Trail Blazers Remain Undefeated, Beat Lakers in Early Measuring Stick Contest

The Portland Trail Blazers entered Tuesday night with a 2-0 record, but their toughest test of the season on the horizon. And Portland got it done against the Los Angeles Lakers in a high-scoring shootout, moving to 3-0 on the season.

Portland is now one of just four teams that remain undefeated at this point in the season.

There was very little defense played by either team in this contest, which is why the final score ended up being 136-129. For the Blazers specifically, they shot 59% from the floor and 50% from beyond the arc, making 18 of their 36 triples.

It was once again a balanced scoring attack, which has made this team so special thus far.

Deni Avdija finished with 23 points and nine assists while shooting better than 50% from the floor. Ja Morant scored 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting, while Damian Lillard added 21 points, knocking down four triples, including a huge shot late to help put the game away.

Toumani Camara contributed 12 points, connecting on all four of his 3-point attempts, while Donovan Clingan nearly recorded a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds. Portland also got significant contributions off the bench. Jrue Holiday finished with 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting, while Robert Williams III added 14 points and 10 rebounds.

The player who gave Portland the most trouble, which comes as no surprise, was Luka Doncic. The Lakers superstar finished with 41 points and nine assists, generating a significant portion of Los Angeles’ offense. Austin Reaves added 26 points, while Sandro Mamukelashvili contributed 17 off the bench.

But ultimately, it wasn’t enough because the Blazers were simply able to outscore the Lakers. This game was less about getting stops and more about which team could consistently put points on the board. That’s truly what this contest was from start to finish, a shootout.

Through three games, Portland is clearly establishing itself as one of the better teams in the Western Conference. The Blazers are 3-0 with multiple players capable of scoring 20 points on any given night, solid defenders throughout the rotation and depth at every position.

It’s been a strong start to the season, and Micah Nori has been nothing short of spectacular in his debut as head coach.

Portland’s next test will come Thursday against the Memphis Grizzlies, who are also undefeated with a 4-0 record to begin the 2026-27 season.