LOS ANGELES (AP) — D’Angelo Russell had 28 points and nine assists in his dynamic return from a six-game injury layoff, and Dennis Schroder added 23 points and seven assists in a 122-112 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Toronto Raptors Friday Night.
Austin Reeves scored 18 points, while Rui Hachimura and Jared Vanderbilt added 16 points each as the Lakers won for the seventh time in nine games, even this time with little contribution from Anthony Davis.
The superstar big man had only eight points and nine rebounds as he struggled against Toronto’s defense, but Russell and the Lakers’ reserves took over before Davis nailed the win on his only field goal of the second half with 46 seconds remaining. sealed with the game.
Lakers coach Darwin Hamm said, “That we were able to come away with this win against a really good team with only eight from (Davis) is a sign of development.” “It’s a sign of how deep and talented we are.”
Russell was the focal point of the Lakers’ activity at the trade deadline, but the point guard appeared in only four games to begin his second stint in Los Angeles and sprained his right ankle. He returned to the starting lineup with a spring in his step, both making a series of high-difficulty plays and celebrating while hitting five 3-pointers, which had the Lakers’ home crowd roaring repeatedly. Was.
Russell said, “I know this from being here (before): The fans are ready to explode at a certain point in the game.” “I just wanted to bring that energy and give it to them. … It shouldn’t go unnoticed, because our fans are the first to put batteries in someone’s back that has a little momentum, so why not Do things, bring that positivity and embrace what our fans have to offer?
The Lakers moved into ninth place in the Western Conference with a win over Memphis three days ago, and they have been excelling despite the long absence of LeBron James. Russell and Schroder led an outstanding effort as the Lakers earned their sixth win in eight games since the All-Star break. Los Angeles was also 19 for 19 at the free throw line.
Scottie Barnes scored 20 of his career-high 32 points in the second half, and Ozzie Ennobi hit his first 11 shots while scoring 31 points for the Raptors, who had won seven consecutive road games against the Lakers since 2014.
Anunoby attributed the Raptors’ fourth-quarter struggles to “them getting comfortable, letting them stop and play with confidence”. He hit the shots, and it was just over.
Toronto went 1–4 on a five-game road swing capped by back-to-back losses in Los Angeles, despite long stretches of strong play throughout the trip.
“Sometimes you can play bad basketball and win every game,” Anunobi said. “You just try to take the positives from the defeat, carry them forward and win the next game.”
Russell had 12 points and seven assists in the first half as the Lakers erased a 15-point deficit early in the game with several wild swings of momentum. The Lakers managed just four field goals in a nightmarish third quarter, but went on a 26–8 run midway through the fourth to take a nine-point lead.
tip-ins
Raptors: Will Barton scored five points in his return from a one-game absence with a non-COVID illness. … Jakob Poelt had 17 points and 10 rebounds.
Lakers: Ham said he hasn’t decided whether to sign a backup center with new acquisition Mo Bamba, possibly sidelined until after the season because of a high left ankle sprain. … Davis turned 30 on Saturday.
next
Raptors: Hosts Denver Tuesday night.
Lakers: Host New York Sunday night.
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