The Los Angeles Lakers bounced back with a 107-98 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers despite being without their superstar LeBron James, who was given a night off to rest during the NBA regular season. Anthony Davis, leading the charge, used the opportunity to spotlight the team’s depth and resilience in challenging moments.
Head coach JJ Redick opted to rest James, who has carried a heavy load this season, to ensure his durability as the Lakers aim to stay in playoff contention. Adding to the challenge was the continued absence of Austin Reaves, sidelined with an injury. This opened the door for secondary contributors like D’Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura to step up—and they delivered in a big way.
After the win, Davis praised his teammates for seizing the opportunity and highlighted the team’s “next man up” mentality. “I mean, next man up. I mean, that’s why we have a team. Other guys had to step up,” Davis said. “Rui stepped up. DLo stepped up. Guys have to step up when we have a guy like Bron out. Guys took on a challenge tonight, even though it was a last-minute scratch.”
“This is what guys prepared for,” Davis continued. “Guys got a chance to play a little bit more minutes than they probably wouldn’t. They do what they were supposed to do to get their jobs. It was a team effort tonight.”
Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers handles the ball in the second half against the Portland Trail Blazers at Crypto.com Arena. (Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
Redick emphasizes rest for LeBron
LeBron James, who turns 40 later this month, was held out of the game to prioritize recovery. With the Lakers already eliminated from the NBA Cup, Redick saw it as a chance to give James valuable rest.
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“Yeah, I mean, you don’t want him out of the lineup, that’s for sure,” Redick explained. “But it is an opportunity to get four days’ rest before we practice again. So it could be really good for him.”
Russell and Hachimura shine
The Lakers needed offensive contributions to fill the void left by James, and D’Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura stepped up alongside Davis. Russell posted a double-double with 28 points and 14 assists, while Hachimura contributed 23 points, complementing Davis’ 30-point performance.
Postgame, Redick commended the duo’s offensive production and praised the defensive effort from others in the lineup. “I thought Rui [Hachimura] in that second quarter was great. D’Lo (D’Angelo Russell) just having a big-time game,” Redick said. “AD (Anthony Davis) was fantastic.”
“Then defensively for us, I thought a number of guys played really well—Gabe Vincent, Max Christie, and Cam [Reddish],” Redick continued. “It was an overall really good game for our group.”
