Lakers Bounce Back, Rout Trail Blazers 134-110, D'Angelo Russell Puts up 34 Points

Friday's embarrassing loss at home to Brooklyn doesn't disappear from the record, but the Lakers were in many ways granted a do-over Sunday, facing a really bad Portland team, once again at the Crypt.

This time, they did it right, taking control early and (in a nice twist) not letting the Blazers back in. And certainly not collapsing in the third quarter. As a result, they started the week with a 134-110 win, and got to keep the minutes for LeBron James (31) and Anthony Davis (26:22) delightfully low.

Had they just done this on Friday, too, everyone would be feeling good about a Lakers team sitting two games over .500 with a chance to add a few more wins over the next 10 days. Instead, they're back to .500. It beats the alternative, but speaks to the different ways the Lakers have shot themselves in the foot over the course of this season.

Sunday, the Lakers got a huge performance from D'Angelo Russell (34 points, eight assists, two blocks, zero turnovers), plus a typically solid LeBron (28/5/5) and Davis (14 points, 14 rebounds. Austin Reaves had 15 points, Cam Reddish returned to the lineup with 10 points.

It was a good palate cleanser, one in which the team's defensive pressure put a bad Portland team in really uncomfortable positions and the offense had a pretty easy go. So now it's on to a tough game against the Clippers Tuesday, then back a slate of very winnable games (Chicago, Golden State, Houston, Atlanta), now on the road instead of home.

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: The Lakers thump Portland behind 34 from Russell.

SEGMENT 2: D'Lo seems intent on making the choice to trade him harder.

SEGMENT 3: More lineup shuffling on Sunday.

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