With All-Star Scottie Barnes out for at least three weeks, the Toronto Raptors will continue to be short-handed when they host the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night. Barnes is sidelined with a right orbital fracture suffered during Monday’s 127-125 overtime loss to the Denver Nuggets, following an inadvertent elbow to the eye from Nikola Jokic. Before the injury, Barnes nearly recorded a triple-double, finishing with 21 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists.
The Raptors struggled in their first game without Barnes, falling 138-133 on the road to the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday. They now face a Lakers team looking to bounce back from a 134-110 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, marking their second of five consecutive road games.
Toronto did see the return of RJ Barrett on Monday, after he missed the first three games with a shoulder sprain. Barrett scored 20 points in his return and followed it up with 31 points on Wednesday, while Gradey Dick added a career-best 30 points. Barnes, coming off his first All-Star campaign, has averaged 19.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, and six assists this season.
Despite a slow start and trailing 30-16 after the first quarter, the Raptors are determined to rebound, having lost four of their last five games.
The Raptors have also been without Immanuel Quickley (right pelvic contusion), who is doubtful for Friday’s game. Bruce Brown (knee), Kelly Olynyk (back), and Ja’Kobe Walter (shoulder) have yet to play, though Walter is listed as questionable.
LeBron James scored 26 points in the loss to Cleveland, but also had a game-high six turnovers. The Lakers, who started the season 3-0, have now lost two straight. They committed a season-high 21 turnovers leading to 31 points for Cleveland.
In the fourth quarter, the crowd chanted for LeBron’s son, Bronny, to enter the game. When Bronny hit a jumper for his first NBA points and only points of the game, the crowd erupted. He also added two assists in 5:16 of playing time. The Lakers will be looking to turn things around against the Raptors.
