Los Angeles Lakers roared back after a surprising loss in Game 1 and beat the Blazers in convincing fashion in Game 2,111-88. Lakers were led by a stellar performance from Anthony Davis, who scored 31 points, 11 rebounds and impressed defensively. Bubble MVP and TrailBlazers’ guard Damian Lillard suffered a dislocated finger that ruled him out of the game in the third quarter.
Damian Lillard’s Injury Blow
For the Portland TrailBlazers, things went from bad to worse in Game 2. A poor performance got worse when bubble MVP Damian Lillard dislocated the index finger on his left hand in the third quarter. He left the game for good, and the team said X-rays were negative.
Lillard appeared to injure his hand while stretching on defense during a drive to the basket by Lakers star Anthony Davis. Lillard was shaking his head and seemed utterly frustrated as he left the sideline while being attended to by his team’s medical staff.
Lillard was held to 18 points after continuing his hot streak in the bubble against the Lakers scoring 34 in Game 1.
Damian Lillard (left index finger dislocation) will not return. X-rays are negative.
— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) August 21, 2020
“[The staff] had to put it back for me, and at that point, I thought it was broken,” Lillard said. “I was just frustrated because I had to go back and get it looked at. I was just frustrated. It was just bad timing. I handle the ball a lot, so just knowing there’s going to be some discomfort, I don’t know how that’s going to feel or how that’s going to go. It’s frustrating. That’s all it was.”
He was averaging 36.6 points through 10 games in the Florida bubble, the most of any player there, and was unanimously voted the MVP of the bubble in recent days.
Lakers’ Performance in Game 2
“We got a chance [to win the title]. … All Rondo and Bron talk about is it doesn’t come around often.”
—Anthony Davis on how the Lakers are different from any team he's played on (via @CassidyHubbarth) pic.twitter.com/b60rxwMPuI
— ESPN (@espn) August 21, 2020
The starting quartet of JaVale McGee, Anthony Davis, LeBron James, Danny Green, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had been outscored by 37 points in 54 minutes in Orlando in Game 1 and it came as a surprise when coach Frank Vogel announced that the Lakers would stick to the same starting lineup they used in Game 1. LeBron James had 10 points, six rebounds, seven assists and six turnovers. After shooting a dreadful 5-of-32 on 3-pointers in the opener, the Lakers hit 14-38 of them tonight.
🗣 "IT'S OUR BALL." pic.twitter.com/HVvpHO85SJ
— ESPN (@espn) August 21, 2020
Lillard’s presence will be crucial for the Blazers if they have any chance to stun the Lakers but LeBron and his men will be looking to close out the series as quickly as possible and move to the next round of the NBA Playoffs.
Other NBA Results of the Day :
Indiana Pacers 100 – 109 Miami Heat (0-2)
Houston Rockets 111 – 98 Oklahoma City Thunder (2-0)
Milwaukee Bucks 111 – 96 Orlando Magic (1-1)
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