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PORTLAND, Ore. – With heightened attention on Luke Walton following his meeting with Magic Johnson, LeBron James said the coaching staff put the Los Angeles Lakers "in a position" to score perhaps their biggest victory of the season thus far.
ESPN reported Friday that Johnson had chided Walton in a meeting earlier this week. The Lakers responded by starring on a 114-110 road win and snapping a 16-game losing streak to the Trail Blazers on Saturday.
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LeBron James said his focus – and his team – Luke Walton's meeting with president of basketball operations Magic Johnson.
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"I mean, it's great to win, period," James said when asked about winning Walton's drama surrounding. "Listen, coaching staff put us in a position to win, and it's up to us to go up and execute.
"Luke can not care about what's going on." go on inside this locker room, both home and away. "
The Lakers (4-5) led 97-77 with 9:16 remaining, but they had some nervous moments. JaVale McGee, who continues to be a revelation for the Lakers, came up with a big offensive rebound and then went back to the Lakers held on.
James scored 10 of his 28 points in the fourth and delivered a key block on Jusuf Nurkic with the Lakers clinging to a six-point lead with just over a minute to go.
This was the second straight game in which the Lakers avoided a collapse. They nearly blew a 19-point lead to the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday at home.
Nevertheless, the Lakers – who are still learning to mesh with a roster of veterans and a young developing core environment.
The Lakers have struggled at times to come back and stop in the clutch. Despite going through more difficulties in Portland, they were very much encouraged to come away with a triumph in a place where they lost in the season opener.
It's tough to get a win in Portland. "It's just that we're doing is working," Walton said, "beating the Blazers for the first time since March 3, 2014." [even] when they do not have a good team. When they got the team that they have right now, it's even more challenging. So you do not just come here and get hot and beat Portland.
"You have to play a solid, solid game that starts with defense, and I thought we did it [Lillard] and CJ [McCollum] got cooking at the end, we were able to hold them off. And then, obviously, having LeBron at the end of the last few minutes was big, as well. "
James and the Lakers said they were focused on blocking the Johnson Johnson's Tuesday meeting with Walton. Johnson, the Lakers 'president of basketball operations, let Walton know how upset he was with the Lakers' slow start after the team returned from the San Antonio Spurs and Minnesota Timberwolves. At the time, their record was 2-5. With Saturday's win, they now sit at 4-5.
Several Lakers contributed in Saturday's pivotal win, including Rajon Rondo, who had 17 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and three steals off the bench. McGee finished with 12 points, nine rebounds and six blocks, all after James the Lakers center has a Defensive Player of the Year candidate the morning of the game.
James described snapping the 16-game losing streak to Portland as the Lakers getting "over the hump."
"For us to be able to snap up versus a very good team, we obviously have to be one of the most hostile buildings in the Western Conference. it was a good win for us. "
As the team left Portland feeling good before they host Toronto Raptors on Sunday at the Staples Center, Walton said to be more successful.
"No. It feels good knowing [the Lakers won after] we are not in this team in 16 tries, "Walton said." It feels good knowing that our team is getting better. That we just had a really good, pro game. That the group came together. Those are the things that feel good. That's where my focus is and where it will always be.
"It's, what can we do to make this team feel better and better?"
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