Halftime Report
Down six at the end of the first quarter, the Lakers now have the lead. They have a bit of a cushion as they currently lead the Trail Blazers 59-45.
The Lakers entered the matchup with three straight losses and they’re well on their way to making it four. Can they turn things around, or will the Trail Blazers hand them another defeat? Only time will tell.
Who’s Playing
Portland Trail Blazers @ Los Angeles Lakers
Current Records: Portland 8-15, Los Angeles 12-11
How To Watch
When: Sunday, December 8, 2024 at 9:30 p.m. ET
Sunday, December 8, 2024 at 9:30 p.m. ET Where: Crypto.com Arena — Los Angeles, California
Crypto.com Arena — Los Angeles, California TV: KATU 2.2 ABC
KATU 2.2 ABC Follow: CBS Sports App
CBS Sports App Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.) Ticket Cost: $75.00
What to Know
The Portland Trail Blazers are taking a road trip to face off against the Los Angeles Lakers at 9:30 p.m. ET on Sunday at Crypto.com Arena. Coming off a loss in a game the Trail Blazers were expected to win, they now face the more daunting task of proving themselves against unfavorable odds.
The Trail Blazers are headed into Sunday’s matchup looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their third straight game on Friday. They took a serious blow against the Jazz, falling 141-99. Portland was in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 67-44.
The Trail Blazers struggled to get the ball back on offense and finished the game with only six offensive rebounds. That’s the fewest offensive rebounds they’ve posted since back in March.
Meanwhile, the Lakers scored the most points they’ve had all season on Friday, but it wasn’t enough. They fell just short of the Hawks by a score of 134-132. The contest was a 64-64 toss-up at halftime, but Los Angeles couldn’t quite close it out.
The Lakers’ defeat shouldn’t obscure the performances of LeBron James, who shot 6-for-11 from deep and dropped a triple-double on 39 points, ten rebounds, and 11 assists, and Anthony Davis, who dropped a double-double on 38 points and ten rebounds. Davis had some trouble finding his footing against the Heat on Wednesday, so this was a step in the right direction.
Portland’s loss dropped their record down to 8-15. As for Los Angeles, they dropped their record down to 12-11 with the defeat, which was their third straight on the road.
The Trail Blazers might still be hurting after the devastating 134-110 loss they got from the Lakers in their previous matchup back in January. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of the Lakers’ D’Angelo Russell, who went 6 for 11 from beyond the arc en route to 34 points plus eight assists and two blocks. Back with a vengeance, will the Trail Blazers be able to stop him this time around? There’s only one way to find out.
Odds
Los Angeles is a big 8.5-point favorite against Portland, according to the latest NBA odds.
Bettors have moved against the Lakers slightly, as the game opened with the Lakers as a 10.5-point favorite.
The over/under is 223.5 points.
See NBA picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get picks now.
Series History
Los Angeles has won 7 out of their last 10 games against Portland.