TITLE: Smith’s 25-Point Outburst Sends Undermanned Lakers Past Blazers 123-115
SLUG: smith-25-point-outburst-sends-undermanned-lakers-past-blazers-123-115
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PORTLAND — Missing their top three scorers from last season, the Los Angeles Lakers still found enough offense Monday night, defeating the Portland Trail Blazers 123-115 behind 25 points from reserve guard Nick Smith Jr. and a combined 57 from starters Deandre Ayton and Rui Hachimura.
Smith, signed to a two-way deal just before training camp, entered the game with only nine points on the season. He poured in 17 after halftime, helping Los Angeles erase a nine-point third-quarter deficit and build a 14-point cushion in the fourth.
“I told the guys before the game, ‘We have enough in this locker room to win,’” head coach JJ Redick said. “Their confidence and connectivity in that second half were awesome to watch.”
The late scratch of Luka Doncic (injury management for a lower-left-leg contusion) and Austin Reaves (right groin soreness) flipped the Lakers from 3.5-point favorites at ESPN BET early Monday to 10.5-point underdogs by tipoff. LeBron James remains sidelined while recovering from right-side sciatica.
Even without that trio, Los Angeles improved to 5-3. According to ESPN Research, the Lakers now have six different players with at least 25 points in their first eight games, a feat last matched by the 1971-72 championship Lakers.
Ayton, who finished with 30 points and 12 rebounds, joked that forward Jake LaRavia “started all this” after LaRavia’s 27-point effort in Minnesota last week. The Lakers went 2-1 while Doncic missed those earlier games.
Smith, waived by the Charlotte Hornets in the preseason, called the performance “probably the most fun I’ve had in a long time.” He added, “Bron, Luka, AR—those guys do a lot for us. For the young guys to step up like this is big.”
Hachimura scored 27, while Portland was led by 29 points from Anfernee Simons. The Blazers dropped to 2-6.
Source: ESPN.com
