Lakers at Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are winners of four in a row and All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry's improved shooting touch is helping to lead the way. Lowry will try to stay hot from behind beyond the arc when the Raptors host the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday.
Lowry followed up a 6-of-6 effort from 3-point range against Philadelphia on Monday by knocking down 4-of-7 from beyond the arc in a 120-105 triumph over Memphis on Wednesday. Lowry struggled with his shot early in the season and took a backseat to DeMar DeRozan when it came to the scoring load but is taking control again while going 22-of-35 from the field, including 14-of-19 from 3-point range in the last three contests. The Lakers are pulling out of a funk with wins in two of the last three games but won't have second-year star D'Angelo Russell (knee) around to defend Lowry on the perimeter Friday. Russell is recovering after receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection in his troublesome left knee but is not expected to play this weekend.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Spectrum Sportsnet (Los Angeles), TSN4/5 (Toronto)
ABOUT THE LAKERS (10-10): Russell's absence is giving forward Julius Randle even more room to shine, and he hauled in 20 rebounds to go along with 13 points in a 96-90 win at Chicago on Wednesday. "It was important for me to come out and make a statement," Randle told reporters. "Let them know, let my team know, tonight’s not the night. We’re going to be tough, we’re going to fight and we’re not backing down." Randle missed three games with a hip injury but posted a double-double in two games since his return.
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (12-6): Toronto is at the point where anything less than a spot in the NBA Finals is a disappointment, and the team is accordingly hard on itself. The Raptors struggled through the first three quarters before running away in the fourth on Wednesday, and coach Dwane Casey was not pleased with the inconsistency. "We can wait and mess around with the game," Casey told reporters. "We have to play quarter by quarter. We can’t wait around and mess around with the game. We have to have an identity, one through four."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Los Angeles SG Nick Young (calf strain) will miss two-to-four weeks.
2. Raptors C Jonas Valanciunas grabbed a season-low four rebounds on Wednesday.
3. Toronto took the last three in the series.