Luka Doncic drops 45 points, 15 rebounds in Lakers win

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Toronto Raptors 131-125 on Sunday night.

Luka Doncic led the way with 45 points, 15 rebounds, six assists, and five steals. He hit eight three-pointers and reached the 37-point mark before the fourth quarter began. This performance extended his streak of scoring at least 37 points to four consecutive games. It marked his 20th career game with 40 or more points in his 98th regular-season contest for the Lakers.

Austin Reaves contributed 19 points, while Walker Kessler added 16 points and 15 rebounds. The Lakers bounced back from a 17-point loss at Golden State on Friday, a game in which they surrendered a 25-point lead.

Scottie Barnes scored 29 points and RJ Barrett had 22 for Toronto. The Raptors have lost three of their first four games on a road trip. Kawhi Leonard missed his fourth consecutive game due to a knee injury. He will also sit out Monday's game at the Clippers, where he will face a home crowd with mixed feelings.

Los Angeles held a 102-76 lead with 90 seconds left in the third quarter. Toronto cut the deficit to single digits before Doncic and Reaves sparked a 9-1 run. After the Lakers benched their starters with 1:43 remaining, the Raptors' bench scored 11 points in 40 seconds. That run cut the deficit to 125-120 and forced the starters back onto the floor for the final possessions.

Doncic scored 16 points in the first quarter, including four three-pointers. He reached 24 points and eight rebounds by halftime. He has now recorded at least 40 points, 10 rebounds, and five steals in a game for the second time with the Lakers. No other player on the team has accomplished that feat since the 1982-83 season.

Cameron Carr, the Lakers' first-round pick, made his NBA debut in the final 1:43. He missed the first six games of the season with an oblique muscle injury. The Lakers host the Miami Heat on Monday night, while Toronto plays at the Clippers.