Fresh off their trip from Hawaii, the Los Angeles Lakers returned back to California to host a game at the Citizens Bank Arena in Ontario against the Toronto Raptors.

But after a decent first half, the Lakers came up short in the second half and dropped their third consecutive preseason game, losing 105-97.

It was Toronto’s newly acquired small forward DeMarre Carroll who got things going early in the first quarter, scoring 11 points in the opening period. The Raptors have put tremendous faith in Carroll, and he has answered the call so far during preseason.

Another new addition that was impressive for Toronto was Cory Joseph, who piled on 18 points on 8 of 13 shooting from the field. Coming over from the San Antonio Spurs, the 24-year-old is well prepared to play a major backup role to Kyle Lowry.

Speaking of Lowry, he was an absolute pest on offense, tearing the Lakers defense apart with dribble penetration. He led all scorers with 25 points and tacked on six assists. Lowry lost plenty of weight during the off-season, and his thinner frame has made him more agile and crafty around the basket. He is poised to bounce back from last year's horrid playoffs series against the Washington Wizards.

For the purple and gold, it was second year man Julius Randle who shouldered the weight. After a solid outing against the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night, Randle continued to impress. He led the Lakers with 11 points at the half and concluded with 17 points, five rebounds, and three assists on an efficient 7 of 10 shooting.

It’s a great sight to see Randle play with more confidence and ease. He seems comfortable now and is ultimately showing a lot of promise. Also, he has been more decisive with the ball, attacking the rim and creating offense for himself without having to force the issue.  

The Lakers came into the contest without their second overall pick D’Angelo Russell, who was ruled out after sustaining a bruised glute on Tuesday. Brandon Bass was also held out due to a bruised knee.

As a result, Byron Scott dug deeper into his bench and called upon Robert Upshaw, the undrafted rookie big man. Many Lakers fans were anticipating Upshaw’s debut, and he did not disappoint. In 25 minutes, the seven-footer put up six points, three rebounds, and two blocks on 3 of 4 shooting.

His numbers weren’t too glorifying, but Upshaw made a couple of inspiring plays, including a back-to-the-basket shot over Bismack Biyombo and a sweet block early in the first half. He certainly has potential but will have to battle hard to remain on the opening day roster.

The Lakers trailed by just six at the half, but the aforementioned Joseph had his fingerprints all over the second half to lead his team to victory.

Despite the defeat, the Lakers should be proud of their ball movement tonight, as they had 22 team assists on 35 baskets. Consequently, their offense was far more efficient, as they shot 46.1 percent from the field.

But the biggest concern for the Lakers continues to be their defense, especially the pick-and-roll defense. Opponents break down Los Angeles’ defense fairly easy by using high screen and rolls, which typically result into either dunks and layups or trips to the free-throw line.

Usually, the Lakers defense struggles because of poor communication and late rotations. However, Coach Scott continues to emphasis that end of the floor to his team, hoping they are able to turn it around when the regular season begins.

Lou Williams, for the third straight game, led the Lakers in scoring with 19 points off the bench. He is definitely going to be a major cog for the Lakers offense moving forward. Kobe Bryant, meanwhile, notched 16 points, three rebounds, three assists, and two steals in 22 minutes, not too shabby for the 37-year old.

Scott went further into his bench tonight, handing minutes to undrafted rookie Jonathan Holmes, Larry Nance, and Jabari Brown. Nance was solid in limited minutes, scoring three points and grabbing five boards. Holmes got out to a shaky start but did finish with a team-high six rebounds and had a gorgeous block towards the end of the game. Brown, however, struggled to find rhythm once again, finishing with four points on 1 of 3 shooting.

Toronto also went deep into its bench and played former first overall pick Anthony Bennett, who highlighted his night with a thunderous dunk over Upshaw. Unfortunately, the same theme to Bennett's career continued, as he rolled his ankle late in the game and had to be taken out. However, the injury doesn't seem to be too serious, but it should be handled with caution. 

The Lakers will be back in action on Sunday, October 11, against Maccabi Haifa. The Raptors will finally head back home to the Air Canada Centre to take on the young Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday. 

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About the author
Vahan Shakhpazyan
Vahan Shakhpazyan loves the NBA with a passion and has been an avid follower for 18 years. He is a UCR graduate with a BA degree in Creative Writing. The man behind the Facebook page NBA updates.