Kyle Lowry pours in 24 points in Raptors’ 113-80 victory over Lakers

“He’s been shooting the ball extremely well,” said coach Dwane Casey. “He puts in the time and there’s no replacement for that, when you put in the time like he does on his shot.

“Early in the year, everyone was panicking when he wasn’t making shots, he’s a shooter and it’s always going to come back.”

DeMar DeRozan had 16 points, and passed Vince Carter to become second among franchise leaders in field goals made. Chris Bosh is No. 1.

Powell had 16 points for Toronto (13-6), while Cory Joseph had 14, and Lucas Nogueira chipped in with 13.

Brandon Ingram scored 17 points to lead Los Angeles (10-11), while former Raptor Jose Calderon, acquired in the off-season as a veteran presence on a young Lakers squad, finished with five points and five rebounds.

On the first night of back-to-back games, and playing a rebuilding Lakers squad, a massive lead allowed DeRozan and Lowry to rest for almost all of the fourth quarter.

The Raptors led for most of the night, and took an 84-62 advantage into the fourth quarter in front of a capacity Air Canada Centre crowd of 19,800. A layup by Joseph with 6:55 to play stretched the gap to 28 points, and Casey looked to his bench, sending in Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam, Jakob Poeltl, and Bruno Caboclo to finish the job.

Lowry, meanwhile, credited his teammates for getting him open shots.

“DeMar’s getting in there, driving, kicking out. I’m trailing the play a lot, Cory’s setting me up. When other guys are scoring, Cory, DeMar, Norm, it takes attention off of me and I can get an easy spot-up three like Norm got me tonight, and it’s just an opportunity that’s there,” he said. “Once it presents itself, take it.”

Lowry said it has nothing to do with confidence. His confidence never left him.

“I think every shot I take period, I feel like it’s going in,” he said. “I don’t think I waver in confidence in my game. I had a struggle last year in the playoffs, but I never wavered. . . the work I put in.”

He didn’t mind Powell taking the credit for his strong shooting.

“If Norm wants to have credit, he can have it man. My teammates are the reason I’m able to do the things that I’m able to do,” Lowry said.

The Raptors shot 54 per cent on the night, and held the Lakers to just 34 per cent.

DeMarre Carroll didn’t play — the Raptors are playing it safe with the veteran forward who was sidelined with a knee surgery for a huge chunk of last season. When Toronto plays back-to-back games, Carroll sits out one of them.

DeRozan, meanwhile, continues to find his teammates as opponents are focusing on shutting him down. The two-time all-star doled out six assists Friday, the 11th consecutive game he’s had four or more.

Calderon, who received a loud ovation when introduced in the Lakers’ starting lineup, had kind words for DeRozan, his teammate in Toronto for two-and-a-half seasons.

“I saw all the hours he put out there in that gym and its great to see him be successful. . . I love him. I love the guy,” Calderon told reporters.

DeRozan found a cutting Powell with a slick pass midway through the first quarter, that Powell finished with a dunk. The basket gave Toronto an 11-point lead. The Raptors took a 28-22 advantage into the second.

The Raptors opened the second quarter with a 12-4 run to regain a double-digit lead that would never relinquish. And a pull-up jumper by Joseph with less than a second on the clock sent Toronto into the halftime break with a 69-48 lead.

The Raptors wouldn’t let up in a third quarter that saw them lead by as many as 22 points.

The Raptors host the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday, Cleveland on Monday, and then wrap up the homestand Thursday against Andrew Wiggins and the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Lori Ewing, The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Kyle Lowry pours in 24 points in Raptors’ 113-80 victory over Lakers

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