Without Anthony Davis in the lineup, LeBron James and Max Christie stepped up to help the Lakers defeat the Blazers 114-106 on Thursday.

LeBron James scored 18 points in the first half and finished the game with 38 points on 15-25 shooting and seven 3-pointers. Max Christie had a career game in which he hit five three-pointers and finished with 28 points.

Austin Reaves contributed 15 points, 11 assists, eight rebounds and two steals. Christian Koloko again had productive minutes, scoring eight points and taking eight bounces off.

The coins were handed out early, with LeBron assisting on two dunks, one from Jaxson Hayes and one from Rui. Before Portland’s Shaedon Sharpe drained the first three-pointer of the game, both teams had missed their first attempts from distance. The Blazers took control of the game while the Lakers began to struggle.

Jaxson got into trouble early with two fouls and had to be substituted. With Anthony Davis out, Portland took advantage of LA’s lack of defense in the game and got a good portion of their points there. Christian’s effort was much needed for the Lakers, as he scored six points and grabbed huge rebounds.

After the Trail Blazers led by as many as eight, the Lakers got within four at the end of the first period.

Portland rookie Donovan Clingan opened the second quarter with a reverse layup. The Lakers played chaotically and couldn’t find consistency in their offense. The young Blazers played with confidence and benefited from the difficulties in LA. Los Angeles appeared to be a team in desperate need of its defensive anchor.

Austin converted a mid-range shot and Max knocked down two three-pointers to stop the bleeding. After barely being able to score, the Lakers went on an 8-1 winning run. The purple and gold eventually regained the lead when LeBron added two 3-pointers. He had up to 18 points and Max up to 14.

LA had completely stolen the momentum from Portland and closed the half with a 10-2 run and a nine-point lead.

The Trail Blazers opened the second half playing much better offensively. LeBron now had 24 points and added two more 3-pointers to his arsenal of points for the night. It was the LeBron and Max show where Max drank another three drinks.

LeBron was on fire, scoring another three goals to bring his total to six. The Lakers extended their lead to double digits, but the fierce Blazers didn’t stop fighting and cut the deficit to single digits.

After a somewhat slow offensive start for Austin in the first half, he scored 13 points and conceded another three points. Shake Milton scored four points in the quarter. Despite Portland’s valiant efforts, LA trailed by double digits at the end of the third period.

The Lakers opened the final frame with a turnover. Cam Reddish stole the ball and took it to the other end for a dunk. In doing so, he extended his personal winning streak from one steal per game to six games in a row. The Lakers’ lead had grown to 15.

Anfernee Simmons took the lead in the second half, shooting 71% and scoring 13 of his 17 points in the final two quarters.

LA’s offense began to falter. They were missing a lot of good shots. Portland went on a 9-2 run to bring the deficit to single digits. LA’s lead quickly went back to double digits with LeBron and Max scoring.

Of course, things were bound to get interesting as the Blazers went on another 9-2 run to get dangerously close. After the Trail Blazers got within three points, LA withstood the run and began to dominate offensively again.

After a great three-pointer from LeBron, the Lakers appeared to be in good shape to get the win. With 20 seconds left, the Blazers got within four seconds. LeBron then officially sealed the victory with a layup.

Key Takeaways:

LeBron James? LeBron James.

What a beautiful sight to see Max in such great shape. The early problems of the season seem years away.

Christian deserves his flowers for how well he played. His energy and commitment never stops. He has become a reliable backup center.

The Lakers’ next game is Friday at 7:30 p.m. PT against the Atlanta Hawks.

You can follow Karin on Twitter at @KarinAbcarians.