Russell scores 28 points in return, Lakers beat Raptors
-
Share on Facebook
-
Share on Bluesky
-
Share on X
- Copy Link
LOS ANGELES (AP) — D’Angelo Russell had 28 points and nine assists in his dynamic return from a six-game injury absence, Dennis Schröder added 23 points and seven assists and the Los Angeles Lakers won for the seventh time in nine games, 122-112 over the Toronto Raptors on Friday night.
Austin Reaves scored 18 points while Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt added 16 apiece as the Lakers extended their impressive recent surge even with little contribution this time from Anthony Davis.
The superstar big man had only eight points and nine rebounds while struggling against Toronto’s defence, but Russell and his teammates took charge before Davis sealed the win on his only field goal of the second half with 46 seconds to play.
Russell was the centrepiece of the Lakers’ activity at the trade deadline, but the point guard appeared in only four games to begin his second stint in Los Angeles before spraining his right ankle. He returned to the starting lineup with a spring in his step, hitting five 3-pointers and making a series of high-difficulty plays that had the Lakers’ home crowd roaring repeatedly.
