The Los Angeles Lakers dominated the Toronto Raptors 110-93, winning for just the second time in their seven games on Sunday evening.
Lakers’ Luka Doncic dropped 25 points and seven assists, while LeBron James added 24 points and seven assists. Deandre Ayton also contributed 25 points and 13 rebounds in his impressive return from a knee injury.
Ayton had his highest-scoring performance since November 3 while making all 10 of his shots.
Doncic also returned with a strong performance after missing Saturday’s loss at Portland to rest his nagging injuries.
Meanwhile, the 41-year-old superstar played in back-to-back games for the second time his season, and the second time this week, capably completing a set of five games in seven days.
Raptors’ Scottie Barnes scored 22 points and grabbed nine rebounds, Sandro Mamukelashvili added 20, and Brandon Ingram with 19 and seven assists.
Toronto has lost back-to-back games for the first time in four weeks after the Clippers beat them on Friday.
Both team have not managed a double-digit lead until the Lakers surged ahead 91-80 on back-to-back buckets by James to begin the fourth quarter.
The Lakers took control shortly afterward, scoring 9 straight points while holding Toronto scoreless for 3 ½ minutes.
Doncic got his 12th technical foul of the season in the first half for arguing, being the second-most in the NBA, trailing Suns’ Dillon Brooks.
Both teams will play on Tuesday, as the Raptors at Golden State, while the Lakers at Denver.
