3 Takeaways from the Toronto Raptors’ Dominant Win Against the Lakers

The NBA resumed for the Toronto Raptors last night, and they did not disappoint whatsoever.

The Toronto Raptors went up against the juggernaut Los Angeles Lakers for their first game in the NBA Restart. Despite going up against two potential All-NBA First Team players, the Raptors managed to nail a dominant victory over the best team in the Western Conference.

Here are three takeaways from the game that played an important part in securing the win.

1. Kyle Lowry is still the life and soul of the Toronto Raptors

Kyle Lowry isn’t always the most consistent member of the Toronto Raptors, but he always has a fire burning in him and, in some cases, can propel the defending champs to a victory. The first half against the Los Angeles Lakers was a forgettable one for the veteran point guard. He made 11 points, six of which came from the free-throw line, while the other five came from a single three-point shot and a basket from below the rim.

The second half proved that Kyle Lowry is still the driving force of the Toronto Raptors. Despite a poor shooting percentage (25% from the field and from three-point range), Lowry was able to shut the Lakers down in the latter two quarters.

He took the same amount of shots as the first two but was wildly more efficient. He knocked down six of eight shots, four of which came from deep. Lowry was also not afraid to get fouled, where he took advantage of Kuzma’s height in the fourth quarter and drew contact twice, leading to five free throws.

On the defensive end, the Toronto Raptors were as tight as ever, limiting the Los Angeles Lakers to a poor 35% shooting and an even more abysmal 25% from three-point range. Despite his size, Kyle Lowry outrebounded both teams with a career-high 14 boards, something the Raptors have been struggling mightily with throughout the season.