LOS ANGELES -- Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan was ejected last night with 3:05 to play after arguing about a foul.

The Blazers have lost eight of their last nine and 15 of 22 following a 17-1 surge. They lost to the Los Angeles Lakers last night.

As a result, they are only one game over .500 in the tightly bunched West. Portland is in 10th place, four-and-a-half games behind Denver and five-and-a-half behind Golden State for the eighth and final seed.

Travis Outlaw, who led the Blazers in scoring in each of their previous four games while averaging 23 points, had 18 against the Lakers in his first start of the season.

All-Star forward Brandon Roy aggravated a sprained right ankle in the third quarter of Sunday's loss against Boston.