| 20 March 2011
It was the game that got away. The Los Angeles Lakers delivered with stifling defense and clutch offense late to rally past the Portland Trail Blazers, 84-80. The loss, which was made worse due to the ankle injury suffered by center Marcus Camby, gave the rival Lakers the season-series between the two teams, just the second time they have accomplished the feat in the past 19 years.
Nicolas Batum heats up early for Blazers
Portland's first quarter wasn't pretty. They missed 14 of their 23 shots and trailed by seven. Yet, the reason the deficit wasn't bigger was the play of Batum. He had 11 early points on five assisted field goals, scoring inside and out with an extremely aggressive mindset.Portland turns tables on Los Angeles to hold halftime lead
Batum's teammates awoke in the second, and it was the bench that propelled the Blazers back into contention. Batum and fellow starter Gerald Wallace were part of a unit that also included Camby, Rudy Fernandez, and Brandon Roy. These five lived up to their scoring potential, leading Portland on a 15-8 run to begin the second by playing unselfish basketball with excellent chemistry.
The effort on both ends was terrific, especially with Wallace on the floor. Diving for loose balls and making the extra pass were the reasons for Portland's success during this stretch. Their defense closed out on shooters and forced tough shots, and though the Blazers didn't always capitalize on the Lakers woes they held a halftime lead of four by executing enough and sustaining Los Angeles's frustration.
Both teams cold in third as Barnes quells what momentum Portland gains
Just as the first, the third quarter wasn't an entirely pleasing one for the Blazers. Fortunately for them, the Lakers couldn't take advantage.
Despite their poor shooting percentage, Portland increased their advantage to nine, 61-52, on a burst by LaMarcus Aldridge and the toughness of Wallace. They were in control, and the Lakers were cold; Los Angeles made just two of their first 14 shots. Portland couldn't increase their lead, however. Instead, they had lapses inside defensively, leading to three straight baskets for the Lakers at the rim, and watched Matt Barnes cap off a solid finish with a successful half-court heave.
Camby dominates boards, but rolls ankle
Camby was huge for Portland into the fourth quarter. He had played tremendous interior defense on Lakers big men Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom, while also affecting drives by others. He also had 10 rebounds, keeping possessions alive and benefiting greatly by the absence of suspension-serving Los Angeles center Andrew Bynum. Then, as has happened far too many times for the Blazers the past few seasons, he crumpled to the ground injured. Having tangled his feet with Kobe Bryant on a drive by the Lakers star, Camby twisted his ankle. He didn't put pressure on it as he left the arena and will have the ankle examined on Monday.
Lakers show Blazers why they are their superior
Los Angeles outscored Portland by eight over the final six minutes, proving Portland isn't at their level quite yet. The run, which began when they were down four and ended with a four-point victory, was orchestrated by their two clutchest players, Bryant and Derek Fisher. The duo combined to score 12 of their final 14 points, and Fisher sealed the win by making a mid-range jumper with 10 seconds left.
Statistics that tell the story
Batum and Aldridge combined for 43 points, but the quartet of Roy, Fernandez, Wesley Matthews, and Andre Miller missed 31 of their 40 field goal attempts. Portland was also 6-25 from three-point range and Los Angeles outscored them 21-11 off turnovers. Even still, the Blazers came close, and could have snuck out of Los Angeles with the win. Stats like these show why they spelled a difficult defeat, with the Washington Wizards on tap next.
photo: daylife
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