Field Level Media
Aug 22, 2020
LeBron James recorded 38 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 116-108 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 3 of the Western Conference first-round series on Saturday night near Orlando.
Anthony Davis scored 23 of his 29 points in the second half and finished with 11 rebounds, eight assists and three blocked shots as Los Angeles took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 13 points and Alex Caruso added 10 points and seven assists.
Portland star Damian Lillard contributed 34 points and seven assists while playing with a dislocated left index finger. CJ McCollum registered 28 points and eight rebounds, Carmelo Anthony had 20 points and four steals and Jusuf Nurkic added 10 points.
Game 4 is scheduled for Monday.
Lillard made 5 of 11 shots from 3-point range and was 8 of 20 overall but made just 2 of 9 field-goal attempts in the second half. The Trail Blazers connected on 41.1 percent of their shots and were 12 of 35 from 3-point range.
The Lakers shot 50 percent from the field and made 10 of 30 from behind the arc. Los Angeles was 28 of 43 from the free-throw line, while the Trail Blazers were 18 of 19.
Portland moved within 95-92 early in the fourth quarter before Davis got hot. He scored eight points during a 10-4 surge that gave Los Angeles a 105-96 advantage with 5:30 left.
James drove for a hoop to make it 111-100 with 1:36 left and drained a 3-pointer to make it a 14-point differential with 58.1 seconds left as the Lakers closed it out.
The Lakers trailed 57-53 at halftime before outscoring Portland 40-29 in the third quarter.
Anthony scored 13 points on 6-of-6 shooting in the quarter, including an 18-footer that gave the Trail Blazers a 78-77 victory with 4:36 left. Los Angeles answered with 12 straight points -- Davis and Caruso each scored five during the burst -- to open up an 89-78 advantage with 2:30 left.
Davis later knocked down a jumper to make it a 12-point margin but Lillard later buried his fifth 3-pointer to pull Portland within 93-86 entering the final stanza.
McCollum scored 20 points and Lillard had 19 as Portland held the four-point advantage at the break. James had 22 points for the Lakers.
Lillard displayed early that the finger felt decent by scoring 14 points in the opening quarter.
--Field Level Media