The Los Angeles Lakers snatch victory from the Raptors at the last second: a buzzer beater from Rui Hachimura gives the Californians an away win in Toronto. While Austin Reaves leads the offense, LeBron James puts the finishing touches on a wild evening with the final assist.
The Japanese player took off at the last moment and, as the buzzer sounded, landed gently in the net – a three-pointer that secured the Lakers a 123-120 away win. The assist came from LeBron James, who, despite an unusually weak night (8 points, 4/17 FG), initiated the decisive play with his pass and thus contributed significantly to the ninth away win.
However, the focus was on Austin Reaves, who carried the offensive load almost single-handedly. With 44 points – including 22 in the third quarter – he kept the Lakers in the game despite the absence of Luka Doncic. Reaves controlled the tempo, dished out ten assists and made 13 of his 15 free throws. Support came from Deandre Ayton (17 points) as well as Jake LaRavia and Hachimura, who scored in double figures.
Toronto showed resilience for long stretches, led by Scottie Barnes with 23 points and Brandon Ingram with 20. But after Ingram missed a layup with 23 seconds left, the door opened for the Lakers. James found Hachimura in the corner – Hachimura’s only basket in the final quarter, but the most important one of the night.
NBA: The Lakers and Raptors’ next games
Both teams are back in action on Friday: The Lakers travel to Boston, while the Raptors host Charlotte.