Lakers Aim to Remain Undefeated at Home Against Injury-Plagued Raptors

The Los Angeles Lakers are set to host the Toronto Raptors on Sunday, November 10, at Crypto.com Arena, aiming to extend their undefeated home record this season. The Lakers, currently 5-4, are coming off a 116-106 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, which marked a significant bounce back after a disappointing five-game road trip.

The Toronto Raptors, however, are facing significant challenges due to a plethora of injuries. Key players such as Scottie Barnes, Bruce Brown, Kelly Olynyk, and rookie Ja’Kobe Walter are all out, while Immanuel Quickley has just returned from a pelvic injury. Despite these setbacks, the Raptors have shown resilience, nearly overcoming a 26-point deficit against the Lakers in their previous meeting and losing by just two points to the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday.

The Lakers have made adjustments to their lineup, with D’Angelo Russell moving to the bench and Cam Reddish joining the starting lineup. This change has brought defensive intensity and a scoring boost off the bench. Anthony Davis, the leading scorer in the NBA with 32.4 points per game, is expected to be a key factor, having scored 38 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in the first meeting against the Raptors.

Austin Reaves also had a standout performance in the Lakers’ last game, scoring 20 points with six made 3-pointers, and his continued form will be crucial. The Lakers’ defense will need to focus on containing RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to secure a win.

The game tips off at 9:30 PM ET, with the Lakers favored by 10.5 points. Despite the Raptors’ poor road record and current injury woes, they have managed to keep games close and have a strong record against the spread, covering in eight of their last nine games).