Luka Doncic poured in 25 points and handed out seven assists, LeBron James added 24 points and seven helpers, and the Los Angeles Lakers snapped back into rhythm with a 110-93 win over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday night.
Deandre Ayton delivered a standout performance in his return from a knee injury, finishing with 25 points and 13 rebounds. He didn’t miss a shot, going a perfect 10-for-10 from the floor, as the Lakers earned just their second victory in seven games in their final home outing before an eight-game road trip.
Dončić bounced back after sitting out Saturday’s loss at Portland, drilling five 3-pointers and providing steady control. James, meanwhile, played both games of a back-to-back for only the second time this season, closing out a demanding stretch of five games in seven days for the 41-year-old star.
For Toronto, Scottie Barnes led the way with 22 points and nine rebounds. Sandro Mamukelashvili scored 20, and former Laker Brandon Ingram chipped in 19 points and seven assists. The Raptors, however, faded late, dropping consecutive games for the first time in four weeks as they opened a five-game road trip.
The contest stayed close until early in the fourth quarter, when James scored on consecutive possessions to give Los Angeles a 91-80 edge. The Lakers then rattled off nine unanswered points, keeping Toronto off the scoreboard for more than three minutes to put the game out of reach.
Dončić picked up his 12th technical foul of the season in the first half for arguing a call, the second-highest total in the league.
Up next
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Raptors: Visit Golden State on Tuesday night.
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Lakers: Travel to Denver on Tuesday night.
