Doncic takes a good slap

First defeat and first doubts for the renewed Lakers Luka Doncic. The Portland Trail Blazers of Damian Lillard, Ja Morant and Deni Avdija, an intriguing team this year if there ever was one, dealt those in purple and gold a blow that hurts (129-136), at home and making the 41 points of the former team fall on deaf ears. Real Madrid.

The Slovenian was heading towards fifty points as he did with his 52 on Sunday against the Utah Jazz, as he finished the third quarter with 39. However, Doncic was limited to just 2 in the fourth quarter.

The Blazers increased their vigilance over him and seemed to resort for many minutes to the Box and One tactic, the famous trap that Nick Nurse used to limit Stephen Curry and topple the Warriors in the 2019 Finals, which the Toronto Raptors won. A Portland player stuck to ’77’ like a limpet, following him wherever he went while the rest dedicated themselves to defending the area more.

The former Real Madrid player added 5 rebounds and 9 assists to those 41 points with 12/22 in field goals and 6/15 in triples.

It was a good resource Micah Norithe new coach of these Blazers from the cuts with so many employees laid off – up to 70 in May -, with the entry of the new owner, Tom Dundona somewhat caught billionaire. But the roster that has been left is a very interesting one with that triplet of luxury point guards with Damian Lillard, Ja Morant and the two-time champion Jrue Holiday.

Lillard and Morant want to tell stories of redemption this year, one after a serious injury and the other due to injuries and misdeeds with his countless acts of indiscipline off the court. And both expressed that desire to resurface, with Morant scoring a basket with 1:24 remaining and Lillard nailing a triple with 43 seconds left to silence those present in the old Staples Center at 129-135.

Morant himself and Avdija led the Blazers with 23 points, followed by Holiday’s 22 and Lillard’s 21.

Austin Reaves He supported Doncic with 26 points, with Sandro Mamukelashvili contributing 17 from the bench and Walker Kessler 13. The Lakers led the game by 11 at the beginning of the third quarter, but the Blazers put pressure on them at the end of that third quarter (103-101) and found defensive seams in the purple and gold at the same time that they exposed their problems operating offensively by disconnecting their star.

Portland makes it clear that it is very serious in the West with a 3-0 start, leaving the Lakers at 3-1 who took a good slap last night. This has just begun, but to aspire to the ring it is necessary a lot more.