The Portland Trail Blazers are now 4-3 on the season after a disappointing 123-115 home loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Portland entered this game as heavy favorites as Los Angeles was without their three best players, LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves.
In some ways, it felt like a trap game as the Blazers started off the season on a strong note and were inevitably due for regression. Blazers fans have also seen this team play to their level of competition way too often the past few seasons. Still, these are absolutely the types of games Portland can't afford to lose if they have any desire to end a four-year playoff drought.