The Toronto Raptors go for their ninth straight home victory Thursday night while also trying to snap their run of five consecutive losses to the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Raptors last defeated the Lakers when they earned a 126-113 home verdict on Dec. 7, 2022.
Toronto is on a five-game homestand that opened Tuesday with a 121-118 victory over the depleted Portland Trail Blazers, who overcame a 16-point deficit to pull within two late in the fourth quarter.
The Lakers had their seven-game winning streak stopped in a sloppy 125-108 home loss to the Phoenix Suns on Monday. The Lakers committed 21 turnovers that led to 32 points for Phoenix, so they’ll be looking to improve that in Toronto.
Before defeating Portland, the Raptors lost at the New York Knicks on Sunday and at Charlotte in overtime on Saturday, ending a nine-game winning streak. Because they squandered a 17-point lead against the Hornets, the game against Portland started to look like a rerun.
But on Tuesday, led by 28 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and two blocked shots from Scottie Barnes, the Raptors barely held on.
“This was a big-time win for us, we really needed it,” Barnes said. “We dropped those two back-to-back. Really feel like we should have had that first one. (Good to) get back in the win column and finish out the game.”
Barnes showed why he was named the Eastern Conference Defensive Player for October/November when he blocked a Deni Avdija floater shot in the final seconds on Tuesday to help withstand Portland’s rally.
An important element for the Raptors was their 43-39 advantage in live-ball rebounds, which included a 10-9 edge on the offensive boards.
“That was a big battle for us,” Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic said. “Obviously, we talked about it before the game, and we knew who we were facing, and they are a really, really (hard) matchup when it comes to that. We put a lot of work into it over the course of the game.”
Reserve Jamal Shead provided a spark in the first half with his five steals.
“His energy in the first half really got us going,” Rajakovic said. “In the first half, we had a slow start there, they caught fire, they were shooting the ball really well. And when Jamal came in the game, it really gave us energy and a couple of steals that he had started us off.”
The Lakers open a stretch of three road games in four nights when they play Toronto.
“Well, the road trip should always refocus you, no matter how you’re playing,” said LeBron James, who had 10 points and three turnovers in 31 minutes on Monday. “So, I don’t think it took for us to have this game tonight to refocus us.”
Luka Doncic had 38 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in the loss, but he also committed a career-high-tying nine turnovers.
“Yeah, that was my fault,” Doncic said. “No way I can have nine turnovers in the game. So, in that second quarter, they’re giving the shots. Instead of shooting the ball, I feel like I was trying to get (everyone) involved. But there’s no way I should have nine turnovers.”
Austin Reaves had 16 points and five turnovers.
“I dribbled the ball literally out of bounds one time,” Reaves said. “I was bad in that aspect, so I’ve got to be better.”
