The Raptors’ late push against the Lakers had all the makings of a throwaway finish, right up until it didn’t. Down the stretch, Toronto’s reserves and third-stringers ripped off a run that forced Los Angeles to scramble, and JJ Redick even had to send Luka Dončić back in to shut the door. The Lakers still escaped with a 131-125 win, but the final minutes belonged to a Raptors group that refused to fold.
At the center of that burst was Jamison Battle.
With Jakob Poeltl out and Kawhi Leonard still sidelined, Battle played nearly 17 minutes and had a mixed night before the game flipped late. Toronto tried to lean on him from deep in the first half as it looked for shooting to keep pace, but he was only 1-for-3 from beyond the arc and hadn’t done much to change the feel of the game.
Then the fourth quarter arrived, and Battle caught fire.
His scoring outburst came almost out of nowhere, with 15 points in the final two minutes. Suddenly, he was the hottest hand on the floor and the biggest reason Toronto turned a lopsided game into something the Lakers had to take seriously again. He kept attacking, stayed composed, and delivered the kind of shot-making the Raptors had been missing earlier in the night.
That’s the version of Battle Toronto needs more often. The Raptors’ half-court offense remains a problem, and when the inside game gets bottled up or can’t generate clean looks, the offense can bog down fast. Last night made that painfully clear.
Immanuel Quickley had another rough shooting night, Ja’Kobe Walter couldn’t get comfortable, and while Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett tried to provide some life from the perimeter, there’s still no guarantee those outside looks fall consistently. Battle, though, has shown he can bring a different kind of spark.
He’s flashed that edge in big moments before, including last season and in the playoffs. But too often, the shot-making hasn’t held up on a nightly basis. Against the Lakers, he showed he can swing a game with a scoring run, even if it came against Los Angeles’ second unit.
The aggression was there. So was the confidence.
Now the Raptors need that version of Battle to show up more regularly. Like Jamal Shead, he’s part of the support system Toronto needs when the starters can’t carry everything on their own.
The Raptors’ lifeline starts with that first group, especially Scottie Barnes, but the next wave has to help too.
Battle gave Toronto something real late. The challenge now is making it a habit.
In Other News...
Raptors Loss Exposed A Problem They Couldnt Afford Against The Lakers
Jakob Poeltl being ruled out with bursitis left Toronto scrambling for size at Crypto.com Arena, and the gap showed in a 131-125 loss to the Lakers. The Raptors still managed to make life uncomfortable for Los Angeles in stretches, forcing 22 turnovers and creating enough extra chances to stay within striking distance.
Luka Doncics 45-point night was the kind of star power Toronto could not fully absorb without its starting center, especially when the Raptors were already trying to play from a disadvantage on the glass and around the rim. The effort was there, but against a Lakers team with that much shot-making, Torontos inability to turn those turnovers into a winning edge loomed large. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors May Not Be Done After Kawhi Move
The Raptors long-awaited Kawhi Leonard deal is finally official, but the move arrives with a little less immediate payoff than Toronto had hoped. The trade from the Clippers had been held up by an NBA investigation into possible salary cap circumvention, and now the focus shifts to what Leonard can actually give the team once hes healthy enough to play.
Leonard is expected to miss 3-4 weeks with a knee injury, which only adds to the sense that Toronto may still be working the phones. There is already speculation that the Raptors could look to add Milwaukee Bucks guard Tyler Herro in another trade, though nothing has been confirmed, and the possibility alone suggests this front office may not be done reshaping the roster just yet. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors Suddenly Have A Frontcourt Opportunity They Cant Ignore
Domantas Sabonis has suddenly become one of the more intriguing names to watch around the league after ESPNs Tim MacMahon reported the Kings big man wants out following Sacramentos rough start. For teams like the Raptors, that kind of development immediately changes the conversation, because a player of Sabonis caliber does not come available often and any hint of movement at the top of the market tends to ripple quickly through the rest of the league.
Toronto already has reason to pay attention to the frontcourt market, and Sabonis would sit near the center of any serious discussion about upgrades. The fit questions are obvious, as are the salary complications and the roster decisions that would come with even exploring a deal, but the larger point is simple: if Sacramento really opens the door, the Raptors would be irresponsible not to at least look through it. [Read more 🡒]