Player Grades: Lakers vs. Blazers

Grading every Lakers player’s performance from the team’s 110-102 win over the Blazers.

The game wasn’t easy, but the Lakers maintained their lead against the Blazers throughout the second half and came out victorious on the road in Portland.

With Luka Dončić out for this contest, Los Angeles relied heavily on LeBron James and Austin Reaves and they were able to pull out the victory thanks to this dynamic duo scoring a combined 73 points.

So, let’s dive into the win. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.

Rui Hachimura

35 minutes, 6 points, 12 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 3-7 FG, 0-3 3PT, 0

With the Lakers down a starter, they needed Hachimura to step up, but he did not. The rebounding numbers were good, but he needed to get more shots up and the ones he did were not great.

Midway through the fourth, the Lakers desperately needed a corner 3-pointer, which would have given them a double-digit lead. However, Hachimura missed the open look and the Blazers scored on a three during their next possession, forcing Lakers head coach JJ Redick to call timeout.

They still won, but that could’ve swung momentum permanently in Portland’s favor. If Rui will remain a starter, he has to be better.

Grade: C

LeBron James

36 minutes, 40 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 14-24 FG, 4-8 3PT, 8-8 FT, +8

LeBron put on another stellar performance as a Laker in Portland. This 40-point game was sensational and the team needed every basket, especially down the stretch.

In the fourth quarter, he scored 12 points, missed just one shot and was a perfect 2-2 from 3-point range. On the second night of a back-to-back, as the oldest player in the NBA, he was the one who brought the energy and without him, a loss would’ve been guaranteed. You can call it glazing if you want, but he deserved the highest grade possible tonight.

Grade: A+

Jaxson Hayes

28 minutes, 9 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block, 4-7 FG, 1-2 FT, +2

In this game, Hayes did what he normally does. He finished strong near the basket and tried to protect the rim as well as he could. Recently, the baseline standard from him has gone up and his head-scratching plays have diminished. The Lakers might still be short a big, but Hayes is delivering as best as he can.

Grade: B+

Dorian Finney-Smith

33 minutes, 10 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block, 4-7 FG, 2-5 3PT, +20

DFS was big on the glass, grabbing six rebounds and although he isn’t considered an explosive offensive weapon, he was one of three Lakers in double figures.

The biggest basket he scored on the night was undoubtedly a tip-in bucket during the game's final minute. His team-high plus-minus of +20 helps statistically demonstrate how important he is to this team’s success, even though his raw numbers don’t jump out as an impressive feat.

Grade: B+

Austin Reaves

40 minutes, 32 points, 1 rebound, 7 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 9-21 FG, 2-8 3PT, 12-13 FT, +5

Barring fueling the airplane himself, Reaves did everything he could to help the Lakers leave Portland victorious. He scored 32 points, his second-highest scoring total of the season and worked his way to the line and made 12 of 13 from the charity stripe.

Reaves also did all of the dirty work like sacrificing his body for charges, stealing inbound passes and even blocking shots.

LeBron might be the Goat, but the Lakers don’t win without Reaves reminding us he’s him.

Grade: A+

Gabe Vincent

16 minutes, 7 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2-7 FG, 1-6 3PT, 2-2 FT 0

This was an average game for Vincent. He knocked down a couple of shots but didn’t particularly stand out. Overall, he has been good recently, but this game left something to be desired. This is likely why two-way player Jordan Goodwin played more than him, even with the Lakers short-handed.

Grade: B-

Jordan Goodwin

20 minutes, 0 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 0-1 FG, 0-1 3PT, -8

Goodwin is dependable defensively, but he gave nothing on the offensive side of things. With three bench players scoring as much as any Lakers fan did in this game, Redick didn’t have many options.

Grade: C

Trey Jemison III

14 minutes, 6 points, 4 rebounds, 3-5 FG, +6

Jemison III entered this game and made a positive impact immediately. He scored on his first two baskets in the opening quarter and helped provide an offensive spark and some relief for Hayes.

Given how little time he’s had on the team, it’s hard to ask for more from Jemison III.

Grade: A

Dalton Knecht

13 minutes, 0 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 0-2 FG, 0-1 3PT, +7

This was another rough night for Knecht. He couldn’t find the hoop or get open and his defense was what it always is: bad. As a rookie, Dalton needs time and grace, but games like this make being patient a challenge.

Grade: D

Shake Milton

There is no grade for Milton since he only played for five minutes and they weren’t any moments that will make his highlight reel during his second quarter shift.

JJ Redick

With two rotation players out, Redick navigated this situation well and led this team to a win, snapping their two-game losing streak. He also won the challenge he made during crunch time to get the Lakers back a possession.

It’s hard to find many flaws in his coaching tonight. It was a good night for the former podcaster.

Grade: A

Thursday’s DNPs: Bronny James, Alex Len, Markieff Morris, Cam Reddish

Thursday’s inactives: Luka Dončić, Maxi Kleber, Jarred Vanderbilt, Christian Koloko

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.