Lakers lose to Portland on a night of heartache
THE Los Angeles Lakers dried their eyes and took the Staples Centre court for the first time since Kobe Bryant’s death with a resolve that would have made him proud.
Damian Lillard played through the basketball world’s collective heartbreak with his own remarkable effort.
Lillard scored 48 points and the Portland Trail Blazers beat Los Angeles 127-119 yesterday (NT time) in the Lakers’ first game since Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others died in a helicopter crash.
Lillard hit seven threepointers and added 10 assists and nine rebounds in a performance that sent the Blazers to a win over a rival still dealing with the trauma of the crash five days earlier.
“We understood this was going to be a difficult one,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said. “We didn’t want to lose, but this week has been more about life than basketball. ... We’ve got to continue to focus on the work. There’s therapy in the work.” Both teams stood on the court during a poignant pre-game tribute to Bryant including Kobe highlights and a stirring speech by LeBron James. Highlights of Bryant’s career played during every break, but Lillard put on a show between the whistles.
Lillard’s seven three-pointers gave him 40 in his past five games, setting an NBA record. But even the Blazers star knew results were secondary this time. “Nobody is going to win tonight,” Lillard told ESPN during the game.
“Kobe is gone. His family isn’t going to get him back. This is just basketball.”
James had 22 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds, and Anthony Davis had 37 points in the Lakers’ first game since last Saturday. The entire evening was likely both profoundly painful and cathartic for anyone who loves the Lakers or Bryant, who won five championships while playing his entire 20-year NBA career in purple and gold.
In other NBA results yesterday, Toronto (Pascal Siakam 30 points) defeated Detroit 105-92, Brooklyn (Kyrie Irving 54 points) beat Chicago 133-118, Houston (James Harden 35 points) defeated Dallas 128-121, New Orleans (Zion Williamson 24 points) triumphed 139-111 over Memphis, Denver (Will Barton 24 points) upset Milwaukee 127-115 and Oklahoma City (Danilo Gallinari 27 points) edged out Phoenix 111-107.