After dropping two straight, the Los Angeles Lakers needed a response-and they got one. Back at home in Crypto.com Arena, the Lakers shook off a sluggish start and powered past the Toronto Raptors with a 110-93 win, fueled by sharp defense, improved communication, and the return of Rui Hachimura.
Toronto came out swinging, jumping to a seven-point lead after the first quarter. The Lakers, however, didn’t blink.
They tightened up on both ends of the floor, flipped the script in the second quarter to take a one-point lead, and never looked back. From there, it was a steady climb as they controlled the tempo and closed the door on a Raptors team that ran out of answers.
One of the biggest storylines of the night? Rui Hachimura’s return.
After missing time due to injury, the forward came off the bench and wasted no time making his presence felt. In 23 minutes, Hachimura dropped 10 points on 4-of-10 shooting-including two timely three-pointers late in the third quarter that helped stretch the Lakers’ lead and shift momentum firmly in their favor.
“Our zone was great today, especially coming off the back-to-back,” Hachimura said after the game. “I think our communication was great from the bench, the coaching staff, and the players.
Everybody was communicating.” That cohesion was evident, especially on the defensive end, where the Lakers looked far more connected than they had in their previous outings.
Head coach JJ Redick echoed that sentiment, pointing to Hachimura’s clutch threes and the team’s ability to execute in a grind-it-out type of game. “Those were big shots for us,” Redick said.
“They’re a top-three defense. In a game like this, where it’s hard to score, and it’s a low possession game, and it can be a little muddy, those shots were huge for us.”
While Hachimura’s return added a much-needed spark, the Lakers leaned on their stars to set the tone. LeBron James turned in another efficient performance with 24 points, seven assists, and four rebounds.
Luka Doncic added 25 points of his own, along with seven assists and two boards. And Deandre Ayton quietly dominated the paint, finishing with a 25-point, 13-rebound double-double that gave the Lakers a steady interior presence all night.
With this win, the Lakers improved to 25-16 on the season, holding steady in the sixth spot in the Western Conference. The victory also helps steady the ship after a mini skid and gives them some momentum heading into a tough matchup against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena.
The big takeaway? This looked like a team starting to find its rhythm again-getting healthy, communicating better, and locking in defensively. If this version of the Lakers shows up consistently, they’re going to be a problem down the stretch.