Toronto scored 43 in the fourth quarter and still lost 131-125 to the Lakers. The comeback was real, but the game had been decided by the time the Raptors trailed 104-82 after three quarters.
Dug In Early
The Lakers ran off a 10-0 burst in the first quarter and an 8-0 burst near its end. That put them up 31-14 with just over two minutes left in the period. They answered each Toronto push, and the Raptors' biggest lead all night was five. Luka Doncic did the heavy lifting with 45 points, 15 rebounds, five steals and a plus-27. He went 8-of-12 from three and 13-of-13 at the line. Walker Kessler added 16 points and 15 rebounds without missing a shot, six for six. Toronto was down 66-54 at the half and 22 after three.
Too Late, Almost
The fourth quarter belonged to Toronto's reserves. Battle scored 15 of his 20 in the period, RJ Barrett added nine and Scottie Barnes seven. A 9-0 run cut the margin to nine, and an 8-0 run with under a minute and a quarter left made it 117-124. Battle's three-pointer with 12 seconds left made it 123-129. Then Jaden Bradley fouled Doncic, who made both free throws, and Battle's dunk with one second left only set the final margin. Kyle Anderson assisted both of Battle's last baskets. The five on the floor at the end were Anderson, Bradley, Battle, Alijah Martin and Allen Graves.
Grades and Stakes
Battle earns an A: efficient, and the only reason the final score looked respectable. Barrett gets a B-plus for 22 points, 10 rebounds and four threes, and he was plus-9. Jamal Shead gets a C: six assists and three steals, but he was minus-27 in 25 minutes, the worst mark on the roster. Barnes scored 29 on 11-of-20 shooting but turned it over five times and was minus-9. The loss leaves Toronto 3-3 and fifth, level with the sixth-place Wizards and one game clear of 11th. The Clippers, 1-5 and losers of five straight, are next, followed by the Nuggets and the Bucks. Kawhi Leonard and Jakob Poeltl are both out, and the rotation will stay stretched.
Why did the Raptors lose to the Lakers?
They fell behind by as many as 26 and trailed 104-82 after three quarters, while Luka Doncic scored 45. A 43-point fourth quarter cut the final margin to six.
Where do the Raptors stand after losing to the Lakers?
They are 3-3 and fifth, with a two-game losing streak. They sit level with sixth-place Washington and one game ahead of 11th.
