The Los Angeles Lakers gave Kobe Bryant an early birthday present with a win in Game 3 of their series against the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Lakers now have the 2-1 lead in the series and will test the resolve of the Blazers when they meet again on Tuesday at 9 am, Manila time.
HOME TEAM: #8 Portland Trail Blazers (1-2)
Year 2012 called. It wants Carmelo Anthony back. Last Sunday, Anthony had his best game of the series so far, unloading 20 points with two 3-pointers in 42 minutes on the floor. Damian Lillard, on a hurting finger he dislocated in Game 2, still managed to score 34 points, but those were not enough to pull Portland past the Lakers.
The Blazers also got 28 points from CJ McCollum. The Blazers were keeping in step with the Lakers up until a huge third quarter by Los Angeles, as Portland was unable to stop Anthony Davis from punishing Jusuf Nurkic and Hassan Whiteside.
Had Nurkic and Whiteside done a better job of scoring, rebounding, and defending, the Blazers would have likely not wasted the huge offensive night of their biggest gunners.
Nurkic and Whiteside combined for just 18 points and 15 rebounds, while Davis and Dwight Howard pulled down 22 boards together.
It goes without saying that the pressure is on the Blazers’ biggies to atone themselves from their sluggish Game 3 showing if they are to pull even in this series on Tuesday.
The Game 1 victory seems like a lifetime away, and the Blazers look like they’ll need a miracle to even the series.
ROAD TEAM: #1 Los Angeles Lakers (2-1)
This just in: LeBron James is still very, very good. James barreled his way into another great statistical outing in Game 3, as he scored 38 points and added 12 rebounds and eight assists. When James puts his head down and switches on his attack mode, he is still unstoppable, and that was the case for him last Sunday.
Davis poured in 29 points and was instrumental in the Lakers’ breakaway in the second half. Davis toyed with Portland’s defense that allowed him to go 6 for 9 on shots outside the paint in the second half.
Together with Alex Caruso, Davis pick and popped his way into embarrassing Portland’s pathetic second-half defense. Speaking of Caruso, the Blazers might be too focused on James and Davis that they are getting blindsided by the unassuming Lakers fan favorite, who had 10 points, seven assists, and four rebounds in 27 minutes during Game 3. Caruso is also leading the Lakers in net rating (21.9) in the playoffs, which isn’t just a statistical anomaly since he is playing 24.3 minutes per game in the series.
PREDICTIONS: The Lakers have seemingly awoken, with James and Davis turning on their boosters. We are taking the Lakers to win again in Game 4, 119-114.
