Of all the things Lakers coach Darvin Ham could say pregame, “status quo” probably isn’t one Lakers fans would want to hear. The Lakers are trying to be different, trying to find some sustainable form of identity as they enter a stretch of winnable games. With LeBron James sidelined, the Lakers looked sort of like the team that made a push to the playoffs a season ago, pulling out a 116-110 win against a short-handed Portland Trail Blazers team. The Lakers, despite shooting 21.1% from three, handled Portland on a night when the available Trail Blazers played with freedom and confidence. Sunday afternoon, the Lakers ruled out James because of a shin injury he suffered Friday against Phoenix.

Source: Los Angeles Times November 13, 2023 18:07 UTC