All the insane numbers behind the Lakers comeback in Portland

Sunday’s game against the Blazers was about as up-and-down as any game for the Lakers not just this season but in a long, long time. Maybe ever. A red-hot start, one of the worst quarters in league history, and one of the best comebacks in franchise history all were packed neatly inside 48 minutes.

It ultimately ended in a victory and it was one filled with some absolutely insane stats. Here’s a look at some of the best ones from the night.

A comeback for the ages

After leading by double digits in the opening minutes, the Lakers imploded in truly dramatic fashion in the second quarter, being outscored 45-13. As a result of coming back and winning, they became just the second team in league history to be outscored by 30 points in a quarter and still earn the victory.

In true Lakers fashion, they one-upped the Celtics in doing so.

A near franchise record

In being outscored by 32 points in the second period, the Lakers headed into the locker room down 25 points. And as a result of overturning that deficit, they earned the second-biggest comeback in franchise history.

The Mavericks game that featured the largest comeback is also one of the many iconic moments of Kobe Bryant’s career and one of the most memorable games of the three-peat Lakers.

Role reversal

After giving up a 70-point first half along with their 45-point second quarter, the Lakers completely flipped the script on the Trail Blazers. The purple and gold had their own 40-point quarter in the third period and closed out the win with a 35-point fourth quarter.

Seeing it laid out like that with the first half score graphic and the final score graphic really drives home how absolutely absurd that game was.

Highs and lows

Before giving up that insane second quarter, the Lakers had a big lead of their own. Behind LeBron James and Thomas Bryant, the visitors built up a 14-point first quarter lead before trailing by 25 at the half. Then, they turned it around and nearly won by double digits at the final horn, two seismic swings in the same game.

If you take out the second quarter, the Lakers outscored the Blazers 108-67, which truly drives home how bad that second quarter was.

Historic club

One of the biggest catalysts in the win was the aforementioned Bryant. The big man tied his career high in points with 31, grabbed 14 rebounds, and hit 12 of his 15 field goal attempts, putting him in rarefied company in franchise history.

Bryant joins Andrew Bynum and Shaq as the only two Lakers in the last four decades to achieve that stat line. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did it twice in 1976, more than 40 years ago for those keeping track at home.

That group accounts for six instances of it happening in Lakers history. Wilt Chamberlain did it five times on his own in purple and gold, because of course he had. His best line from one of those games was his 66-point, 27-rebound game in which he shot 29-35 from the field.

There was only one Wilt.

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