Russell’s 28 points, energy rally Lakers past Raptors
THE SCORE
LAKERS 122, RAPTORS 112
Up next: Knicks at Lakers, Sunday, 6 p.m., Specsn, ESPN
LOS ANGELES >> The rattle of nerves throughout Friday night’s back-and-forth tilt revealed just how much the Lakers have needed a little something extra this season.
A shot of ice in the veins. D’angelo Russell made an awe-striking comeback from a six-game layoff with a sprained right ankle, firing off five 3-pointers for a team-best 28 points and infusing a team that has already been improved from the trade deadline into one that was inspired. A 122-112 win over the Toronto Raptors saw the Lakers come back from multiple double-digit deficits — thanks much in part to a bench that wouldn’t quit and Russell’s cold-blooded shooting that capped the team’s best sequences.
The Lakers improved to 8-3 since adding Russell and four others, strengthening their No. 9 position in the West on a night when two conference competitors both lost.
Strikingly, the Lakers were able to win with just eight points and nine rebounds from Anthony Davis, who had been a oneman offensive wrecking crew since Lebron James was injured last month. But shooting 13 for 30 from three and 56.3% overall helped the Lakers overcome, especially with a drastic 61-12 bench point advantage spurred by Dennis Schröder (23 points), Austin Reaves (18 points) and Rui Hachimura (16 points), who had a way of turning the tide when the Raptors threatened.
The Lakers overcame big nights from Toronto forwards Scottie Barnes, who had 32 points, and O.G. Anunoby, who scored 31 while making his first 11 field goal attempts. The Raptors coaxed the Lakers into 21 turnovers, which early in the third quarter looked like their undoing.
Reaves had one of the best sequences of the fourth quarter, leading a bench charge with an andone bank shot, a pullup jumper from midrange, and chasing down Gary Trent Jr. to force a turnover. Jarred Vanderbilt (16 points) made a key hustle play moments later, grabbing a steal from going out of bounds, which found its way to Russell for a critical 3-pointer.
But ultimately it was impossible to ignore Russell’s heroics: The former lottery pick of the Lakers who made a roundabout journey back to L.A. had 16 points in the fourth quarter alone, nailing all four of his shots.
The highs and lows of the game were captured by its middle frames: an epic second-quarter gallop that showcased all the best traits of the new-look Lakers — and a third-quarter collapse that was nearly as lopsided.
The Lakers took an early first punch by the Raptors, who led 25-10 at one point, and came clambering back. The last six minutes of play in the first half featured a clobbering 21-5 run by the Lakers and some dazzling plays by Russell.
On back-to-back possessions, the 27-year-old danced into the paint for a smooth finger roll unguarded, then crossed over Fred Vanvleet into a Davis screen, nailing a 3-pointer. Russell also dimed a pass for the next field goal to Rui Hachimura, who had a second straight impactful game with 16 points off the bench.
The Lakers entered the half with a 70-62 lead, one of their best-looking offensive halves without James in the lineup — an incredible set-up, of course, for a tumble.
Toronto came out of the intermission for blood, rattling off nine straight points to take the lead from the Lakers before they had a chance to breathe. It was a 19-2 run before the Lakers finally knocked in their first field goal of the third quarter, a 6:35 shot by Reaves after Ham had already swapped in the second unit looking for offensive answers.