TORONTO — Austin Reaves scored 44 points and Rui Hachimura hit a stunning 3-pointer as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Toronto Raptors 123-120 on Thursday.
Reeves had 11 assists and five rebounds for the Lakers (16-5), who were without superstar point guard Luka Doncic.
Doncic, an early NBA MVP candidate, did not travel to Toronto with the Lakers due to personal reasons.
All-time great LeBron James was limited to eight points but added 11 assists and six rebounds for Los Angeles. DeAndre Ayton had 17 points and eight rebounds.
Scottie Barnes had a double-double for the Raptors (15-8) with 23 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. Brandon Ingram had 20 points despite going 0-for-6 from 3-point range for Toronto, which had seven players reach double-digit scoring.
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Ja'Kobi Walter scored a season-high 17 points, leading RJ Barrett of Mississauga, Ont., out with a sprained right knee.
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Jakob Poeltl, who is usually the Raptors' starting center, missed the game to rest his lower back. He has missed half of every game in a row this season to avoid injury.
Takeaway
Lakers: Reeves stepped up in Doncic's absence, especially in the third quarter. He scored 22 points in that period alone, outscoring every Raptors player in the entire game except Barnes in those 12 minutes.
Raptors: Toronto looked sloppy at times, with nine turnovers in the first half alone. However, the Raptors tightened up their play in the third quarter, erasing Los Angeles' 13-point lead and winning the period 40–33 despite Reaves' outburst.
Key Point
As time expired, Hachimura hit a 3-pointer from 24 feet away to win the game. Had to check the shot to make sure he got it done before the buzzer sounded.
Key Statistics
James saw his streak of 1,297 straight games with double-digit scoring ended.
Next
Toronto: Hosts the Charlotte Hornets (6-16) on Friday.
Los Angeles: Visit the Boston Celtics (early warning) on Friday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 4, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
