The Lakers’ first loss of the season came with an ugly number attached to it: 136 points allowed in a 136-129 defeat to the Portland Trail Blazers.
Los Angeles had opened at 3-0, but Portland handed them a humbling night and stayed unbeaten itself at 3-0. It was one of the most eye-catching games of the 2026-27 NBA season so far, mostly because the offense was flying from both sides. At one point, both teams were shooting around 65% from the field before things finally slowed in the fourth quarter.
For the Lakers, the issue wasn’t scoring. Luka Doncic was spectacular again, dropping 41 points after putting up 52 in the previous game. The problem showed up on the other end, where the perimeter defense never fully held up.
Even with defenders like Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams in the mix, Los Angeles still gave up 136 points. Portland also had four different perimeter players reach the 20-point mark, a sign of how often the Lakers were getting cracked open on the outside.
JJ Redick didn’t try to dress it up after the game.
"We just got broken down a lot. I thought the game plan, personnel discipline, wasn't where it needs to be. I think, sometimes early in the season, these are good learning lessons we can all apply as coaches and players," Redick said after suffering the first loss of the season.
The shotmaking took over in this one, with Damian Lillard and Ja Morant both delivering huge performances, but Redick’s message was clear: the Lakers can’t count on outscoring everyone if the defense doesn’t tighten up.
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For a Portland team that has leaned on spacing and shot-making, the bigger concern was how little relief it found when the outside looks stopped falling. The Blazers finished 12-of-49 from beyond the arc, and that kind of night turned a promising early-season run into a frustrating reminder of how fragile those margins can be. [Read more 🡒]
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For Portland, the Williams item is the one that matters most, because his availability has been such a constant question mark since arriving. A sore knee kept him out of a game, and for a Blazers team trying to get a read on its rotation and frontcourt depth, every missed appearance adds another layer of uncertainty. The concern is not just whether Williams can return, but whether he can stay on the floor long enough to become the kind of stabilizing piece Portland was hoping for. [Read more 🡒]