within 101-97 on three free throws from Simons and two more from Avdija to cap am 11-2 run.
Portland pulled within one possession at 103-100 with 2:30 left after a 3-pointer by Simons, before James scored five points on a 7-2 run by Los Angeles for a 110-102 lead with 59 seconds remaining.
Without Davis, the Lakers received help on the inside from the return of Jaxson Hayes, who has played just once since Nov. 13 and has been out of action the previous 15 games with an ankle injury. Hayes scored four points with six rebounds in 18 minutes.
–Field Level Media
