Game Grades: Lakers Collapse To Damian Lillard, Blazers
By Jacob Rude
MVP: Welcome back, Jordan Hill. After weeks and weeks of subpar play, you pull out your first 20-point game since December 2nd. With Kobe Bryant resting on the second night of a back-to-back, the Lakers needed someone to step up. Now, just keep playing like this long enough for us to trade you, please!
LVP: There’s a lot of people I could give this to. Byron Scott drew up a pretty bad “play” with the Lakers down three, leading to an iso three-pointer from Jeremy Lin that was WAY short. Or Carlos Boozer, whose foul on Meyers Leonard for a four-point play seemed to spark the Blazers. Or Ed Davis who had 4 points and 4 rebounds in 27 minutes. Let’s call it a three-way tie.
Stat of the Night: 15. As in points in the fourth quarter from Damian Lillard, who was red hot and came alive just soon enough to save Portland.
The Starters
B. <strong>29 min, 5-12 FG, 2-3 3P, 1-1 FT, 13 PTS, 5 REB, 0 AST, 0o STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO</strong><p>Another nice performance from <strong><a href=. SG. Los Angeles Lakers. WAYNE ELLINGTON
A+. <strong>32</strong><strong> min, 10-15 FG, 3-4 FT, 23 PTS, 14 REB, 2 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO</strong><p>He is alive! Hill resurrected his trade value 10 days before he can be traded, great news for pro-tankers.</p>. C. Los Angeles Lakers. JORDAN HILL
B-. <strong>27 min, 5-11 FG, 1-2 3P, 0-0 FT, 11 PTS, 2 REB, 8 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO</strong><p><strong><a href=. PG. Los Angeles Lakers. RONNIE PRICE
C. <strong>26 min, 1-6 FG, 0-3 3P, 0-0 FT, 2 PTS, 7 REB, 3 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 3 TO</strong><p><strong><a href=. PF. Los Angeles Lakers. RYAN KELLY
D. <strong>27 min, 2-7 FG, 0-0 FT, 4 PTS, 4 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO</strong><p>Davis has lost his superpowers from his mask that were evident against the Grizzlies.</p>. PF. Los Angeles Lakers. ED DAVIS
The Bench
D+. <strong>27 min, 3-13 FG, 1-4 3P, 4-4 FT, 11 PTS, 2 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 2 TO</strong><p><strong><a href=. SG. Los Angeles Lakers. NICK YOUNG
PG. Los Angeles Lakers. JEREMY LIN. B+. <strong>21 min, 5-10 FG, 0-2 3PT, 4-6 FT, 14 PTS, 3 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 2 TO</strong><p>Jeremy Lin looked solid at times. While he missed the potential game-tying three-pointer, that was an equal amount of bad execution as bad play-calling.</p>
<strong>15 min, 2-3 FG, 0-0 3P, 1-2 FT, 5 PTS, 2 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO</strong><p>The only reason Clarkson’s grade wasn’t higher is because he didn’t see more time on the floor. Hopefully his play tonight warranted more time from Scott.</p>. PG. Los Angeles Lakers. JORDAN CLARKSON. C+
D+. <strong>23 min, 3-9 FG, 2-2 FT, 8 PTS, 5 REB, 2 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 2 TO</strong><p>This is a rare really bad performance from Boozer, even from a pure statistical perspective. Not a good night for the #BoozCruise.</p>. C. Los Angeles Lakers. CARLOS BOOZER
D. <strong>14 min, 1-2 FG, 1-1 FT, 3 PTS, 5 REB, 0 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO</strong><p>Again, <strong><a href=. C. Los Angeles Lakers. ROBERT SACRE