Raptors games are starting to develop a certain rhythm. Toronto has an excellent start to the game, they even lead throughout and then, in the second half, the opposing team adjusts and runs away with it because the Raptors commit too many turnovers, foul too often and just make mistakes only a young team would.
That’s exactly what happened against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night as the Raptors closed out their Western Conference road trip.
The Raptors played well in the first half. Led by Ochai Agbaji and Gradey Dick, Toronto got out to a 2-point lead against LeBron James and the Lakers by halftime. They were pushing the pace in transition, taking advantage of the Lakers’ abysmal fastbreak defense and crashing the glass for extra possessions.
That completely flipped on its head in the second half. The Lakers turned the contest into a half-court game, limiting their turnovers and forcing the Raptors to cough up the ball, and were led by James, who finished with a triple-double, and Austin Reaves, who poured in 27 points and six assists.
Anthony Davis was also formidable in this game, scoring 22 points in 25 minutes but had to leave after sustaining an eye injury.
For the Raptors, Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett struggled to set the tone offensively once the game slowed down, and the duo was limited in the way they made decisions for the team.
Essentially, it was another game of growing pains.
Chris Boucher also chipped in with 18 points. Meanwhile, Dick only finished the game with 10 shots total and 14 points. Post-game Raptors Head Coach Darko Rajakovic said the team needed to do a better job of involving Gradey in the second half.
If you’d like to watch a more detailed and analytical perspective on the game, check out Esfandiar Baraheni’s recap below or subscribe to the Raptors Republic YouTube channel for more videos like it.
