Lakers Start Ice Cold Against the Raptors And Can't Climb Back

The Lakers fall 10 games below .500 for the first time this season after starting terribly against Toronto.

If you just took a look at the final box score, you might think the Lakers had a chance on Monday night. A late surge brought them within just 6 points of Toronto at one point, ultimately losing to them 114-103 and falling 10 games below .500 for the first time this season. 

But without that late run, the Lakers would have been absolutely blown out for the second consecutive night. The Raptors started off the game by going on a 21-2 run, with the Lakers struggling to make anything. Overall, they shot just 3 of 18 from the field in the first quarter.

There's no coming back from that, especially when your defense allows 33 points in that same quarter. Overall, they put up just 40 points in the first half versus their 63 points second-half surge. 

“Really during this stretch, it’s been one quarter — it’s been the second quarter, the third quarter, the last two games it’s been the first quarter — we just can’t put the ball in the basket. When you’re not making shots and they’re getting the live rebound or a turnover, live ball turnover, it’s tough to set your defense. I think our effort was good to start, but … our offense was putting us in a tough spot.”

But that's been the story of the year so far for the Lakers. More often than not, one bad quarter has decided the outcome of the game for them, and they can't find a way to remedy that. LeBron James put up 30 points of his own again, with only one other starter breaking double digits. 

But defense is certainly an issue. Three different Toronto starters had 20-plus in the loss, with Gary Trent Jr and Pascal Siakam putting up a combined 55 points. 

Things went from very bad to very ugly.