LOS ANGELES – – D’Angelo Russell had 28 points and nine assists in his dynamic return after a six-game injury absence, and Dennis Schröder added 23 points and seven assists in the Lakers’ 122-112 victory of Los Angeles against the Toronto Raptors on Friday night.
Austin Reaves scored 18 points while Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt added 16 apiece as the Lakers won for the seventh time in nine games, albeit with little input this time from Anthony Davis.
The superstar big man had just eight points and nine rebounds as he struggled against the Toronto defense, but Russell and the Lakers reserves took matters into their own hands before Davis sealed the win on his lone field goal. the second half with 46 seconds left.
“The fact that we were able to get this win against a really good team with just eight of (Davis) is a sign of growth,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. “It’s a sign of the depth and talent we have.”
Russell was the centerpiece of Lakers activity at the trade deadline, but the point guard appeared in just four games to begin his second stint in Los Angeles before spraining his right ankle. He returned to the starting lineup with a spring in his step, hitting five 3-pointers while making and celebrating a string of high-difficulty plays that had the home Lakers crowd roaring on multiple occasions.
“I know it from being here (before): the fans are ready to explode at some point in the game,” Russell said. “I just wanted to bring that energy and give them that. … This shouldn’t go unnoticed, because our fans are the first to put drums behind someone’s back with some momentum, so why not do the right things, bring that positivity and embrace that what our fans have to offer?
The Lakers took ninth place in the Western Conference three days ago with a win over Memphis, and they’re excelling despite LeBron James’ long absence. Russell and Schröder led a stellar effort as the Lakers earned their sixth victory in eight games since the All-Star break. Los Angeles also went 19 for 19 from the free throw line.
Scottie Barnes scored 20 of his career-high 32 points in the second half, and OG Anunoby made 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’ struggles in the fourth quarter to the fact that they “got comfortable, stopped and played with confidence.” They struck blows, and it continued.
Toronto went 1-4 on a five-game road swing capped by back-to-back losses at Los Angeles despite long stretches of solid play throughout the trip.
“Sometimes you can play bad basketball and win every game,” Anunoby said. “You just try to take the positives from the losses, carry them over and win the next game.”
Russell had 12 points and seven assists in the first half as the Lakers erased an early 15-point deficit in a game with several wild swings. The Lakers managed just four field goals in a nightmarish third quarter, but took a nine-point lead midway through the fourth with a 26-8 run.
ADVICE
Raptors: Will Barton scored five points in his return from a one-game absence with a non-COVID illness. … Jakob Poeltl had 17 points and 10 rebounds.
Lakers: Ham said they haven’t decided to sign a backup center with new acquisition Mo Bamba possibly sidelined until the playoffs with a sprained left ankle. … Davis turns 30 on Saturday.
FOLLOWING
Raptors: Host Denver on Tuesday night.
Lakers: Host New York on Sunday night.
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