LeBron James considers the silver lining to the Blazers’ loss, with a caveat
On Saturday night, The Los Angeles Lakers were suffering their second straight loss with a loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. The Lakers were without several key pieces in this one. including star Luka Doncicbut that still won’t erase the bad taste in their mouths after seeing their record drop to 24-16 in the 2025-26 NBA season.
This game was a strong performance from the backup big man Drew Timmewho scored 21 points in a rare opportunity that arose due to team injuries.
after the game LeBron James had praise for Tim’s performance and what he can do for the Lakers moving forward, noting that he can help the team “If we keep playing him,” ESPN’s Dave McMenamin says on X, formerly Twitter.
It remains to be seen whether Thiem will have a role in the Lakers’ rotation once they’re fully healthy, but his performance Saturday night certainly gave head coach JJ Redick something to think about, if nothing else.
Frontcourt production isn’t necessarily an area of strength for Los Angeles, as Deandre Ayton’s play has started to falter a bit after a strong start to the season, and Jackson Hayes still hasn’t fully earned Redick’s long-term trust.
If Timme continues to put in strong performances and progress, it may be in Los Angeles’ best interest to secure him a regular role.
Still, Los Angeles will need both Doncic and Austin Reaves as soon as possible to snap out of their current funk, having now suffered back-to-back losses to the Blazers and Charlotte Hornets.
The Lakers will next take the floor for the second end of a back-to-back on Sunday night against the Toronto Raptors at 9:30 PM ET.
2026-01-18 17:41:00
