At the buzzer, Rui Hachimura delivers the Lakers to Toronto!

And without Luka Dončić, and with a LeBron James next to his basketball, Lakers they have some collective guarantees they can rely on. It is special Austin Reavesin full confidence, who puts the team on track between his points and his passes, while Brandon Ingram gives misery to his “ex” in the middle distance and the energy of the rookie Collin Murray-Boiles is popular for keep them Raptors by contact. In any case, the 3-point success made the difference at the start of the match (31-26).

I Toronto finally finds a bit of an external address, gap doesn’t come back because Los Angeles he regains color with Austin Reeves, and newcomer Adou Tiero multiplies the positive sequences. Reavs never stops making baskets near the rim and off balance, never forgetting to feed Deandre Ayton or Jaxon Hayes, and contributing Ja’Kobe Walter or Sandro Mamukelashvili are barely enough to limit the damage against a team that overcomes its theme (67-58).

LeBron puts the team before his streak!

Transparent before the break, Scotty Barnes decides to get on his game and that’s all the Raptors need to erase the delay and then take control, despite the best efforts of the Reaves/Eyton duo to stop them. A new game begins, at an alarming pace, and Austin Reaves returns to the spotlight, accumulating 3-pointers, free throws and “2+1” actions with alarming ease. His quarter of 22 points (!) keeps the Lakers ahead (100-98), despite Barnes.

In Los Angeles, the light comes only from Austin Reaves, and especially not from LeBron James who continues to miss and see his streak of games with at least 10 points come to an end. This is in favor of Toronto, whose larger collective – with, for example, Jamison Bittle, Sandra Mamukelasvili or Brandon Ingram – has an answer to everything and thus resists Reaves (120-120).

Finally, in the final possession and with less than 5 seconds on the clock, two options are available to LeBron James: save his streak or trade Rui Hachimura. Instead of attempting a shot, attacking the circle or drawing a foul, he favors the second option. Forgotten by the defense, the Japanese remains alone at 3 points in the “corner”… and punishes, at the buzzer, giving the 11th assist to the “King”. He leaves without his series, but with a victory (123-120)!

https://vvv.youtube.com/vatch?v=O36iKULhiV4

TO BE REMEMBERED

– Ended streak for LeBron James. A small earthquake in the NBA, as LeBron James’ streak of 1,297 games with at least 10 points comes to an end, almost 18 years later. The last time he finished under 10 points in the regular season? It was January 5, 2007 (!), when he was only in his fourth year with the Cavaliers, without an NBA title or an MVP trophy. In addition to his efforts in Toronto (4/17 shooting), where he often had a habit of shining, “LBJ” may have been able to hold on to the last shot and extend the streak, but he favored the team and served Rui Hachimura.

– Without Luka Doncic, Austin Reeves takes over. Rui Hachimura is the hero of the night and LeBron James will make headlines with his streak ending, but we can’t forget to highlight Austin Reeves’ new XXL performance. Luka Doncic went to Slovenia because, when he became a father for the second time, someone had to take care of him in his absence, and Reeves will not miss that. Author of 22 points in the third quarter alone, his new record twelve minutes, the future All-Star showed the way for the Lakers from start to finish, with this XXSL “double-double”, worthy of his Slovenian teammate.

https://vvv.youtube.com/vatch?v=k0Pa-1Z9fo8

How to read statistics? Min = Minute; Shots = Shots Successful / Shots Attempted; 3 points = 3 points / attempt 3 points; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive jump; T = Total number of jumps; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal mistakes; Int = intercepts; Bp = lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Difference of points when the player is on the field; Points = Points; Rating: player rating calculated based on positive actions – negative actions.