Trail Blazers 114, Lakers 108
LaMarcus Aldridge had 27 points and nine rebounds and Damian Lillard recorded 26 points and nine assists as visiting Portland snapped a six-game skid against the Lakers in Los Angeles.
Wesley Matthews added 17 points and Robin Lopez contributed 12 points and 12 rebounds as the Trail Blazers improved to 8-2 on the road and 14-3 overall. Portland saw a 20-point fourth-quarter lead trimmed to 110-108 before Mo Williams made two free throws with 18.6 seconds left and Lillard blocked Jodie Meeks’ shot before hitting two free throws with 11.7 seconds left to seal it.
Xavier Henry scored a career-best 27 points and Meeks scored 20 for Los Angeles. Nick Young added 17 points for the Lakers, who lost for only the second time in seven games in what might have been their final contest before Kobe Bryant returns from an Achilles’ tendon injury.
The Trail Blazers were a torrid 17-of-24 from the field during a 41-point third quarter that saw them turn a three-point halftime lead into a 94-74 lead. Portland followed by missing its first eight shots of the final quarter and Los Angeles scored the first 10 points and eventually pulled within 99-98 on a tip-in by Shawne Williams with 3:40 remaining.
Portland opened the game with a 19-2 run over the first six minutes before settling for an eight-point lead after one quarter. The Lakers briefly took a 43-42 lead on a 3-pointer by Meeks with 5:22 left in the second quarter before the Trail Blazers rebounded for a 53-50 lead at the break.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The victory was only Portland’s second in its last 13 road outings against the Lakers. … Los Angeles G Jordan Farmar departed with a hamstring injury and didn’t return. … Lopez had six of the club’s 15 offensive boards as Portland had a 52-41 rebounding edge.