Nothing about Thursday's 110-102 win over the Blazers in Portland was easy. The Lakers were without Luka Dončić and Jarred Vanderbilt, both sitting out for injury maintenance on the second night of a back-to-back. So the Lakers had to reach deeper into the rotation, with guys like Trey Jemison III and Jordan Goodwin providing important minutes. Meanwhile, they arrived at the hotel well after 3 am, following Wednesday's loss. So sleep and rest weren't exactly easy to get. And then Portland, while well out of the playoff race in the West, has actually played quite well over the last month. As a team, they turned the ball over 24 times, and still shot the ball poorly from the perimeter. The Lakers needed this game badly, with a bruising stretch of games coming up. And yet... There are some wins where everything clicks and teams look great in the process. This was one the Lakers pulled out because ultimately, LeBron James (40 points) and Austin Reaves (32 points, seven assists) were in many ways excellent. They got important, timely contributions from players like Dorian Finney-Smith and Gabe Vincent. But mostly, they won because they played incredibly hard. Had that effort level been 5-10% lower, it wouldn't necessarily have looked that different on TV, but the Lakers would have almost certainly lost. Call it a character win, led by their stars. It's a game that shows this group gives a damn, and while there's a lot you don't want them to carry from game to game as far as execution goes—like, seriously, please do not carry over most of those things—it's a game that has importance because of what they ultimately had to do to win. They need to play better long term, obviously, and there is a lot about a post-Luka identity they need to figure out. obviously, but they learned something about the reservoir of grit and effort available to them when it's required. Aesthetiically pleasing it wasn't, but satisfying? Yeah, it was. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: The Lakers grind out a win in Portland. SEGMENT 2: LeBron and Reaves do amazing stuff, and it was haaaaard. SEGMENT 3: LA still needs an identity. Your favorite podcast now has a newsletter! In One-stop for ultimate team and league coverage delivered right to your in box. Sign up for free now, at lockedondaily.com. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Turbo TaxReady for stress-free taxes and the most money back, guaranteed? Head over to TurboTax.com today and get matched with your Expert. Only available with TurboTax Live Full Service. Real-time updates only in the iOS mobile app. See guarantee details at TurboTax.com/guarantees. HungryrootWith Hungryroot, it’s like having a personal shopper and a nutritionist all in one.For a limited time, get 40% off your first box and a free item in every box for life! Just go to Hungryroot.com/lockedonnba and use codeLOCKEDONNBA.  PrizepicksNow’s the perfect time to join.Download the app todayand use codeLOCKEDONNBA to get $50 instantly when you play your first $5 lineup! That’s right—no need to win to get the bonus, it’s guaranteed. PrizePicks—Run Your Game! Door DashThey Swoosh, You Save: when any player scores 50 or more points in a game during the 24/25 NBA regular season, DashPass members save 50% on an order, up to $10 off with promo code NBA50. 50% Off 1 Order (Up to $10 Off) Offer valid from 9:00 AM PT through 11:59 PM PT after a 50 point performance in any game during the NBA season on orders placed at participating merchant locations. Valid only in the United States. Maximum value of discount is $10.00. Discount applies to subtotal only; does not apply to fees, taxes, and gratuity. Not valid for pickup. Limit one per person. Not valid for the purchase of alcohol. Fees, taxes, and gratuity still apply. Must have an active DashPass account. Use promo code NBA50 to redeem. See further terms and conditions at https://drd.sh/8ONpZP/. FanDuelRight now, new FanDuel customers can get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in Bonus Bets if your first FIVE DOLLAR bet wins!Download the app or head to FANDUEL.COM to get started. Bet with FanDuel—Official Partner of the NBA. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)