Lakers grades vs. Blazers: Doncic's 53 carries the night as Kessler and the bench chip in
Luka Doncic scored 53 in the Lakers' 124-118 comeback win over Portland. Here is how the rest of the rotation graded out before Sunday's game at Detroit.
The Los Angeles Lakers beat Portland 124-118 on Friday at Crypto.com Arena, and Luka Doncic did most of the work. He scored 53 points on 17-of-33 shooting, made 14 of 18 free throws and finished plus-16 in 38 minutes. The win pays back the Blazers for their 136-129 victory in Los Angeles earlier this season, and it runs the Lakers' winning streak to four.
Jacob Rude of SB Nation's Silver Screen and Roll gave Doncic an A+, and the numbers make the case. ESPN reported that the 53 points are a season high and lift his scoring average to 40.1. He has now scored 40 or more in four straight games, something only Kobe Bryant, Elgin Baylor and George Mikan had done for the franchise. theScore noted that his 363 points are the most anyone has scored through nine games since Wilt Chamberlain in 1962. Before the game, Portland coach Micah Nori told ESPN that Doncic "is the MVP right now."
The comeback turned on the third quarter. The Lakers won it 34-15, and Doncic's 20 points in the period beat Portland's total on his own. His long heave at the halftime buzzer, which ESPN measured at 62 feet, started the swing. Los Angeles also forced 24 turnovers and scored 28 points off them.
The rest of Rude's grades were mixed. Walker Kessler got an A- for 16 points and 12 rebounds on 7-of-10 shooting in 37 minutes while holding up against Donovan Clingan. Austin Reaves got a B-: he shot 4-for-15 through three quarters, then scored 15 of his 25 points in the fourth, including a late steal and dunk set up by a Ziaire Williams deflection. Williams and Jake LaRavia each received a B+, and JJ Redick got the same grade for giving rookie Adou Thiero rotation minutes ahead of Jarred Vanderbilt. Thiero played six active minutes as a screener and lob target.
The low marks went to Quentin Grimes, who got a C- after another uncertain night on offense despite finishing plus-19, and Matisse Thybulle, who got a C for loose closeouts and turnovers. Collin Sexton took the only F after going 0-for-4 with five fouls in 10 minutes. Rude suggested Sexton could soon lose his rotation spot, possibly to the inactive Cameron Carr.
What it means for Detroit
The Lakers are 8-2 heading into Sunday's road game against the Detroit Pistons, which airs on NBA TV and Spectrum SportsNet. Both losses came against Western Conference opponents: the home loss to Portland and a 112-95 defeat at Golden State. Since the Warriors game, they have beaten Toronto, Miami, Sacramento and Portland, scoring at least 116 points each time.
The Lakers are 3-1 on the road this season, including wins at Utah, the Clippers and Sacramento. The main question in Detroit is whether the supporting cast can lighten Doncic's load. On Friday, Reaves needed three quarters to find his shot and Grimes again did little on offense. Redick can go deep into his bench, using LaRavia, Williams and now Thiero at the wing, so he has options if Thybulle or Sexton struggles again. Over a full season, though, the Lakers will need more from the rest of the roster than one player averaging 40 points a game.
