In the final game of the 2024-25 NBA regular season, Portland defeated Los Angeles 109-81 at Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. Former Tennessee player Dalton Knecht started for the Lakers, scoring 27 points, grabbing eight rebounds, and recording two blocks during his 37 minutes on the court. He made 9-of-21 field goals, 5-of-12 three-pointers, and 4-of-4 free throws.
The Lakers, as the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference playoffs, rested their starters for the game in Portland, with LeBron James inactive and Luca Doncic absent due to injury or illness. Los Angeles will face the No. 6 seed Minnesota in the first round of the playoffs, with Game 1 scheduled for Saturday at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, to be televised by ABC. Knecht was the 17th pick in the 2024 NBA draft and played for the Vols during the 2023-24 season after transferring from Northern Colorado, where he earned accolades including SEC Player of the Year and SEC Newcomer of the Year.