TEAM NOTES: Los Angeles finished with a season-best 61 rebounds, the first time they have accomplished the feat since 4/4/19 vs. Golden State Anthony Davis and Kyle Kuzma recorded 15 boards apiece, marking the first time the Lakers have had two players with at least 15 rebounds since 4/17/13 vs. Houston (P. Gasol, 20; D. Howard, 18) The Lakers scored a season-high 42 fast break points, their first game with 40+ such points since 10/22/18 vs. San Antonio (41) PLAYER NOTES: ANTHONY DAVIS finished with 37 points (14-22 FG), 15 rebounds, six assists and five blocks, good for his 19th double-double of the season … This marks the first time in his career he has tallied at least 35 points, 15 rebounds, five assists and five blocks … He becomes the third Laker in franchise history to amass these totals and the first since Shaquille O’Neal on 3/23/01 … League-wide, Joel Embiid is the last player to meet these totals (11/15/17) KYLE KUZMA recorded a career-high-tying 15 rebounds along with 17 points … This marks his first double-double of the season and the 22nd of his career LEBRON JAMES tallied 22 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds and one block, notching his 34th double-double of the season … James continues to lead the league in total assists (482), assists per game (10.7) and double-digit assist games (31)
TERRY STOTTS,TRAIL BLAZERS HEAD COACH On his team’s performance: “I was really proud of our team tonight. This was obviously a difficult game to play for everybody; for the Lakers and for us. In the first half, it took both teams a while to get into it, but I was really proud of our team. I don’t know how many people gave us a chance to win this, but Damian Lillard has continued to prove what a special player he is and what a special leader he is.” On the performance of Damian Lillard as of late: “Oh, this is the best ball of his career. I mean, this five or six-game stretch that he’s on, it’s probably the best stretch in franchise history. He’s playing at an unbelievably high level.” Onpreparing for a game in the midst of tonight’s ceremonies honoring the life and legacy of Kobe Bryant: “The one thing for us is that we’ve had five days and two games to kind of understand the emotions that were going to be out there. I know it was a tough game for the Lakers, watching them during the tribute and during LeBron’s talk. I thought it was a difficult game for them to play. I think it was difficult for both teams but we’ve, I think, had some time to go through the grieving process.”
DAMIAN LILLARD, TRAIL BLAZERS GUARD On what he takes away from how his team performed tonight: “I’m just happy we were able to continue playing a good brand of basketball and get a win against a really good team. [They are the] number one team in the West right now, [and we were] on the road. I was really proud of that but I don’t think anybody feels like we walked away as a winner tonight, given the circumstances. The memories that we’ll take from it are just sad and it was just tough... Being on the winning side is a positive, but I don’t think anybody walks away from this moment and this situation a winner.” On taking in the pregame ceremonies honoring the life and legacy of Kobe Bryant: “It’s tough from an emotional standpoint but he’s worthy. More than worthy. That type of love and that type of respect and that type of honor that was given to him in the first game since it happened, it was only right. Compared to what his family has to deal with and what his closest friends have to deal with, us having to honor him in that way and then play a game, it’s a small thing. For him being arguably the toughest competitor to ever play the game, I felt like it was only right for us to pay our respects pregame and then go out there and honor him by competing at a higher level and I thought both teams did that.” Onwhat it was like playing in such an emotional game: “I tried my hardest to calm the emotional part down and just go out there and play. I think for both teams, it was a rough start to the game because it’s hard to go from being in that type of mental state and watching and listening and then jump into a game and really care. For me, I tried to keep my emotions in check and just play the game, have fun and go out there and compete and that was that.”
TREVOR ARIZA, TRAIL BLAZERS FORWARD On the challenge presented in tonight’s matchup against the Lakers: “I think tonight, for me, defensively, I had a huge matchup. The idea was just to focus as much as I can and try to lock in to what we’re doing and try to help my team win in any way.” On what it meant playing at STAPLES Center tonight after spending two seasons with Kobe Bryant & the Lakers: “Aww man. It was very tough. Very, very, very hard. We spent a lot of time together. We talked a lot, even after we weren’t teammates. He was like a brother to me. Just like a brother. I don’t know what else to say.” On LeBron James’ pregame speech: “I wasn’t even really paying attention to what he was saying. It was just a bit too emotional. It was too tough, so I just tried to do my best to lock in to what we were doing and that’s it. But I’m sure whatever he said, I’m sure it was special, it was touching. For me, I was just zoned out.”
FRANK VOGEL,LAKERS HEAD COACH On transitioning from an emotional pregame ceremony to playing a game: “It was very emotional. Our guys were teared up going into the jump ball. You just felt it the whole night. You wanted to give maximum effort but we had a difficult week. In a situation like that, all you ask from your guys is that they put forth maximum effort and try to lock in as best you can mentally. They did that and they did it at a high level.” On utilizing every player in tonight’s game: “We’re a family and this current group has become a family very rapidly by NBA standards and we all shared this this week. We were all on that plane to hear that newsand I wanted to give everybody an opportunity to contribute in this game.” On LeBron James’ tribute to Kobe Bryant: “What he said was just beautiful. It was strong and it represented who he is and really who we are as a team and an organization. I thought the tribute was extremely well done by the people in the Lakers organization and the fan support was not surprising but it was off the charts. It was really a great night from all those standpoints. For Bron to be up there and speaking to Laker Nation with such strength, it really represents what we’re all about.”
LEBRON JAMES, LAKERS FORWARD On the difficulty of dealing with this tragedy personally, while concurrently being the face of the organization: “When you have a great support system, being able to deal with situations like this you would never want, with my family, my friends and the rest of my support system, having them helps out a lot. That’s the biggest thing I have in my life - that I have my family, my friends and my support system. That I know no matter what, I’m not dealing with this challenge alone. That helps out a lot.” On howhis team honored Kobe Bryant with their uniforms: “It was just to show our appreciation. We were wearing the oversized jersey, we were wearing the wristband, we were wearing the shooting sleeve, we were wearing his shoes. We were just showing our appreciation and love that he gave us way before he knew us. We’re brothers and that’s just what this is pretty much all about.” On how challenging it was to deal with the emotions of this week: “I think everybody is emotional tonight and we all have our individual reasons why emotion hits us. We all have this brotherhood and this family and to be a part of this bigger organization which also naturally brings in even more emotion. For me, I was telling my wife a couple days ago that seeing Kobe play basketball for 20 years with the Lakers from when he was 18 to 38, I was like, you know what’s crazy, is that the last three years, in all the success he had, five rings, the All-Star game MVPs, the MVP of the league, all-team everything, all-life, all-world, all-basketball, these last three years was the happiest I’ve ever seen him.”
ANTHONY DAVIS, LAKERS FORWARD On the emotional week his team has had: “Me personally, I was anxious, nervous. Just seeing everything and all the decals out on the floor. It was an emotional game for all of us, honestly. We just wanted to do our best to make him proud. I knew the first game was going to be emotional for us regardless, but you know it was just an emotional day. For me it was just play as hard as I can because I know that’s what he would’ve wanted me to do. Just to try my best.” On his favorite Kobe Bryant memory: “I forgot to put my jersey on before the game and when they called me to go in the game, I went up to the table and was about to take my warm-up t-shirt off and I looked down and I just had on a white t-shirt on underneath. I just kind of creeped back to the bench and Coach Krzyzewski was like ‘what are you doing?’ and I tried to whisper to him that I forgot my jersey and I had to go sit down. Kobe [Bryant] just got on me. I can’t say what he said, but it was along the lines of ‘why aren’t you going in the game, this is your chance.’ and I had to tell him that I didn’t have my jersey on. He said some more things after that that I can’t repeat, but now it’s a thing for my conscience that I always check to see if I have my jersey on.”
KYLE KUZMA, LAKERS FORWARD On his team being able to perform tonight after an emotional tribute to Kobe Bryant: “There were a lot of emotions out there tonight from everyone. Obviously, the Laker fan base, Laker desk, there were a lot of front office desk members that have been here for all of his 20 years as a Laker. Some of the players have known him, played with him, played against him, some of the coaches have coached against him so you know, there were a lot of emotions out there tonight.” Onhow he channeled what Kobe Bryant mean to him in his performance tonight: “This week I cried a lot, laughed a lot; I probably cried so much that I don’t have any more tears left in me. I was just thinking about what he stood for and what he meant to the game and tonight, I just tried to be fearless. Plain and simple. I just tried to play my heart out. That’s what he did every night and what he would have wanted all of us to do tonight.”
