The 23-point beating the Lakers handed the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 2 didn't leave them with any extra gratification in the best-of-seven series.
It only left the Lakers tied at 1-1 in the Western Conference first-round series that resumes Saturday afternoon at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando, Fla.
Knowing how dangerous Portland is and how lethal its backcourt of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum can be, the Lakers said their intensity must remain high to win Game 3.
The Trail Blazers averaged 126 points in going 6-2 in the eight seeding games, the highest among the 22 teams. They shot 41.4% from 3-point range, the third highest in the bubble. Lillard led all scorers by averaging 37.6 points.
That is more than enough to keep the Lakers' attention.
"We can't take this as something to gloat about or celebrate about," center JaVale McGee said late Thursday night. "We have to move on to the next game and come out with the same intensity from the jump."
Lillard was diagnosed with a dislocated left ring finger, but he declared that he would play Saturday.
None of his coaches or teammates were surprised to hear that.
"It's kind of what we expect," coach Terry Stotts said. "I totally anticipated (Lillard saying that), unless it was a broken finger, and even then, that Dame has played through a lot of injuries and this being the playoffs, I don't think it surprised anybody. But certainly it sets the tone for the rest of the team."
Stotts said Lillard had been getting treatment all day and will have to wear a splint.
Portland also got some bad injury news Friday. Starting forward Zach Collins is out for the rest of the season after sustaining a hairline stress fracture in his left ankle that will require surgery.
