Gameday: Raptors @ Lakers, January 18
From one LA team to the other, this time on the road as the Raptors start their five-game Western Conference road trip against LeBron James and company.
Raptors Outlook
Record: 25-18 | 4th in Eastern Conference
Offensive Rating: 113.9 (18th) | Defensive Rating: 112.2 (5th) | Net Rating: +1.7 (12th)
Raptors previous results
vs Clippers L 121-117
@ Pacers W 115-101
vs 76ers L 115-102
vs 76ers W 116-115
@ Celtics L 125-117
After losing an overtime heartbreaker against a Kawhi-less Los Angeles Clippers, Toronto hits the road to find themselves in front of two superstars, Luka Doncic and LeBron James. The last time these two faced off at the Scotiabank Arena, the game went down to the wire, and Rui Hachimura broke the hearts of Toronto fans with a buzzer-beating corner three. Now, after another tough loss, the Raptors will look to take revenge against the Lakers as a win in LA would kick start good momentum for the road trip plus help forget about the painful loss against the Clippers where Toronto had the game in their grasp for the most part but their offence dried up late in the fourth quarter and even in the whole period of overtime. The Raptors still have a pretty big injury list, but the good news is Jamison Battle and Immanuel Quickley both have a chance to return, as they are listed as questionable.
Lakers Outlook
Record: 24-16 | 6th in Western Conference
Offensive Rating: 116.8 (8th) | Defensive Rating: 117.9 (26th) | Net Rating: -1.2 (18th)
Lakers previous results
@ Trail Blazers L 132-116
vs Hornets L 135-117
vs Hawks W 141-116
@ Kings L 124-112
vs Bucks L 105-101
The LA Lakers come into this game with a poor one-win out of their last five, as Toronto needs to be ready to pounce on a weak Lakers team if they come out of the gate struggling, as they have done lately. LA is on the second night of a back-to-back as they’re coming into tonight with a loss in Portland, and they’ve been without Austin Reaves since Christmas as the fifth-year pro suffered an injury against the Houston Rockets. Reaves has been having a career year with 26.6 points, 6.3 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game, so their struggles have been kind of tied to missing him, as he helped out their offence a ton. Jake LaRavia has stepped up in his absence, though, as he’s averaging 11.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game on solid efficiency of 47.3 percent shooting from the field and 36.1 percent beyond the arc across 19 starts. The Lakers’ injury list isn’t officially out, so I’ll be going off last night’s injury report and projected starting lineups until they release the real one.
Game Info
Tip-Off: 9:30 p.m. ET
Television: TSN
Radio: Sportsnet 590
Venue: Crypto.com Arena
Starting Lineups (Projected)
Los Angeles Lakers
PG: Gabe Vincent
SG: Marcus Smart
SF: LeBron James
PF: Jake LaRavia
C: Maxi Kleber
Toronto Raptors
PG: Jamal Shead
SG: Gradey Dick
SF: Brandon Ingram
PF: Scottie Barnes
C: Collin Murray-Boyles
Injury Report
Toronto Raptors
Jakob Poeltl (Lower Back Strain) – Out
RJ Barrett (Left Ankle Sprain) – Out
Chucky Hepburn (G-League Assignment) – Out
Jamison Battle (Left Ankle Sprain) – Questionable
Immanuel Quickley (Back Spasms) – Questionable
Ja’Kobe Walter (Right Hip Pointer) – Out
Los Angeles Lakers
Austin Reaves – (Left Calf Strain) – Out
Adou Thiero – (Right MCL Sprain) – Out
Luka Doncic (Left Groin Soreness) – Questionable
Jaxson Hayes (Left Hamstring Tendinopathy) – Questionable
Deandre Ayton (Left Knee Soreness) – Questionable
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