The Lakers took their biggest lead, 63-56, after a bucket by Randle with 6:52 left in the third quarter. Bryant is doing everything within his power to prolong his playing days by preserving his 37-year-old body in his 20th season with the Los Angeles Lakers. He notched eight points and eight rebounds by halftime and tallied 18 points and 12 rebounds for the game. The Raptors squandered a fourth-quarter lead in Sacramento to start the trip, battled the Golden State Warriors into the final minute in a 115-110 loss on Tuesday and clinched a losing trip when they surrendered 34 fourth-quarter points in a 93-89 setback at Utah on Wednesday. If Kobe and Williams dominate the ball and jack up shots at will despite their inefficient shooting seasons thus far, the Raptors could run away with this game early. However, working D’Angelo Russell and Julius Randle in the pick-and-roll and allowing Jordan Clarkson to create more often than resorting to Bryant and Williams chucking has the potential to keep Toronto on their toes and put the Lakers in a better position to win.
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Consecutive buckets by DeRozan and Carroll, though, sealed the outcome for Toronto.
But the turning point came late in the third stanza when the Raptors steadily took control of the game. Lowry scored 25 points on 7-15 shooting and also added five assists, four rebounds and three steals. “Whatever happens, happens.” Not really the response most National Basketball Association experts would expect, but if he finds his game in the next few weeks, anything can happen. After complaining about his knees and back following Sunday’s victory, Bryant rested Monday in Phoenix and logged almost 38 minutes tonight. Coach Byron Scott told reporters Friday the Black Mamba will be back in the lineup for the team’s game vs. the Raptors Friday night. The Lakers are shooting 32.6 percent from beyond the arc as a team, due in part to Bryant’s 23.3 percent, but Clarkson has connected on 7-of-12 3-point attempts in the last three games.
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As the Lakers drop to 2-10 on the season, they will host the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday evening before hitting the road once again. “And I don’t think we did a real good job of that against Phoenix”.
