PORTLAND(AP) — Damian Lillard had 40 points, including eight 3-pointers, to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 127-115 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night.
LeBron James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, missed his third straight game for the Lakers with a sore left ankle. He has not played since breaking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s scoring record last Tuesday in a loss to Oklahoma City.
The Blazers led by as many as 27 points and made a season-best 23 3-pointers, including a franchise-record 17 3s in the first half.
When Lillard went to the bench for good with 7 minutes left, he got a standing ovation from many in the Moda Center crowd.
Anthony Davis had 19 points and 20 rebounds for the Lakers, who have lost four of their last five games.
Both teams continued to integrate players acquired at the trade deadline last week. Matisse Thybulle, acquired from Philadelphia in a four-team trade, made his debut for the Blazers and started. He had 14 points and four 3-pointers.
D’Angelo Russell, who the Lakers got as part of the trade that sent Russell Westbrook to Utah, started for the second straight game and finished with 16 points. Malik Beasley, who came from the Jazz, had 22 points off the bench.
Mo Bamba, who was traded to the Lakers from the Orlando Magic at the deadline, continues to serve a four-game suspension for an on-court altercation with Minnesota’s Austin Rivers during a game on Feb. 3.
The Blazers went on a 20-2 run in the opening quarter that ended with Nassir Little’s 3-pointer that made it 25-16. Portland made 10 3-pointers in the quarter, including Lillard’s 3 from distance at the buzzer that stretched the lead to 34-19.
Lillard had 30 points and eight 3-pointer to lead all scorers at halftime, and the Blazers led 65-46.
Portland led 101-79 going into the final quarter.
It was the fourth and final meeting between the teams this season. The Lakers won the previous two after a Portland win to open the series.
TIP INS
Lakers: The Lakers are 5-9 in the 14 games James has missed this season. … The Lakers made 1 of 10 3-point attempts in the opening quarter.
Trail Blazers: The Blazers were without Jerami Grant after he entered the concussion protocol this past weekend. Grant was averaging 20.8 points for Portland. Jusuf Nurkic hasn’t played since Feb. 1 because of a left calf strain. Portland’s big man is not expected back until after the All-Star break.
