The Toronto Raptors (23-52) faced off against the Los Angeles Lakers (43-33) last night. The Lakers took the 128-111 win in Toronto. The Raptors season will come to an end as they are in 12th and will not be making the play-in. However, the Lakers are in ninth and can still climb the standings with a solid finish to the season.
Toronto has been playing horrible basketball these past few weeks. On the other hand, LA has been shining. There was no question that the Lakers would take home the win tonight. The team played cohesively and earned the win.
Toronto Raptors Continue To Struggle
The past few games for the Toronto Raptors have been the definition of bad basketball. In their last ten games, they have won zero of them. On March 27th they were destroyed by the New York Knicks by 44 points. Unfortunately, the Raptors have been hit hard with injuries to top players such as Scottie Barnes and Jakob Poeltl and it is showing.
The goal for Toronto should be to start preparing for next season. They are not going to make the playoffs. Instead, they should think about their future as a team. Even without the injuries, they were having a difficult time. They need to find a player who they can bring in to help strengthen their core.
Los Angeles Lakers Starters Gel
The Los Angeles Lakers starters all had solid performances. Lebron James, Anthony Davis, and D’Angelo Russell all scored 20+ points. Rui Hachimura wasn’t too far behind them with 14 points. Also, Austin Reaves only had 7 points tonight. However, he gave his team 6 assists and 4 rebounds. It seemed like the starters were playing like a well-oiled machine.
After the All-Star break, the Lakers began winning at a steady pace. They’ve been a difficult team to beat, even for teams in the top six. LeBron James is playing top-tier basketball. They dominated against the Raptors and should be seen as a real threat.
Will the Lakers Move up the Standings?
For the Los Angeles Lakers to move up to eighth place they would need the Sacramento Kings to fall flat. Also, LA would need to win their last few games as well. The Lakers’ second half of the season has been a steady one. They have won seven out of their last ten games. With one final push, they could do some damage due to how close the race is in the West.
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Elizabeth is an avid watcher of all things sports. However, the Boston sports teams will always be her number one. Follow her on X @edellapiana1 .
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