Luka Dončić exerted every effort to elevate the Los Angeles Lakers to a fourth consecutive victory on Tuesday evening. Unfortunately, it wasn’t sufficient to overcome Damian Lillard and Ja Morant.
The Portland Trail Blazers, bolstered by a crucial shot from Morant late in the game and a significant step-back 3-pointer from Lillard in the closing minute, managed to hold off Dončić and the Lakers, securing a 136-129 triumph on Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena. This victory marked Portland’s 3-0 record, its strongest start since 2022, while also bringing an end to LA’s three-game winning streak at the beginning of the 2026-27 season.
Although the matchup remained competitive throughout, it was the appearance of vintage Lillard that allowed the Blazers to close out the game successfully. Lillard, after finessing Matisse Thybulle into the air in the corner, expertly stepped back to make his shot on the wing. This was the 36-year-old’s fourth 3-pointer of the evening.
This was sufficient to seal the Lakers’ fate, resulting in a seven-point victory for the Blazers.
Dončić certainly made an effort to lead the Lakers to victory on Tuesday, shortly after posting a staggering 52-point performance against the Utah Jazz. He scored a game-high 41 points and dished out nine assists against the Trail Blazers. He connected on 6-of-15 from beyond the arc, including an incredibly deep three-pointer down the stretch that kept the score tight.
Austin Reaves contributed 26 points and seven assists for the Lakers, while Sandro Mamukelashvili added 17 points off the bench. A win for the Lakers on Tuesday night would have equaled the best start in the team’s history since the 2010-11 season, which was spearheaded by Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant.
Lillard is making his return to the game this fall after missing all of last season due to an Achilles injury he sustained while playing for the Milwaukee Bucks the previous season. He subsequently signed a three-year deal to rejoin the franchise where his career began in 2025.
Lillard concluded the game with 21 points and five rebounds. Morant, also in his inaugural season with the Trail Blazers following his significant trade from Memphis, led the squad with 23 points after shooting 9-of-13 from the field. Deni Avdija contributed 23 points and nine assists, and Jrue Holiday added 22 points coming off the bench. Despite the win, Portland missed 15 free throw attempts.
While it’s incredibly early in the season, the collaboration between Morant and Lillard is evidently off to an excellent beginning up in Portland.
