The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Denver Nuggets with the score 101-91 on Friday, October 27, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Lakers had an early run leading by as much as 17 points in the first quarter. But the Raptors started to play tough defense and rallied back to take the win. DeMar DeRozan had an incredible game with 24 points, five rebounds, five assists, and three steals in 37 minutes. He shot 42.9 percent from the field and 66.7 percent from the Free Throw Line.
Lonzo continues to struggle with his shots
Lonzo Ball had a good all-around game for the Lakers but he had a hard time finding his shot.
He contributed only five points, seven rebounds, six assists and two steals in 32 minutes. He only shot 28.6 percent from the field and 25 percent from the three-point line. Lonzo was a great shooter in college but he has not found his shooting touch yet in the NBA.
Lakers not taking care of the ball
The Los Angeles Lakers had a pretty good start to their game against the Toronto Raptors but turnovers would be their demise. The Lakers turned the ball over 21 times while the Raptors only had 14. Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, and Jordan Clarkson had four turnovers apiece while Brandon Ingram and Brook Lopez had three apiece. The Lakers are one of the youngest team in the NBA this season and the first thing their players should learn is that taking care of the basketball can help you get wins.
Even though the Lakers shot better from the field and had nine more rebounds than the Raptors, Toronto still found a way to get the win.
Pascal Siakam scores 18 points
With Jonas Valanciunas and Lucas Nogueira still out, Pascal Siakam took it upon himself to fill the void Jonas left. He contributed 18 points, five rebounds, one assist, and two steals in 26 minutes.
He shot an amazing 8-of-10 from the field, 1-of-3 from beyond the arc, and 1-of-2 from the free throw line. Valanciunas has almost recovered from his ankle injury and may return to the court when the Raptors face either the Utah Jazz or the Denver Nuggets next week.
Kyle Lowry records a triple-double
Kyle Lowry had his first triple-double of the season against the Los Angeles Lakers.
He contributed 11 points, 10 rebounds, 12 assists, and two steals in 36 minutes. Lowry did struggle with his shots, he went 4-of-14 from the field and 3-of-7 from the three-point line. With DeMar DeRozan having a terrific scoring night, Lowry chose to try and impact all areas on the floor. He hit a huge three-pointer late in the fourth quarter to seal the win for the Raptors. Toronto now shifts their attention to this Sunday, as they face Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers.
