Trying to distance themselves from a recent meltdown, the Los Angeles Lakers will look to pick up the pieces when they play host to the Toronto Raptors on Sunday.
Both teams enter after losing two of their past three games, with the Lakers still trying to figure out what went wrong when they blew an early 25-point lead Friday and lost 112-95 on the road to the Golden State Warriors.
The Lakers shot 60.9% from the floor in the first quarter and led 40-15 less than one minute into the second quarter. That advantage quickly evaporated as Golden State tied the game by halftime, shooting 63.6% in the second quarter while slicing through the Los Angeles defense.
Luka Doncic scored 21 points in the first quarter for the Lakers but just 16 the rest of the way. Doncic returned after missing Wednesday’s victory over the Los Angeles Clippers with what was listed as back tightness.
“Everybody has to be better than this,” Doncic said, according to the Orange County Register. “I have to be better and we just have to win those together. We win together.”
The Lakers appeared to recover by taking a nine-point lead less than five minutes into the second half, but the Warriors staged another comeback.
Austin Reaves scored 21 points for Los Angeles but committed eight of the team’s 20 turnovers. Reaves has now recorded eight turnovers in consecutive games.
“When you’re up 25, you shouldn’t never really feel like you should let that up,” said Lakers forward Jake LaRavia, who scored 10 points. “We just have to do a better job at coming together as a team and being better than that.”
The Raptors will begin their first West Coast road trip after splitting a home series against the Orlando Magic, with Friday’s 121-114 loss coming despite a career-high 41 points from Scottie Barnes.
Kawhi Leonard missed his third consecutive game for Toronto due to swelling in his left knee and will also miss Sunday’s game against the Lakers and Monday’s matchup against his former team, the Los Angeles Clippers.
Barnes did his best to make up for Leonard’s absence, setting career highs in field goals made (19) and attempts (34). He had just three free-throw attempts, making two.
“My mindset going into a game now is just trying to keep trying to be as aggressive as I can, try to help the team as much as I can,” Barnes said, according to the Toronto Star. “I think I’m getting to my spots pretty good. The difference is just being able to get those spots but also being aggressive going to the rim, not always settling.”
Toronto trailed by 12 in the third quarter before rallying to take a two-point lead early in the fourth. That advantage was short-lived, however, as the Raptors lost for the first time in three home games. They are 1-1 on the road.
“I’m raging on the inside right now, but it is what it is,” Barnes said.
