The Toronto Raptors are enduring a disastrous start to the National Basketball Association (NBA) season, suffering their fifth defeat with a 125-131 loss against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday (local time) in their sixth game. Center Jakob Pöltl from Vienna contributed with a solid performance, scoring 19 points and grabbing 12 rebounds for the third consecutive time with double figures. He also recorded six assists and three blocks in 35:06 minutes on the court.
Despite the recent setback, the NBA pioneer expressed pride for the “depleted team” (the Raptors are currently missing injured All-Star Scottie Barnes, ed.). He noted that the Lakers “caught Toronto off-guard” and quickly jumped ahead by 26 points. “After that, however, we played superbly at both ends, supported by our fans, and made it an exciting game,” said the 29-year-old Pöltl.
After a complete disaster start, the Canadians were trailing at 19-45 at the beginning of the second quarter. Although they mounted a comeback after halftime, they could not get closer than six points. RJ Barrett led the Raptors with 33 points, while Gradey Dick added 31. The Lakers were led by Anthony Davis (38 points, 11 rebounds) and LeBron James (27 points, 10 assists).
Already on Saturday, the Raptors will host the Sacramento Kings. The franchise from the California capital arrives at Lake Ontario with a 123-115 victory over the Atlanta Hawks in tow. Top scorers were De’Aaron Fox (31) and former Toronto player DeMar DeRozan (27).
The Oklahoma City Thunder improved their record to 5-0 with a 137-114 victory against the Portland Trail Blazers. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 30 points. In a clash between two potential title contenders, the Minnesota Timberwolves edged the Denver Nuggets 119-116, with Anthony Edwards (29) and Aaron Gordon (31) being the top scorers.
The Cleveland Cavaliers remained unbeaten with a 6-0 record, the only team remaining flawless in the Eastern Conference. Such a start had not been accomplished by the club since 2016, when LeBron James was part of the team, ultimately reaching the playoff finals.
Rookie Tristan da Silva had an impressive second NBA appearance, but unfortunately suffered another loss with the Orlando Magic against the Cleveland Cavaliers 109-120, marking Orlando’s third defeat in six games. Darius Garland led the Cavs with 25 points.
This time, the 23-year-old forward played significantly longer, racking up 17 points and five rebounds in just over 20 minutes, showing his shooting prowess by hitting all three of his attempts from beyond the arc.
With star player Paolo Banchero sidelined, the Wagner brothers started together for the first time this season. Moritz Wagner replaced Banchero, who is out for four to six weeks due to a rupture in his right abdominal muscle. Franz Wagner also joined da Silva with 17 points, while Moritz added 14.
Meanwhile, Germany’s World Cup captain Dennis Schröder and his Brooklyn Nets improved to a 3-3 record after a 120-112 win over the Chicago Bulls. The Braunschweig native tallied nine points alongside seven assists and rebounds. Cam Thomas led the scoring for the New York team with 32 points.
His compatriot Daniel Theis also achieved his new team’s third win in six games. The New Orleans Pelicans triumphed over the Indiana Pacers 125-118, with the Salzgitter native making three points against his former club.
