Avdija and Morant lead Portland past Lakers in season opener duel

The Los Angeles Lakers lost for the first time this season on Tuesday night.

Portland defeated the visitors 136-129 in a game that featured two previously unbeaten teams. The result extended Portland's winning streak to three games and dropped Los Angeles to one loss in four attempts. Both clubs shot more than 56 percent from the field during the contest.

Deni Avdija and Ja Morant each scored 23 points for the Trail Blazers. Avdija also recorded nine assists, while Jrue Holiday added 22 points off the bench. Damian Lillard finished with 21 points, and Robert Williams III provided 14 points and 10 rebounds. Toumani Camara contributed 12 points, and Donovan Clingan added nine points and 10 rebounds. The team made 18 of 36 three-point attempts and shot 59 percent overall. Avdija, Lillard, and Camara each hit four shots from beyond the arc.

Luka Doncic led the Lakers with 41 points and nine assists. This followed a performance two days earlier where he scored 52 points against the Utah Jazz. Austin Reaves added 26 points and seven assists for Los Angeles. Sandro Mamukelashvili scored 17 points, Walker Kessler contributed 13, and Ziaire Williams added 11. The Lakers made 17 of 43 three-point attempts and shot 56.2 percent from the field.

The Lakers held a 73-68 lead at the half. Doncic had 24 points at that point, while Morant had 15. Mamukelashvili hit two three-pointers during a 7-0 run to close the first half. Reaves and Doncic both started the third quarter with three-pointers, extending the lead to 79-68. Los Angeles later led 97-88, but Portland scored 14 of the final 20 points in that period. The teams entered the fourth quarter with Portland trailing 103-102.

Lillard's three-pointer gave Portland a 108-105 lead. Camara extended that margin to 114-106. The Lakers responded with a 10-2 run, and Reaves tied the game at 116 with 5:33 remaining in the fourth. Avdija hit a three-pointer to make it 128-124 with 2:59 left. Williams cut the lead to one point 23 seconds later. Morant's floater put Portland ahead 130-127, and he scored again with 1:24 on the clock. Doncic pulled Los Angeles within three points. Lillard then hit a three-pointer to make it 135-129 with 43.1 seconds remaining. Doncic and Reaves both missed three-point attempts on the next possession. Holiday made one of two free throws to make the margin seven points with 18.3 seconds left.

Jayson Tatum hit an elbow jumper as time expired in overtime to give the Boston Celtics a 125-124 win over the Brooklyn Nets. Tatum scored 40 points, including 18 free throws on 22 attempts. Paul George added 20 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. Michael Porter Jr scored 27 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for Brooklyn, which fell to 0-4. Mikel Brown Jr forced overtime with a three-pointer with one second left in regulation.

The New York Knicks beat the Detroit Pistons to avoid an 0-4 start. Karl-Anthony Towns scored 27 points, including 13 in the third quarter when New York outscored Detroit 37-13. He also grabbed a season-high 20 rebounds. Jalen Brunson added 23 points and seven assists. Paul Reed scored 22 points for the Pistons, who were seeking their first 4-0 start since the 2018-19 season.

In San Antonio, Victor Wembanyama had 29 points and 10 rebounds in 27 minutes. Julian Champagnie hit eight three-pointers in the first half to score 26 points as the Spurs beat the Sacramento Kings. San Antonio set league season highs with 80 points, 23 assists, and 13 three-pointers in the first half. De'Andre Hunter scored 24 points for the Kings, who fell to 0-4. Zach LaVine added 22 points, and Domantas Sabonis finished with 20 points, 14 rebounds, and eight assists.