Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton said a depleted roster and excessive turnovers were decisive factors in the team’s 122-108 defeat to the Portland Trail Blazers on Oct. 27, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena.
The game concluded the second night of a back-to-back for Los Angeles, which played without several regular rotation members. Portland took advantage, forcing 23 Lakers turnovers and turning the miscues into quick scoring opportunities.
“Yeah, you could tell tonight. We needed our guys,” Ayton said afterward. “Portland did a great job of speeding us up. We didn’t get a chance to regroup and adjust to how they were guarding us.”
Austin Reaves paced the Lakers with 41 points, four rebounds, five assists and three steals, but also committed eight turnovers while absorbing most of the defensive pressure. Ayton, facing the franchise that waived him during the offseason, added 16 points and eight rebounds.
The Trail Blazers capitalized on Los Angeles’ short bench to pull away late. Despite the loss, Ayton viewed the contest as an opportunity for the team’s depth players. “This is the true point of showing togetherness,” he said. “It’s good to see some of these guys who’ve been training get some run and step up.”
Rookies Dalton Knecht and Jarred Vanderbilt delivered productive minutes, while Bronny James and Nick Smith Jr. combined for six rebounds, six assists and two blocks.
Head coach JJ Redick acknowledged the impact of having only one primary ball-handler on the floor. “When you turn it over 23 times against a defense like that, it’s hard to overcome,” he said.
The Lakers will look to regroup once their injured contributors return and apply the lessons Ayton said became clear in their absence.
Source: Lakers Nation
