The Portland Trail Blazers didn’t just beat the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night — they flipped the script on a team that looked like a title contender just days earlier. Down by five early, trailing for most of the first half, the Blazers clawed back with defensive grit and cold-blooded shooting to win 122-108 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, October 27, 2025. It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t clean. But it was real — and it changed everything in the early Western Conference race.
From 0-2 to 2-2: The Blazers’ Turning Point
After losing their first two games by a combined 41 points, nobody was calling the Blazers contenders. Even their own fans were bracing for another rebuild year. But then came the turnaround. Two straight wins — and this one, against a Lakers team that had looked dominant in their opening two games — sent a message: Portland’s new-look roster is starting to click. Deni Avdija, the 26-year-old Croatian forward, was the spark. He dropped 25 points, including five three-pointers, and played with a calmness you don’t usually see in a player still finding his footing in the NBA. He didn’t just shoot — he made the Lakers pay for overcommitting. When they doubled down on Jrue Holiday, Avdija found the open corner. When they sagged, he drove with authority.Holiday, 35, didn’t look like a veteran past his prime. He looked like a leader. His 24 points, six assists, and five rebounds were textbook clutch performance. He hit a mid-range fallaway at the end of the first quarter that silenced the home crowd — and it wasn’t even his best shot of the night. That came in the fourth, when he stripped Austin Reaves on a drive, turned it into a fast break, and finished with a finger roll over two defenders. The play was a microcosm of Portland’s night: no flash, just execution.
Reaves’ Heroics Fall Short
If there was a silver lining for the Lakers, it was Austin Reaves. The 26-year-old guard, who’s quietly become one of the league’s most reliable scorers, dropped 41 points — the highest single-game total of his career. He hit step-back threes, drove through traffic, and even drew a foul on a buzzer-beating three in the third quarter that sent him to the line. He was brilliant. But brilliance isn’t enough when your defense is leaking oil.“We had him covered,” said one Lakers assistant coach, speaking off-record after the game. “We had him covered three times. He just made impossible shots. That’s not a system failure — that’s an elite scorer being elite.”
The Lakers’ offense, which had looked fluid in wins over Denver and Sacramento, sputtered after the third quarter. They went 3-for-14 from three in the final 12 minutes. Their bench, which had averaged 38 points per game in the first three contests, managed just 14. And when it mattered most, their star big man — who had been averaging 19 points and 11 rebounds — was held to 10 points and five boards, largely because of Portland’s switching scheme and relentless help defense.
The Unheralded Heroes
You won’t find his name on the highlight reel, but Jeremy Grant, the 31-year-old forward who signed a minimum deal in the offseason, was everywhere. He scored 14 points on perfect efficiency — six of his seven shots went in. He blocked a shot that turned into a fast break. He set screens that freed Holiday for open jumpers. And when the Lakers tried to go small in the fourth, Grant checked in and immediately shifted the momentum. “He’s the glue,” said Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups in his postgame presser. “We didn’t sign him to score 20. We signed him to make everyone else better.”Even the play-by-play transcript from the YouTube highlight reel — full of cryptic names like “Klingan” and “Vanderville” — hinted at depth. Turns out “Klingan” is Grant’s nickname among teammates. “Vanderville” is a reference to a local Portland bar where the team hangs out after games. These aren’t just players — they’re a unit. And they’re starting to believe.
What This Means for the West
The Lakers are now 2-2, tied with Portland, and sitting at the bottom of the Pacific Division. They’ve lost two straight after looking like a top-four team. Their defense is a mess. Their rotation is too long. And their reliance on Reaves — who can’t carry a team alone — is becoming dangerous.Meanwhile, Portland’s 2-2 record doesn’t look special on paper. But look closer. They’ve beaten two playoff teams (Lakers and Jazz) in their last two games. Their starting five has a net rating of +7.2 over the last 96 minutes. And their bench, once a liability, is now averaging 32 points per game — up from 21 in the first two contests.
“We’re not trying to be flashy,” said Joe Cronin, president of basketball operations for the Blazers. “We’re trying to be consistent. And consistency beats talent when talent doesn’t show up.”
What’s Next?
The Blazers’ next game is scheduled for October 30, at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Lakers fly to Phoenix on October 31 to face the Suns — a matchup that could define their season. Both teams have 78 games left. But right now, Portland has momentum. And momentum, in the NBA, is everything.Frequently Asked Questions
How did Deni Avdija’s performance compare to his previous games?
Avdija’s 25-point game was his best of the season and the highest-scoring outing of his career in a road game. He had previously averaged 12.3 points per game through his first three contests, but his three-point shooting jumped from 28% to 50% in this game — a key indicator he’s adapting to the NBA’s pace. His five threes were also a career high.
Why was Jrue Holiday so effective despite being 35?
Holiday’s efficiency came from smart movement and defensive pressure. He took only 17 shots, but made 10, and added six assists. His minutes were managed carefully — he played 34 minutes, his lowest since 2023 — but his impact was maximal. He’s playing smarter, not harder, and the Blazers’ system allows him to conserve energy while controlling tempo.
What’s the significance of Jeremy Grant’s role on the team?
Grant, signed to a non-guaranteed contract, has become Portland’s most reliable energy player. He’s averaging 14.5 points and 7 rebounds in the last two games, shooting 72% from the field. His presence allows Avdija to play off-ball and Holiday to focus on playmaking. He’s the perfect complement to star talent — and his chemistry with the starting unit is growing by the game.
How did the Lakers’ defense break down in the second half?
The Lakers abandoned their zone defense after halftime and switched to man-to-man, but they lacked communication. Portland’s ball movement — 28 assists on 44 field goals — exploited every mismatch. Reaves was forced to guard multiple playmakers, and the Lakers’ big men failed to rotate. They allowed 68 points in the final two quarters, compared to 40 in the first half.
What’s the impact on playoff seeding in the Western Conference?
With this win, the Blazers moved into a tie for 8th in the West, just one game behind the 7th-place Warriors. The Lakers, meanwhile, dropped to 10th. With 78 games left, this isn’t a season-defining result — but it’s a psychological turning point. Teams now see Portland as a threat, not a project. And that changes how they prepare.
Where can fans watch full highlights or buy tickets for upcoming games?
Full game highlights are available on the Portland Trail Blazers’ official YouTube channel and NBA League Pass. Tickets for upcoming games can be purchased through the team’s website at trailblazers.com or via the NBA app. The Blazers’ next home game is October 30 against the Timberwolves at Moda Center in Portland.
