Lillard, McCollum lead Blazers past Lakers

Kobe Bryant may be a shell of his former self on the basketball court at this point, but he can still recognize greatness when he sees it. In two games against Bryant’s Lakers this season, Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard has averaged 29.5 points, 10 assists, and 5 rebounds on 47.7% shooting. Coach Byron Scott said he expects Williams rejoin the team in Philadelphia in time to play against the 76ers on Tuesday night….

Shortly after the game ended one admirer made sure to get a word in with Bryant.

The Lakers managed to make things interesting in the third quarter, cutting Portland’s lead that was as high as 17 down to five.

The Blazers have won three of their last four games after a six-game losing streak, and they’ve got seven straight victories against the Lakers, including a 107-93 win in Los Angeles last Sunday. Kobe Bryant had a nice game of 21 points on seven of 20 shooting, Jordan Clarkson added 19 points while Julius Randle and D’Angelo Russell added 16 points each, but the Lakers were always running uphill after falling behind by double digits early in the first quarter.

“McCollum is just continuing to improve”, Bryant said in the locker room afterwards. McCollum said later that Bryant had inspired him as a kid.

“That was a team that probably looked at us as a game they could win”, Lillard said. (7) reacts after a play in a game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter.

It was Portland’s seventh straight victory over the Lakers.

The extra work seemed to have paid off as Henderson scored nine points off the Blazers bench in the first half.

Portland returned stretch 4 Meyers Leonard, who had missed seven games with a dislocated left shoulder.

The Lakers were playing the first of a back-to-back. The Lakers are in the midst of playing 10 of 11 games on the road, including an eight-game, 12-day trip that begins in Philly.

Portland shot. 487 from the field, made 12 of 30 attempts from 3-point range and won the rebound battle 46-33. But then the Blazers (7-10) went on a 14-5 run and maintained a comfortable lead the rest of the way in their sixth straight win over L.A. The Blazers shot 55.3 percent and knocked down 8 of 16 from the 3-point stripe. The 7-foot-2 center was traded in the offseason to the Lakers, who now own the worst record in the Western Conference.

They dropped their fifth consecutive game with a 108-96 defeat at Portland on Saturday. Kevin Love also scored 26 points for Cleveland.

Jazz 101, Pelicans 87: Alec Burks scored 21 points in Utah’s win. Davis also grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked three shots.