The Los Angeles Lakers hosted the Portland Trail Blazers tonight. Given that they have had a 0-2 start to their season, a win against the unbeaten Trail Blazers would be the best possible way to secure the first win of the season.
This game between the Lakers and Blazers was pretty neck and neck from the get go. With the Purple and Gold stepping up on the defensive end and players like LeBron James and Anthony Davis scoring at a high clip, the Lakers stayed competitive at the end of the half finishing the first half on a 7 point deficit.
In the third quarter, the Lakers pulled the game in their favor. Outscoring the Blazers 35-23, Bron and Co. deservedly took a 5-point lead in the game. The hosts even extended the lead to 7 points with only two minutes remaining on the clock.
But the trend from the last two games continued in the closing stages of the game as the Lakers had some woeful shot selection, leading to turnovers and opportunities for the Blazers. Ultimately, the Lakers choked and lost the game 106-104.
Coach Darvin Ham Reveals Why He Wanted Russell Westbrook In The Closing Stages Of The Game
The Lakers truly fumbled the bag against the Blazers. Given that they were up by 7 points with less than 2 minutes remaining on the clock, the Purple and Gold should have secured the win against the Blazers. Perhaps one of the biggest factors in the loss was the performance of Russell Westbrook.
Westbrook yet again had an off night shooting 4-15 from the field. He also missed a couple of shots in the closing minutes of the game, which could have been pivotal for the Lakers to maintain their lead.
Coach Darvin Ham, in a post-game presser, revealed why he wanted ‘Brodie’ in the closing stages of the game.
Darvin Ham said he brought Russell Westbrook back in the game because he wanted another athletic perimeter defender so the Lakers could switch on the perimeter, via @jovanbuha pic.twitter.com/4eMBtx333s
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) October 23, 2022
The gamble of keeping Brodie certainly didn’t help the Lakers. Given that he couldn’t keep up with Damian Lillard and limit the guard from scoring, the Purple and Gold crumbled.
With three arguably horrifying performances to start his season, the guard is under a lot of pressure right now, and if this form continues, we might end up seeing Brodie in a different uniform very soon.
