Page 21 - ARUBA TODAY

A21
SPORTS Monday 30 deceMber 2019
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Portland Trail Blazers

By ERIK GARCÍA GUNDER- the Portland bench with 14
SEN points and six rebounds.
Associated Press Another 3-pointer by
PORTLAND, Ore (AP) — Kyle Caldwell-Pope pushed the
Kuzma's season may have lead to 123-112 with 2:54
turned a corner on Satur- left. A dunk by Davis on a
day night, and the Los An- lob from James pushed the
geles Lakers snapped their Lakers to a 127-115 lead
season-long four-game los- with 1:37 left.
ing streak in the process. TIP-INS
Kuzma scored 24 points, Lakers: Despite coming
LeBron James had 21 points into the game listed as
and 16 assists, and the Lak- questionable, the Los An-
ers beat the Portland Trail geles Lakers got LeBron
Blazers 128-120. James back on Saturday.
Kuzma highlighted a strong That may help their self-de-
performance by the Lak- scribed "angry and edgy"
ers' reserves, who provided head coach Frank Vogel.
72 bench points. Portland's After their Christmas day
bench scored 39 points. loss to the Clippers, the Lak-
It was the type of night ers entered Saturday riding
the Lakers have expected a season-worst four-game
for Kuzma all season as he Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, right, shoots in front of Portland Trail Blazers center losing streak. "I started the
has battled through sever- Hassan Whiteside during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Portland, Ore., Saturday, Dec. film session telling them I'm
28, 2019.
al injuries and a reduction Associated Press angry and edgy," Vogel
in minutes. Kuzma scored said. "Forgive me, that's just
over 20 points for the sec- ed our group to feel that," A 3-pointer by CJ McCol- "Anytime he's on the floor, how I am.
ond straight game. Vogel said after the game lum gave Portland their first any second he's on the That's how I was feeling
"Yeah, I'm just healthy "It's not fun losing. We're a lead since the first quarter floor he makes an impact," yesterday, that's how ev-
now," Kuzma said of an- good team and we we're with 5:13 left in the third. Lil- James said of Davis' stretch eryone was feeling. Follow-
other strong performance. able to use that to our ad- lard scored 12 points in the to close the third quarter. ing up with our guys that
"I'm confident in my body. vantage and take it out on quarter. "We expect nothing less. was just the pulse of the
I took a little bit of time off, this team." Davis had nine points in the He's just great." group. We're not happy
sitting out for five games Damian Lillard had a third quarter and an assist Anthony Tolliver gave the losing that Christmas day
and really just self-collect- game-high 31 points for to Kentavious Caldwell- Blazers a nice lift off the game and certainly we're
ed what I needed to do Portland, which dropped Pope for a 3-pointer with bench with a season-high not happy losing four in a
and got it done." its third straight. Hassan Wh- 0.1 seconds left to give the 12 points, including four row. We have a lot of hab-
"We want him to be that iteside had 19 points and Lakers a 103-95 lead after 3-pointers. Anfernee Simons its that we need to tighten
third scorer for us, consis- 16 rebounds. three. also had a strong game off the screws on."q
tently get to 18 to 20 points The game was a high-
a night and more impor- scoring affair. Both teams
tant you know, it's just the scored over 30 points and Murray out of Australian Open;

efficiency right now that I shot over 50% from the
love," James said of Kuzma, field in the first quarter as Grand Slam comeback on hold
who was nine for 17 from the Lakers built a two-point
the field. "He's just been lead. In the fourth quarter, Associated Press
very efficient mixing it up neither team cracked 30 MELBOURNE, Australia
with his 3s, his paint touch- points. (AP) — Andy Murray has
es. You saw it tonight on The Lakers continued to ex- put his Grand Slam come-
the break as well, just mix- tended their lead in the first back on hold after an-
ing it up." thanks in large part to the nouncing he will not be
Anthony Davis added 20 play of Kuzma. Kuzma had playing at the Australian
points and nine rebounds 20 points in the first half, a Open next month.
for the Lakers. The win also season-high for him in any Tennis Australia issued a
helped the Lakers move on half this season. He had 11 statement Sunday saying
from a disappointing Christ- points in the second quar- Murray had withdrawn
mas day loss to their cross- ter as the Lakers carried a from the season-open-
town rival Clippers. 71-64 lead into halftime. ing major at Melbourne
"We were all pretty upset Portland opened the sec- Park and from the ATP
about the last game," Da- ond half on a 5-0 run be- Cup, a new international
vis said. "We just wanted fore the Lakers seized men's team event which
to make an effort to come control again. James con- starts next week and will Great Britain's Andy Murray misses a point during the Davis
Cup tennis match against Netherlands' Tallon Griekspoor in
in and get back in the win nected with Davis twice on be played in Sydney, Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2019.
column. We were able to full-court passes that led to Perth and Brisbane. "I've Associated Press
pull this one out." Lakers baskets. worked so hard to get my-
Head coach Frank Vogel, Foul problems for the Lak- self into a situation where "Unfortunately I've had a on his hip to repair a ca-
who told his team prior to ers kept the Blazers in it. I can play at the top level setback recently and as a reer-threatening injury af-
the game that he wanted With seven minutes left in and I'm gutted I'm not go- precaution, need to work ter his first-round, five-set
his team "angry and edgy," the third quarter, a foul by ing to be able to play in through that before I get loss to Roberto Bautista
picked up a technical in JaVale McGee put the Australia in January," Mur- back on court compet- Agut at the Australian
the first quarter. Lakers in the penalty for the ray said in a statement. ing." Murray had surgery Open in January. q
"I got an early tech, I want- remainder of the period.