Austin Reaves scores 41 points, but the Lakers, missing seven players, can’t keep up with the Trail Blazers.
Injuries nearly swallowed the Lakers whole Monday night, leaving them short on ballhandlers, key role players and star power.
They were down seven players and they were playing on back-to-back nights to top it off, leaving the task daunting for the Lakers.
Still, the Lakers had to press on against the odds, which they were unable to overcome in falling 122-108 to the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night at Crypto.com Arena.
Austin Reaves did his best to keep the Lakers in the game, scoring 41 points one night after scoring a career-high 51 at Sacramento. Reaves now has scored 143 points in the first four games this season, tying him with Hall of Famer Elgin Baylor (1962) for the most points in Lakers’ history over that span to start the season.
Rui Hachimura (16 points) and Deandre Ayton (16 points, eight rebounds) tried to help out.
But with guard Luka Doncic (left finger sprain, lower left leg contusion) and LeBron James (right sciatica) out, it was going to be tough for the Lakers.
