The Lakeshow Review

What a difference a game makes.

After laying one of their biggest eggs of the season, the Los Angeles Lakers resumed action when they took to the road north of the border against the Toronto Raptors. In stark contrast to their previous outing against Phoenix, the Lakers actually tried last night at Toronto, and lo and behold, they actually came away with a win. The Lakers played an up and down game, and were plagued by many of the mishaps that have bogged them throughout the young season. But the the toughness, and the willingness to compete was ever-present, ultimately besting the feisty Raptors via a Rui Hachimura corner three at the buzzer, for a 123-120 final. It was good to see the team rebound after a tough loss, and show the drive and hunger that can carry them through a lengthy postseason run. Let’s hope we see more of this type of effort moving forward.

The Lakers opened up the scoring with a set play. One that saw them feed the ball to LeBron James at the far block for a post-up, then swiftly running Austin Reaves off of two down screens on the weakside in order to free him up for a three-pointer at the wing. The play worked, and set the tone for the Lakers in the game, as they looked night and day more polished and organized than the criminal display of basketball they put forth against the Suns, two nights prior. LA continued its solid ball movement en route to a 29-26 lead after 12 minutes.

The Raptors’ length and athleticism presented all sorts of mismatches for LA, who struggled containing Toronto’s chaotic but effective off-ball cutting. Their ability to break down LAs defense at the point of attack was also critical, as they seemingly got into the paint at will. LA, for their part, remained methodical, doing little, fundamental things such as feeding Deandre Ayton on the block, where he utilized his deft touch around the hoop. Ayton had himself another solid outing with 17 points (on 8-11 shooting) and eight rebounds; as he continues to be a steady contributor on the offensive end. Defensively, however, LA failed to keep up with Toronto’s pace, as they pushed the ball up floor following every inbound; often leading to open corner threes or uncontested drives to the rim. The Raptors’ young legs and athleticism were fully evident, as they outpaced the Lakers in points in transition 21-11. Fortunately, the Lakers managed to take a 67-58 lead into the break, thanks to their timely shotmaking (42% from beyond the arc) and lack of turnovers (five in the first half, 11 for the game).

The third quarter saw Austin Reaves activate his scoring prowess, as the 26 year-old guard went on a tear after a relatively modest 14 points and seven assists through two quarters. AR exploded for 22 points in the third quarter, in order to give the team a much needed boost offensively, with the Raptors relentlessly breathing down their neck. Both teams traded jabs in the third, but the Lakers managed to maintain a 99-98 advantage, despite losing the quarter 40-33.

Things slowed down a bit in the fourth, as they mostly tend to do. LA as able to find the timely offense that helped them keep the lead. Throughout the game, they received some key contributions from Jake LaRavia, whose 14 points and seven boards helped give the bench unit some much needed pop. G-League call-up Nick Smith Jr. also picked up the slack, with 12 points, which included some big buckets down the stretch to help the Lakers stave off the young Raptors. Neither team shot particularly well in the fourth quarter, with the Raptors taking briefly leads on separate occasions late in the game. Both times, LA answered with consecutive drives by LeBron James and Austin Reaves. With the game tied at 120 in the waning seconds, Reaves brought the ball up with a chance to win the game. Toronto threw a hard double at AR on the wing, who had torched them all night to the tune of 44 points (on 62% shooting), five boards and 11 dimes. AR quickly swung the ball to LeBron at top of the key, who proceeded to drive to the basket, thus triggering the help from the weakside. As the defense collapsed, LeBron spotted an open Rui Hachimura on the corner, who despite having a modest night (12 points and three boards), managed to sink the dagger three to win the game. And just like that put LA back on the W column.

It as a great effort on the part of the Lakers, who beat a quality team on the road, after suffering a meltdown at home two nights prior. Defensively, they faced some hurdles, with Toronto’s quick-twitch brand of ball providing all sorts of breakdowns. But the effort was there, as they managed to tighten up and make just enough plays to pull out the victory. Their clean offensive effort managed to carry them through their defensive lapses, as the Lakers generally took care of the basketball, winning the turnover battle, and outshooting the Raptors from the floor and beyond the arc. Despite a relatively poor performance by LeBron James (eight points on a paltry 17 shots), the team managed to piece together a balanced assortment of contributions amidst Luka Dončić’s absence (who missed the game to attend the birth of his child). Austin Reaves showed once again why he might just be a bonafide star in this league, and let’s hope he continues to show it. It’s always good to beat a quality opponent on their home floor, much more when it’s done without your best player. It was just the type of win needed to wash away the sour taste of the Phoenix game. Let’s hope the Lakers keep up the tenacity on the second night of a back-to-back when they take on the rival Boston Celtics on Friday night. Time to get back on the winning track. Go Lakers.