Here are 10 takeaways from the Toronto Raptors’ 113-104 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
One — Mentality: The shorthanded Raptors beat all the odds to stun the Lakers on their home floor. It was clear from the jump that Toronto would compete, but it wasn’t clear if the result would match their resolve. Without Lowry and Ibaka to stabilize the team, Nick Nurse had to make things up on the fly. And while that led to some unnerving moments, the Raptors did have the element of surprise, and that, coupled with some resilient defense in the second half was enough to get them over the top.