It looks like LeBronto may rise again.
For those who don’t know, LeBronto was a nickname given to the Toronto Raptors in the late 2010s. The reason? LeBron dominated the Raptors every single time he saw them.
That same energy felt like it came back in Friday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers seem like an entirely new team, led by first-year head coach JJ Redick.
For those who missed it, here is a recap of the 125-131 loss to the Lakers.
Another Slow Start
L.A. started the game on a 30-10 run.
The Lakers’ fastbreak looked unstoppable. They were stifling the Raptors’ offensive attack on one end and dominating its defense on the other.
Maybe it’s a testament to Redick’s new defensive scheme. Or perhaps it was just the talent. Either way, the Raptors looked completely lost on the offensive end for an entire quarter.
By the end of the first, the Lakers had crafted a 43-19 lead, and it appeared the game was over when it had barely begun.
A Mid-Second Quarter All-Star Game
What do you do when you score 43 points in a quarter? Have your own All-Star Game in November.
Of course, the Raptors’ defense looked about as strong as the All-Star Game defense these last few years.
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LeBron and Anthony Davis decided to put on a show about halfway through the second quarter. A behind-the-back pass from LeBron and then a lob to AD electrified Scotiabank Arena.
Those two plays had the home crowd more excited than anything the Raptors had done up to that point.
This display just showed how weak this Toronto defense truly is. It was one thing when players dropped 30 points in their regular offense, but it’s another when the Lakers dominated while toying with the Raptor defense.
A More Promising Second Half
The Raptors looked like a completely different team coming out of halftime.
Toronto outscored the Lakers 74-55 in the second half. Had they not started the game giving up a 30-10 run, they very easily could have (and should have) won this game. But this is what makes this team so frustrating to watch.
The Raptors sometimes looked like a team that should be tanking for Cooper Flagg in the 2025 draft. At other times they look like they could be prime contenders.
This is now the second time the Raptors have put up a fight against a team looking to contend this year, only to fall due to self-inflicted injuries. It’s almost like when they go into the locker room, they come out with a completely different roster.
Maybe it’s a coaching adjustment, or perhaps it’s the players deciding to wake up. But until the Raptors learn how to play a full 48 minutes of basketball, don’t expect to see many wins piling up this year.
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