Anthony Davis unleashed a scoring barrage, amassing 41 points to lead the Los Angeles Lakers (19-19) to a nail-biting 132-131 victory against the Toronto Raptors (15-22) on Tuesday night.
The Raptors’ coach, Darko Rajakovic, expressed vehement frustration, pointing to a glaring disparity in free throws, particularly in the fourth quarter, where the Lakers attempted a staggering 23 free throws to the Raptors’ 13. Rajakovic’s frustration escalated after Davis, with an impeccable 11-for-11 performance from the line, orchestrated a stunning comeback with 20 fourth-quarter points.
Despite missing their injured starting center Jakob Poeltl, the Raptors put up a strong fight, with Barnes scoring 26 points, Siakam contributing 25, and Barrett and Quickley combining for 44 points. However, Davis’ late-game heroics, including a crucial block on Barnes, secured the Lakers’ victory.
LeBron James, contributing 22 points and 12 assists, played a vital role for the Lakers, who secured back-to-back wins for the first time in a month.
In a game filled with late drama, including a flagrant foul by Quickley and Davis’ clutch free throws, the Lakers held off the Raptors’ late surge.
