PORTLAND, Ore. — The Lakers’ injuries are stacking up, and that proved too much to overcome on Saturday night.

Shaedon Sharpe had 25 points to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 132-116 victory over the Lakers, who were playing without league-leading scorer Luka Doncic and starting center Deandre Ayton then saw veteran guard Marcus Smart limp to the locker room before the night was over.

Smart had a team-high 25 points for the Lakers before leaving midway through the fourth quarter. The extent of his injury was not known.

LeBron James finished with 20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists as the Lakers lost for the fifth time in their past six games. Drew Timme scored a career-high 21 points off the bench.

“At the end of the day, nobody is feeling sorry for us, nor are we looking for it,” James said. “The guys that are available, we got to go out there and play our game, play the way we want to play offensively and defensively and just try to right the ship until we get whole.”

Doncic, who is averaging 33.6 points per game, did not play because of left groin soreness. Lakers coach JJ Redick said before the game that Doncic’s MRI was clear and he’s considered day-to-day. Doncic was dealing with the injury all of last week despite playing against the Kings, Hawks and Hornets on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.

“I think it was an accumulation of a longer week, more lingering, if anything,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said before the game.

The Lakers (24-16) aren’t sure if Ayton will play against Toronto on Sunday night. He is day-to-day with left knee soreness.

“He took a hit in his knee and there was no swelling, just some soreness,” Redick said.

The Lakers, who have been without starting guard Austin Reaves since last month, were also without backup center Jaxson Hayes, who didn’t play against the Blazers because of left hamstring tendinopathy. Redick said there’s a chance Hayes will be able to play Sunday.

Redick said he liked his team’s competitive “spirit” against the Blazers, but they are finding it hard to win consistently with so many rotation players out.

“This has been our season,” Redick said. “You get one guy healthy, another guy gets injured. You get one guy back and another guy gets injured. Two guys go out tonight and you play without your two centers. So, it’s been our season.”

Jerami Grant and Caleb Love each scored 22 points and Donovan Clingan finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Blazers (21-22), who have won seven of their past nine games.

The Lakers were called for 13 fouls in the first quarter, leading to 22 free-throw attempts for the Blazers, who closed the quarter on an 18-4 run for a 40-27 lead.

“I thought the whistle was very shot in the first quarter,” James said. “I think there were like maybe 17, 18, 20 free throws in the first quarter. It’s hard to set your defense with that type of situation. But we gave ourselves a chance a couple of times, but it was an uphill battle.”

The Moda Center crowd still cheered loudly when James dunked to close the Lakers within 53-47 in the second quarter, but Portland expanded the lead to 14 on two free throws by Robert Williams III with 2:37 left in the half and led 71-61 at halftime.

James lobbed a pass to Smart, who hit a 3-pointer to pull the Lakers within 75-67 in the third quarter, but Sharpe answered with a dunk as Portland scored 25 of the next 38 points.

Grant scored the last seven Blazers points during the surge to give his team a 100-80 lead with 4:02 remaining.

Portland led 107-90 entering the final quarter but the Lakers pulled within 115-104 on a 3-pointer by Kobe Bufkin with 7:07 left. The Blazers responded with a 15-2 flurry to put the Lakers away. Toumani Camara drained a 3-pointer, Sharpe scored five Portland points in a row and Love (seven assists) scored seven straight to make it 130-106 with 3:05 left.

Portland remained without top scorer Deni Avdija, who missed his third game because of a back injury. Avdija is averaging 26.1 ppg and is in line for a spot in next month’s All-Star Game.

UP NEXT

The Lakers host Toronto on Sunday at 6:30 p.m.

JJ: "We don't go into games thinking tonight's gonna be rough. Our belief level, expectations, the standards, they don't change." pic.twitter.com/rfWFO50NJQ

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) January 18, 2026

LeBron James (20 PTS, 9 REB, 8 AST) speaks to the media following the 132-116 loss to the Portland Trailblazers. pic.twitter.com/De3nrmACVn

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) January 18, 2026

Drew Timme (21 PTS, 4 AST, 2 REB) on getting big minutes tonight:

"It's great to see all the work you put in. That's the beauty of the G-League. When or if I'm ever needed, I'm ready." pic.twitter.com/yRcviCrkKo

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) January 18, 2026

ANAHEIM — The Ducks took consecutive games and the season series from the Kings, triumphing 2-1 in overtime at Honda Center on Saturday night, less than 24 hours after knocking off their archenemies in Downtown L.A.

Three of the four crosstown clashes went beyond 60 minutes this season, including both bouts this weekend, and all three went to the Ducks. The rivals now sit in a points tie with each other, with 51 apiece.

The Ducks won their third straight match to further distance themselves from a putrid stretch that included just two victories in 15 opportunities. They have ceded just four goals in those three outings, after giving up five per game during a nine-game skid.

“We knew it was going to be a big weekend for us, and we came through,” Mikael Granlund said. “We’re playing the right way right now, and that gives us a chance to win these games.”

He added: “We’re not giving anything easy, no self-inflicted stuff.”

The Kings lost for the sixth time in seven games as part of their longer-standing malaise, prevailing in just seven of their past 23 decisions. They now have both the most overtime losses and most one-goal losses in the NHL this season.

Mason McTavish scored in regulation and Granlund snagged a second point in overtime. Ville Husso stopped 17 shots. Chris Kreider missed a second straight game due to an illness against the backdrop of the longer-term absences of Leo Carlsson (thigh surgery), Frank Vatrano (broken shoulder) and Troy Terry (upper-body injury).

Adrian Kempe scored the Kings’ lone goal during a 5-on-3 power play. Anton Forsberg made 31 saves. The Kings iced their same 18 skaters from a night earlier at Crypto.com Arena, where they lost 3-2 in a shootout, meaning they again had no Anže Kopitar, Corey Perry or Trevor Moore.

The Ducks carried their territorial and analytical edges into the third period, but neither team was able to break the tie, sending the game to overtime.

A mere 25 seconds into the extra frame, Drew Doughty hooked Granlund, setting up a 4-on-3 look for the Ducks.

The Kings’ penalty killers delivered, thanks in large part to Forsberg stonewalling McTavish and Beckett Sennecke in succession.

That merely delayed the inevitable, however. Sennecke’s brilliant backcheck during Kevin Fiala’s partial breakaway saw him lift Fiala’s stick, steal the puck and initiate a counterattack, one he joined. Granlund elected to shoot, rifling in the game-winner with 58 seconds on the OT clock. Sennecke now has a five-game points streak.

“It was a great play by (Sennecke), that’s the effort we need. At the same time, we weren’t even close to getting to overtime in the last few weeks,” Granlund said. “We’re giving ourselves a chance to win these games and getting in positions to be able to win these games, that’s what I mean by playing right.”

In the absence of Carlsson, McTavish and Granlund have had to shoulder a bigger load, accounting for both the Ducks’ goals on Saturday. Granlund played a team-high 24:32 and drew two penalties before sending the fans home happy.

“He’s unreal, so skilled and so poised with the puck, too. He makes the right play pretty much every time. Obviously, it was a sick shot there, too,” McTavish said. “Penalty kill, power play, five-on-five, he does it all, and he was awesome today.”

A penalty-riddled second period concluded with a 1-1 intermission deadlock and the Ducks having been whistled for six penalties resulting in power plays. The Kings received no admonishment whatsoever until the final two minutes of the frame, when the Ducks failed to convert.

Five of those Ducks infractions came in the second stanza, including two just six seconds apart to set up substantial two-man-advantage time for the Kings. Andrei Kuzmenko worked the puck to Fiala atop the left circle. He strode ahead and zipped the puck to the right dot for Kempe, who glided into the pass and loaded up a shot in one motion.

It was Kempe’s 16th goal and his first in seven games. The Kings scored during the 5-on-3 situation but moved to none for their past nine at 5-on-4.

“They kept taking penalties and kept giving us another chance to redeem ourselves,” Brandt Clarke said. “It just didn’t seem fluid and it didn’t seem like we were getting pucks to the net.”

The same player who ended the shootout on Friday began the scoring on Saturday, as McTavish tallied his 12th goal, 6:11 into the affair. Ryan Strome found Olen Zellweger at the blue line, where he shook Joel Armia and slipped the puck to McTavish. A stumbling Mikey Anderson watched as McTavish flicked a shot far side past Forsberg.

Since Christmas, Anderson and Doughty’s ineffectiveness as a top pairing has been apparent. In that span, the Kings have been outscored 19-6 with Anderson on the ice and 20-7 with Doughty over the boards. Doughty’s goal in the first game after the holiday break is the only point they have produced in a combined 24 games.

Later in the period, Jeffrey Viel, who made his Ducks debut after being acquired from Boston on Friday, fought the towering Samuel Helenius.

“I’m always down [to fight],” Viel said. “You could feel the intensity out there. It was great to get the win, especially against a divisional opponent.”

Next up, both clubs will host the New York Rangers. The Ducks, who have four former Rangers on their roster, will welcome them Monday. The Kings will face former chums and current Blueshirts Jonathan Quick and Vladlislav Gavrikov on Tuesday.

SEATTLE — Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor and Doug Baldwin hyped up the famed “12th Man” crowd in Seattle, providing a throwback to the Seahawks’ fearsome “Legion of Boom” teams from the 2010s.

Then, in their first playoff game in front of home fans in nearly a decade, the Seahawks found a new level of dominance.

Rashid Shaheed returned the returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, Kenneth Walker III rushed for three scores and Seattle forced three turnovers in a never-in-doubt 41-6 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday night that sent the top-seeded Seahawks to the NFC championship game.

“One of our most complete games, for sure,” defensive lineman Leonard Williams said. “(Shaheed) starting the game off like that set the tone.”

Sam Darnold threw a touchdown pass and got his first career playoff win in his first season with the Seahawks (15-3), who will host either the Chicago Bears or the Los Angeles Rams next Sunday with a trip to the Super Bowl at stake.

The Seahawks led 7-0 13 seconds into the game thanks to Shaheed, who fielded the opening kick and took it 95 yards to the end zone. It was the fourth kickoff return for a touchdown to open a playoff game since 2000 and the longest postseason kick return in franchise history.

“I was so hyped,” defensive lineman Byron Murphy II said. “I wasn’t expecting that, but when he did it, I knew the game was over then. I already knew.”

Darnold, who had been listed as questionable because of an oblique injury, guided the Seahawks on two more scoring drives before San Francisco got on the board with the first of its two field goals. As he has all season, Darnold impressed his teammates with his toughness.

“He told us he was going to do whatever it takes to get back and play for us,” offensive lineman Grey Zabel said. “That was a gutsy performance by him, not feeling his best. He continues to just be a leader in the huddle, on the field, on the sidelines.”

After he flopped in his playoff debut last season with the Minnesota Vikings by taking nine sacks in a 27-9 loss to the Rams, Darnold completed 12 of 17 passes for 124 yards and connected with Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a touchdown in the star receiver’s playoff debut.

Seattle hadn’t played in the postseason since the 2020 season, when it lost at home to the Rams with no fans in the stands because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 49ers (13-6) were never competitive in the second-most lopsided playoff loss in franchise history. San Francisco lost 49-3 to the New York Giants in the divisional round in the 1986 season.

The Niners were missing three injured All-Pros: tight end George Kittle, linebacker Fred Warner and defensive end Nick Bosa. Star left tackle Trent Williams, who played through a hamstring injury, was proud of his team for getting as far in the playoffs as it did.

“When you’re playing with guys you’re signing off the practice squad,” Williams said, “guys (you are) taking off the street — you got to temper expectations a bit.”

Brock Purdy completed 15 of 27 passes for 140 yards with an interception and a lost fumble against the Seahawks’ “Dark Side” defense. Seattle also recovered a fumble by tight end Jake Tonges.

“Everything’s working for us, to be honest,” safety Nick Emmanwori said. “Everything’s working. We fly to the ball, we’ve got (a) great scheme, great coaches, great players. I (think) it’s hard for teams to find a way to score on us or beat us straight up.”

Walker waltzes to career nightWalker’s three rushing touchdowns tied him with Shaun Alexander for the most in a playoff game in franchise history. Two of the scores came after halftime, and he celebrated one by chucking the ball into the crowd.

“I’d do it more,” Walker said, “but I’d get fined for it.”

Walker finished with 116 yards rushing, his most since his rookie year in 2022, and he picked up the slack after Zach Charbonnet was injured during the game. The Seahawks ran for 175 yards. It was their third most this season, and it helped them reach the NFC championship game for the first time since 2014.

“You can see it, how they’re breathing, they’re tired, they’re slow to get up,” Walker said. “You can see it’s demoralizing to them.”

Pursuit of Purdy

The Seahawks’ front seven made life difficult for Purdy, chasing him across the field while sacking him twice. With the Niners thin at receiver, Purdy scrambled five times for 37 yards and frequently threw on the run.

“It’s no secret in terms of their style of play,” Purdy said. “Trying to make a quarterback check it down and play deep to short. Then within that, have a good pass rush. That’s a good defense, man.”

Injuries

49ers: RB Christian McCaffrey (stinger) was injured in the second quarter and returned in the third quarter before exiting the game for good. Tonges injured a foot and did not return.

Seahawks: Charbonnet injured a knee in the second quarter and did not return. LT Charles Cross injured a foot in the third quarter and did not return.

Up next

49ers: Heal and reload for next season.

Seahawks: Are one victory away from the fourth Super Bowl appearance in franchise history and first in 11 years.

RIVERSIDE — The UC Riverside men’s basketball team used a balanced effort and efficient shooting to defeat Cal State Fullerton, 82-71, and snap a six-game losing streak on Saturday night.

Marqui Worthy Jr. had a game-high 22 points on 10-of-13 shooting to go with three steals, and Andrew Henderson had 17 points and 10 rebounds as UCR (7-12 overall, 2-5 Big West) took control with an early second-half run and held on. BJ Kolly added 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Osiris Grady contributed 10 points and five rebounds and Ben Waller provided a spark off the bench with nine points.

Jefferson De La Cruz Monegro had 17 points, six rebounds and three steals to pace the Titans (8-12, 3-5), who lost their second straight game. Jaden Henderson added 12 points and six rebounds, and Joshua Ward scored 10 points.

A cold-shooting first half put Fullerton in an early hole. The Highlanders opened a 14-point lead with 8:41 left in the opening half and still led 43-34 at the break after the Titans shot 31% from the floor (10 for 32) and just 11% from 3-point range (2 for 17).

Fullerton scored the first seven points of the second half to get within 43-41 less than three minutes in, but UCR responded with a 21-6 run over the next nine minutes to open a 64-47 advantage with 8:06 left. The Highlanders led comfortably the rest of the way, Fullerton only getting within 10 in the final minute.

Fullerton shot 47% in the second half, but still struggled behind the arc and finished the night at 38% overall and 4 for 25 from 3-point range (16%).

UCR, which never trailed, shot 51% overall (28 for 55) and 7 for 21 from 3-point range.

Both sides struggled with ball control in the second half on a night when they combined for 31 turnovers (17 for UCR).

UP NEXT

Fullerton hosts Long Beach State on Thursday at 7 p.m.

UC Riverside hosts UC Irvine on Thursday at 7 p.m.

NORTHRIDGE — Long Beach State freshman Gavin Sykes is already one of the top young scorers in the nation, but he took things to a new level on Saturday night.

Sykes scored a career-high 34 points on Saturday to lead LBSU to an 87-80 victory over Cal State Northridge at the Matadome. Sykes, who shot 8 for 18 from the field (3 for 9 from 3-point range), scored 24 of his points in the second half and made all but one of his 16 free throws as Long Beach (8-11 overall, 4-3 Big West) won its third straight game and handed CSUN its first home loss of the season.

Rob Diaz III scored 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting (4 for 6 from 3-point range) and grabbed a team-best six rebounds for Long Beach, which now finds itself in a four-way tie for third place in the conference standings. Petar Majstorovic scored 14 points.

Larry Hughes Jr. scored 21 to pace CSUN (11-9, 4-4). James Evans Jr. added 17 points, Josh O’Garro had 15 points and 14 rebounds, and Josiah Davis finished with 13 points and 10 assists.

Long Beach fell behind early, with Majstorovic and Leopold Levillain each whistled for two fouls in the opening minutes. Trailing 27-22 with just under eight minutes left in the first half, Coach Chris Acker reinserted his French big men and LBSU went on a 13-2 run to take a 35-30 lead. Long Beach went cold after that, and the Matadors closed the half on an 8-0 run for a 38-35 advantage.

Hughes was fouled on the first possession of the second half and hit three free throws to push the CSUN lead to 41-35, but LBSU answered.

Diaz hit two quick 3-pointers to close the gap, then Majstorovic made one from the corner to tie the score at 46-all. Diaz and Sykes then combined for two more back-to-back 3-pointers as Long Beach took a 54-50 lead.

CSUN used a 9-2 run to regain the lead at 67-65 with just over eight minutes remaining, but a Dallas Washington putback on missed free throw from Bender put the visitors back in front.

Sykes took control from there. He made two 3-pointers for a 77-71 lead with 3:43 left. CSUN made one final push, pulling within 77-76 and still trailing just 79-76 with 1:24 left. However, after drawing a foul, Hughes missed the front end of a 1-and-1 at the free throw line, and Sykes answered with a traditional three-point play for an 82-76 lead with 59 seconds lef.

The Matadors got within 83-80 on a Mahmoud Fofana putback layup with 24 seconds left, but Sykes hit two clutch free throws moments later to help secure the win. CSUN missed its final four shots, three from 3-point range.

Sykes scored 16 of the last 19 points for Long Beach, which outscored CSUN 52-42 in the second half.

LBSU shot 46.6% from the field, 10 for 30 from 3-point range and 23 for 28 from the free-throw line and held an 18-9 advantage in fast-break points. CSUN shot 40.9% overall, 5 for 19 from behind the arc and 21 for 29 from the free-throw line while outrebounding Long Beach 43-32.

UP NEXT

LBSU plays at Cal State Fullerton on Thursday at 7 p.m. before hosting UC Santa Barbara next Saturday at 4 p.m. at the Pyramid.

CSUN has Thursday off then plays at Hawaii next Saturday at 9 p.m. PT.