Luka Dončić Scores 41, but Blazers Hand Lakers First Loss, 136-129

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers’ unbeaten start ended Tuesday night, and it took an offensive avalanche from the Portland Trail Blazers to do it.

Portland beat the Lakers 136-129 at Crypto.com Arena, handing Los Angeles its first loss of the 2026-27 season despite 41 points, nine assists and five rebounds from Luka Dončić.

The Lakers fell to 3-1 after opening the season with three straight victories, including Sunday’s 132-123 comeback win over the Utah Jazz. Portland improved to 3-0.

A hot start could not cover the defensive problems

Los Angeles came out firing and led 38-32 after the first quarter. The Lakers shot efficiently throughout the night, finishing at 56.3 percent from the field, but they never found a sustainable answer at the other end.

Portland scored 36 points in the second quarter to trim the Lakers’ halftime lead to 73-68. The Trail Blazers followed with a 34-30 third quarter, leaving Los Angeles ahead by only one entering the fourth.

That was when the game finally tilted. Portland won the final period 34-26 and repeatedly punished the Lakers with dribble penetration, timely 3-point shooting and second-chance opportunities. Los Angeles briefly reclaimed a 127-125 lead on a Ziaire Williams 3-pointer with 2:36 remaining, but the Blazers closed with an 11-2 run.

Dončić and Austin Reaves supplied plenty of offense

Dončić gave the Lakers another elite scoring night, shooting 12-of-22 from the field, 6-of-15 from 3-point range and 11-of-13 at the free-throw line. He also created nine assists while committing only two turnovers.

Austin Reaves added 26 points and seven assists on 8-of-13 shooting. Sandro Mamukelashvili delivered 17 points off the bench, including three 3-pointers, while Walker Kessler finished with 13 points, eight rebounds and two blocks.

On most nights, 129 points on 56.3 percent shooting should be enough. This was not most nights.

Portland’s balance decided the game

The Trail Blazers shot 59 percent from the field and made 18 of their 36 attempts from beyond the arc. Four Portland players scored at least 20 points: Deni Avdija and Ja Morant had 23 apiece, Jrue Holiday scored 22 and Damian Lillard added 21.

Robert Williams III chipped in 14 points and 10 rebounds off the bench, while Toumani Camara scored 12. Portland finished with 30 assists and repeatedly forced the Lakers into difficult decisions at the point of attack.

The free-throw disparity also told part of the story. Portland attempted 41 free throws after the Lakers were called for 29 fouls. The Blazers made only 26 of those attempts, leaving the door open, but Los Angeles could not string together enough late stops to take advantage.

Quarter-by-quarter scoring

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Trail Blazers	32	36	34	34	136
Lakers	38	35	30	26	129

What the loss means

The Lakers’ offense still looks capable of overwhelming teams, especially with Dončić and Reaves controlling the game. The concern is obvious: Los Angeles allowed Portland to score at least 32 points in every quarter and gave up 68 points in each half.

There is little time to dwell on it. The Lakers play the second half of a back-to-back Wednesday night against the LA Clippers at Intuit Dome. After their first loss, the immediate test is whether they can clean up the defense on tired legs.