Brutal Night For Blazers Ends In 136-113 Loss

It was an unforgettable night for all the wrong reasons. Portland lost Rodney Hood, then suffered through a blowout 136-113 loss to the revamped Los Angeles Lakers Friday night (box score). There’s nothing positive to take from this game, so let’s get on with the recap.

• Rodney overshadowed everything. Hood went down early in the game with a non-contact leg injury. Everyone held their breath, but they knew what was coming. An hour later, the Blazers made it official: Hood tore his Achilles, just one game after he had been removed early due to Achilles pain. His season is over, and his long-term health is now his immediate focus.
• This game was never in doubt. The Lakers didn’t even look like they kicked into second gear tonight, and they easily ran over the Blazers anyway. The Hood injury didn’t help, but also probably didn’t matter tonight. The Lakers look scary-good.
• The season isn’t over, but... With Zach Collins out for most (possibly all) of the season, Hood now done for the year, and Jusuf Nurkic not expected to return until at least February, you can’t help but wonder how many injuries the Blazers can withstand and still stay within reach of a late-season playoff run.
• First ejection... ever? Coach Terry Stotts, who had already won a challenge earlier in the night, was furious when Kent Bazemore was called for a foul on the break against Anthony Davis. Replays showed that Bazemore didn’t seem to foul him, and was pushed away by Davis’s arm. Stotts was furious, and received his first ejection. Yes, seriously, his first one in his entire 880-game NBA career. He was that upset.
• Woo, we’re getting blown out! The Blazers dropped confetti on the crowd, down 24 in the fourth quarter. Photographic proof. It was a bad night for everyone.

The Blazers get a day off to recover, then OKC is in town Sunday night, after beating the Timberwolves in overtime tonight. In the meantime, you’re welcome to wallow in the comments.