For the Toronto Raptors, a series of five away games in the NBA ended with another defeat on Saturday night.
The Canadians lost 112-122 to the Los Angeles Lakers. Jakob Pöltl recorded his 66th double-double of the regular season with 17 points and ten rebounds. The statistics also showed four assists, three steals and one block in 33:03 minutes for the 27-year-old from Vienna.
In a game of ups and downs, Toronto lost victory in the final quarter. The last twelve minutes in downtown Los Angeles was lost with 22:37.
The 112:122 was the third defeat in a row and the fourth in the last five away games. Scottie Barnes scored 32, OG Anunoby 31 points for the Canadians.
Battle for playoffs is getting tighter
With 14 games remaining in the NBA regular season, the Raptors hold 32-36 wins and remain ninth in the Eastern Conference. The Washington Wizards, Chicago Bulls and Indiana Pacers are breathing down their necks in the battle for a play-in spot.
The Lakers are also ninth (33:34) in the Western Conference. Led by D’Angelo Russell with 28 points and a total of 61 points from their substitutes, they won for the third time in a row and can look “up” even without the currently injured LeBron James. Even the direct entry into the play-off is in sight.
Toronto is back in action on Tuesday. The Canadians host the Denver Nuggets in revenge for Monday’s 113-118 in Colorado.
Leader Denver with surprising loss to Spurs
The leader of the Western Conference surprisingly had to admit defeat at Pöltl’s former employer San Antonio Spurs. The 120:128 could not prevent Nikola Jokic’s 102nd career triple double.
The Serbian center recorded 37 points and eleven rebounds and assists. The Nuggets have won every game so far this season in which the two-time and reigning league “MVP” has scored triple double digits. The balance in this regard is now 25:1.
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