Teammates admit to sometimes being a sleeper in ball-watching with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves in control of the Jets’ offense. The top scoring duo in the NBA is just as dynamic. But Tuesday’s 136-129 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers confirmed that even one of the best offensive courts in the league can completely offset a championship-winning defense.
“We relied on the offense a lot,” center Walker Kessler said after the Lakers lost their first game of the season. “And we have a team, a very offensive team and a lot of great scorers. But this is not important except that we get the championship here.”
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The Los Angeles Lakers (3-1) entered Tuesday’s game with the NBA’s highest scoring offense. After Tuesday’s game against two of the NBA’s greatest offenses, they dropped to 22nd in defensive rating.
Portland guard Damian Lillard overcame poor free-throw shooting to finish with 21 points and nail a three-pointer to put the Trail Blazers up by six with 43 seconds left. Portland (3-0) had four players score at least 21 points, led by 23 each from Deni Avdija and Ja Morant. Doncic poured in 41 points with nine assists and Reaves had 26 points with seven assists, four rebounds and no turnovers.
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Bruins coach JJ Redick, still mindful of the season less than a week old, considered the defense a learning curve for all coaches and players. He noted breakdowns that could be resolved with better adherence to game plan and understanding of opposing teams’ personalities.
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“I don’t think anything needs to be settled,” Reaves said. “I think it’s more that we didn’t do what we were supposed to do. It wasn’t a great training camp game. We got to talk more about the defensive end and just be sharper in foul coverages.”
Rebounding problems have plagued the issue since the preseason. Redick had the team do three different chest drills during training camp after the Lakers were outscored by 21 in the first four preseason games.
He had a poor footing on the boards Tuesday — outscored just 38-31 — and surrendered seven offensive rebounds compared to the 15.3 offensive rebounds he gave the Lakers over the first three games. but they were still valuable records. The Trail Blazers had four offensive rebounds in the fourth quarter, leading to five points for the second-10 chance of the game.
Plan B to center
Lakers forward Sandro Mamukelashvili celebrates after scoring against the Portland Trail Blazers in the fourth quarter at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
Kevon Looney, the only full-time center on the Lakers’ roster after Kessler, played just five minutes and a second on Tuesday. He committed two goals in a cameo appearance and turned a six-point Lakers lead at the end of the first quarter into a two-point deficit by the time Looney sat out.
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The short shift was still Looney’s most since he played 14 minutes and 38 seconds in the season opener with six points and five rebounds in a rout of Golden State Warriors. The 30-year-old Looney doesn’t offer nearly the same edge-defensive, lob threat the Lakers crave in Kessler, but they hoped the three-time NBA champion would rely on his experience to hold his position.
“I think his screening,” Dominic Redick said of what he wanted about Looney’s minutes in the first two games of the season. “Four-on-three basketball game is the most in his career, so he helps us in the pocket, with his decision, offensive rebounding. I think he’s doing a good job, he just got up to clean up a few.”
The Eagles tried Sandro Mamukelashvili in some lineups without Kessler at center on Tuesday. The 6-foot-6 power forward who has scored five in his career had 17 points, four rebounds and two assists against the Trail Blazers.
“I’m trying to help [us] win, first of all, “Mamukelashvili said of his object, while it is filled in the middle.” Make me bounce, be, just be physically, help with defense. And in offense, spread the floor.
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Next, Pontica made three shots, four three-pointers and six of nine from the floor.
flip flops
Portland’s Robert Williams scores 3 points against Laker Ziaire Williams at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
One day after he was fined for fumbling on a play against Utah, forward Ziaire Williams was whistled for a violation again in the fourth quarter on Tuesday.
Avdija drove at Williams with 3:38 remaining in the fourth quarter and crashed Williams’ left shoulder and arm into the body. Williams stumbled backwards and both arms went back around as Avdija threw the ball to Lillard for a three-pointer. Lillard nailed a shot from the corner and went for a technical free throw when the play stopped for Williams’ flopping call.
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Williams’ violation was one of three named Tuesday by passengers led by Scott Foster. Portland’s Toumani Camara and Morant were also whistled for flops, and all of the calls came in the fourth quarter of a tight game that saw 52 total field goals and 71 free throws.
NBA officials have placed greater emphasis on throwing this season, limiting arm strength against defenders, rushing blocks and wasting free throw time. Flops are characterized by “exaggerated and theatrical” movements in an attempt to make a call, according to the NBA. Redick said he didn’t believe Williams’ performance rose to that level against Utah, at least.
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With 4:44 left in the fourth quarter against Utah and the Lakers trailing by one, Utah’s Keyonte George passed to Williams. The Jazz guard drove into Williams and was called for a foul as Williams tripped backwards. Only the next day Williams was fined $2000 for the flop.
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“That’s how his body naturally moves,” Redick said.
Williams said Tuesday that while he didn’t get feedback on the call, he thought it was a good defensive play against the Jazz.
“I’ll do my best,” Williams said before Tuesday’s game, “and if I win the flop again, I’ll do it.”
The Bruins turned the ball over on their next possession, but rallied on an 8-1 run in the fourth quarter to pull away for a thrilling nine-point win after trailing by 18 in the second quarter.
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This story first appeared in the Los Angeles Times.