After an improbable comeback win over the Memphis Grizzlies, who had been the hottest team in the NBA, the Los Angeles Lakers looked to build some momentum on Sunday when they visited the Portland Trail Blazers.
Prospects looked good early for them: They burst to an 18-4 lead — only to endure a very embarrassing second quarter in which they were outscored, 45-13, to fall behind 71-46 at the half. Turnovers were a big problem for the Lakers in the first half; they gave the ball away 11 times.
But they fought back furiously in the third quarter, and just like that, Portland saw its lead dissolve before its eyes. Los Angeles regained the lead with 7:54 left in the fourth quarter, and it cruised to a 121-112 victory. It did so by holding Portland to a very low shooting percentage and just 41 points in the second half.
The victory allowed the Lakers to leapfrog the Blazers in the standings to move into 12th place in the Western Conference. They’re now just one game behind the Golden State Warriors for the 10th spot.