Rui Hachimura drills a buzzer-beating three to lift L.A. 123–120
The Lakers left Toronto with a dramatic 123–120 win on a night defined by both history and a buzzer-beater. Rui Hachimura drilled a corner three as time expired, capping a final possession set up by LeBron James and sealing a much-needed road victory.
James scored only eight points, ending his streak of 1,297 consecutive double-digit scoring games, the longest in NBA history. The 40-year-old shot 4-for-17 from the field and missed all five three-point attempts, but compensated with an 11-assist performance. When asked about the streak ending, he brushed it aside: “None,” James said. “We won.” (NBC)
The night belonged to Austin Reaves, who kept the Lakers afloat with a career-high 44 points and 10 assists. Reaves caught fire in the third quarter, scoring 22 in the period and repeatedly breaking down Toronto’s defense.
Deandre Ayton added 17 points in the paint, while Hachimura and Nick Smith Jr. each contributed 12. The Lakers also got timely production from the bench, helping them maintain control in a back-and-forth fourth quarter.
Toronto, led by Immanuel Quickley’s 29 points and Scottie Barnes’ all-around effort, forced a tie in the final seconds before the Lakers executed the final play cleanly. James drew attention near the top of the floor, kicked the ball to the corner, and Hachimura delivered.
The win pushes the Lakers back toward stability in the Western Conference standings and shows that even on a night when James wasn’t scoring, his impact still propelled the Lakers to a victory.