Enlarge image
Dennis Schröder (number 17) turned up the heat in the second half
Photo: Craig Mitchelldyer/AP
Dennis Schröder made another win for the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA possible with the next strong performance.
The captain of the German national basketball team scored 24 points, 8 assists and 6 rebounds in the 121:112 of the Lakers against the Portland Trail Blazers and also scored the last two important points after free throws.
LeBron James scored 37 points, Thomas Bryant impressed with 31 points for the Lakers, who now have 22 wins this season and have kept up with the playoff places.
In the meantime, the Lakers were 25 points behind and hardly hit a shot.
Schröder scored 22 of his 24 points in the second half, working his way back into the game with the team.
Surprise bankruptcies for Denver and Memphis
At the top of the Western Conference, the Denver Nuggets and Memphis Grizzlies suffered surprising defeats.
Without the injured Nikola Jokić, the Nuggets had a 99:101 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Grizzlies lost 110-112 at the Phoenix Suns after the narrow loss to the Lakers on Friday when Schröder scored the winning goal.
After seven missed games, Chris Paul was his team's best pitcher with 22 points. Ja Morant's 27 points for the Grizzlies weren't enough.
No wins for the top teams
Because none of the teams in the top five places got a win, nothing changed in the table places in the playoff ranks.
Behind the Nuggets and the Grizzlies are the Sacramento Kings ahead of the New Orleans Pelicans (96:100 against the Miami Heat) and the Dallas Mavericks.
They lost the direct duel with the sixth-placed Los Angeles Clippers 98:112.
Things are going badly in the Eastern Conference for Isaiah Hartenstein and the New York Knicks.
The center conceded the fourth loss in a row with his team at 116:125 at the Toronto Raptors.
Hartenstein get two points.
mfu/dpa