The Raptors don’t have to worry about LeBron James anymore. That’s the truth of the matter. He could go supernova tonight, drop 45-15-10, win the game in a overwhelming show of force and talent, and it wouldn’t really matter to Toronto anymore. It would be a win for the Lakers, one they desperately need to even hope to make the playoffs — and just another L for the Raps. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves here. Despite coach Nick Nurse admitting — even if tongue in cheek — that he and the rest of the (former) Raptors coaching staff have lost sleep trying to stop LeBron, he has much less reason to worry now. Even though it’s confirmed that James will indeed play tonight and Kyle Lowry will sit with a sore ankle, Toronto has by far the better team — a deeper and healthier lineup (even still! ), a locker room undivided. I doubt Nurse spent last night tossing and turning. Behind LeBron, the Lakers have a healthy Kyle Kuzma to lean on, and after that there’s not much. Their other young “stars” Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball are out, and the team’s veterans Tyson Chandler and, sure, Lance Stephenson are also not all the way back. They do have angry technician Rajon Rondo available, but he’s not quite the player he was a decade ago — more annoying than terrifying. My point here is: LeBron could very well still own Toronto, but the Raptors can and should control this game. To get up to speed, the updated game details are below. We’ve got Sully Akbari’s full preview here. Now, let’s watch. Where to Watch: Sportsnet One (and Ontario), 8pm EST Lineups: Toronto — Jeremy Lin, Danny Green, Kawhi Leonard, Pascal Siakam, Marc Gasol Los Angeles — Rajon Rondo, Reggie Bullock, LeBron James, Kyle Kuzma, JaVale McGee Injuries: Toronto — Fred VanVleet (out - thumb), Serge Ibaka (out - suspension), Kyle Lowry (out - ankle) Los Angeles — Josh Hart (available but questionable - knee), Lance Stephenson (questionable – Toe), Tyson Chandler (questionable - neck), Lonzo Ball (out - ankle), Brandon Ingram (out - shoulder)<doc-sep>Could this be the final time LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard play as opponents? Only time will tell with rumors circulating that Leonard has his heart set on signing with a Los Angeles team in this summer's free-agency circus, but until then, the two find themselves in completely different end-of-season scenarios. The Lakers (31-36) finally put an end to their five-game losing streak on Tuesday by beating Chicago, the fourth-worst team in the NBA. Sitting seven games back of the final West playoff spot, the Lakers have virtually waved the white flag in the past few days, shutting down players like Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball and announcing that they'd be limiting LeBron's minutes. MORE: Watch Lakers vs. Raptors live with fuboTV (7-day free trial) The Raptors (48-20) occupy the No. 2 seed in the East and are the only other team outside of Milwaukee to secure a playoff berth. Despite their spot in the standings, Toronto has struggled since the trade deadline when it acquired Marc Gasol and signed Jeremy Lin, going just 4-4 in their last eight games. The Raptors lost, 126-101, to a 17-win Cleveland team on Monday, even with Leonard back in the lineup after taking a game off. Toronto won the only previous matchup between the two teams this season, 121-107. Serge Ibaka, who was recently suspended three games for fighting Cavs forward Marquese Chriss, had a career-high 34 points in the win over the Lakers. What time is Lakers vs. Raptors? The Lakers and Raptors tip off on Thursday, March 14, at 8 p.m. E.T. Lakers vs. Raptors TV channel, live stream The game will be broadcast as part of TNT's national telecast. It can also be streamed live online with fuboTV, which offers a free trial. Where is Lakers vs. Raptors being played? The Raptors return home to Scotiabank Arena in Toronto for the first time in three games. They've lost just two of their past eight games in their home arena. The Lakers are 13-20 on the road.<doc-sep>LeBron James and the Lakers are on their way back from rock bottom. After a five-game losing streak, Los Angeles finally snagged a win over the Bulls on Tuesday, 123-107. However, as the Lakers set their sights on piecing together a winning streak to climb back into the playoff hunt, they face a tough test on Thursday night, facing off against the Raptors in Toronto. How to Live Stream the Game The Lakers and Raptors tip at 8:00 p.m. ET on TNT. The game will also be available to stream on the TNT app and Reddit's NBA streams subreddit at ​this direct link. After pouring in 36 points against Chicago, James will look to Kyle Kuzma, who dropped 21 points against the Bulls, as well as Rajon Rondo to help him carry Los Angeles to a much-needed win. However, the Raptors will look to use Kawhi Leonard's defensive abilities to snatch a W away from Los Angeles as they continue to fight with the Milwaukee Bucks for the top seed in the Eastern Conference. The Raptors have to be the favorites in the Eastern Conference. #NBA — Lil Ea$y Cameron (@CGSMARTZ) March 14, 2019 With high stakes in play for both teams, the matchup between Toronto and Los Angeles is sure to entertain. Any matchup between Leonard and James, two of the league's top players, always produces a good game, but considering the implications this one carries, tonight's matchup between the two stars carries a larger entertainment factor than usual.<doc-sep>How to Watch What: Los Angeles Lakers at Toronto Raptors Where: Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON, Canada When: Thursday, March 14th at 8:00 PM EST How (TV/Radio): TNT, SN1/O, and Spectrum Sportsnet | 710 AM ESPN / 1330 AM ESPN DEPORTES, Sportsnet 590 The FAN Los Angeles Lakers (Away) Head Coach: Luke Walton {All-Time 92-139 | LAL} The Los Angeles Lakers have admitted defeat this season. With a record of 31-36, the Lakers sit eleventh in the Western Conference and are 6.5 games out of the playoff race. LeBron James is now on a minutes restriction and Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball are both shut down for the season. Any wins for the Lakers are a consolation for what is a failure of a season. At this point, expectations for the Los Angeles Lakers are incredibly low. They are 3-7 in their last ten games and have only recently broken what was a five-game losing streak. The Lakers are going deep into their bench to see what they have for the following year, but talent is sparse on a struggling Lakers squad. Unfortunately for the Lakers they will be coming up against one of the NBA’s most talented squads in the Toronto Raptors. Likely the strongest team in the Eastern Conference, the Toronto Raptors’ bench five is likely stronger than the Lakers’ starters. Toronto has a habit of resting players in games like this though, so don’t be surprised if the Lakers put up a fight. Toronto Raptors (Home) Head Coach: Nick Nurse {All-Time 48-20 | TOR} The Toronto Raptors have clinched the NBA Playoffs and look primed to be the second-best team in the Eastern Conference by the seasons’ end. With a record of 48-20, the Toronto Raptors also hold a five-game lead over their closest competition the Indiana Pacers and the Philadelphia 76ers. The Toronto Raptors haven’t been spectacular as of late, going on a bit of an up and down run as injuries and familiarity are yet to be dealt with. They are 6-4 in their last ten games and are most recently coming off of a loss in embarrassing fashion to the Cleveland Cavaliers. When the Toronto Raptors take on the Los Angeles Lakers they will be without the biggest star from their last meeting, Serge Ibaka. Due to disciplinary action, Ibaka will miss the next three games. On the plus side, it will be next man up for the Toronto Raptors who are sure to dig deep into their bench to see what they have available for themselves. What’s At Stake? The Los Angeles Lakers have generally dominated this matchup with the Toronto Raptors. In the all-time series, the Lakers lead the Raptors 28-16. A win for the Toronto Raptors would keep them in second and within 2.5 games of the Milwaukee Bucks who are first in the Eastern Conference. A win for the Los Angeles Lakers would bring them to level with the Minnesota Timberwolves who are tenth in the Western Conference. Questions to answer What do the Lakers have to look forward to? What can the Raptors find before the playoffs? We are going to compare the Los Angeles Lakers and the Toronto Raptors in an attempt to see who has the advantage in this matchup. The Lakers Are Essentially Out of the Playoffs Two of the Lakers’ brightest players on shut down for the remainder of the season, LeBron James is on a minutes restriction, and it seems that more and more news about the Lakers’ internal dysfunction is coming to light. Beyond all that, is there anything to look forward to in Los Angeles? Technically that thing to look forward to is the Clippers, but for Lakers fans, it will be a long final stretch of the season. It seems Rob Pelinka brought in Andre Ingram to soften the blow and bring fans back on his side, but the sequel is rarely better than the original. A look down the bench suggests that the Lakers will just chance their developing prospects. Alex Caruso, Isaac Bonga, Moritz Wagner, and Johnathan Williams are three players that have spent the majority of their time with the South Bay Lakers of the G-League. All four are interesting players who will surely see ample opportunity by seasons end. With the Lakers’ future up in the air, it is important for them to see if they already have something valuable. The Raptors Are Still Under the Player Limit General Manager Bobby Webster and President Masai Ujiri made some shrewd moves before the NBA Trade Deadline. The result was five players out and two players in. While Marc Gasol and Jeremy Lin provide upgrades for the Toronto Raptors at their position, the team is still just at the 14 player roster limit with the addition of 10-day contract Eric Moreland. It is curious to see what the Toronto Raptors will do before the end of the NBA regular season. They previously added Jodie Meeks for shooting and speed off the bench and he performed admirably, despite his ten-day not being renewed. They also maintain two-ways Malcolm Miller, a 3-and-D small forward who was with them last year but has only just recovered from a wrist injury, and Jordan Loyd, an electric scoring point guard who is lighting up the G-League but yet to make an impact in the NBA. What is certain is that the Toronto Raptors are looking to fill their roster by the end of the season going into the playoffs. With the recent suspension of Serge Ibaka, the Toronto Raptors actually saved approximately 500k toward the luxury tax. There is no benefit going into the off-season with less players than allowed so look for the Raptors to experiment with a number of lineups going forward. Los Angeles Lakers Roster Notes G Lonzo Ball – 9 Mar 2019 – Out (Left Ankle) – Ball has been shut down for the remainder of the season, according to Shams Charania of the Athletic. C Tyson Chandler – 12 Mar 2019 – Day To Day (Neck) – Chandler has been ruled OUT for Tuesday’s (Mar 12) game.<doc-sep>
The Raptors and Lakers meet for the last time this season, with Toronto up 1-0 in the season series. Who's Playing Matchup: Toronto Raptors vs. Los Angeles Lakers Records: Raptors (48-20), Lakers (31-36) Where to Watch Date: March 14 Time: 8:00 p.m. TV: SN1/SNO Radio: Sportsnet 590 The FAN Location: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON Game Preview The Toronto Raptors return home from a three-game road trip on Thursday for a matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers. Whereas the Raptors are going to be in the playoffs regardless of how the final month of the regular season plays out, the Lakers are still fighting to keep their season alive. Entering Thursday's game, they are seven games behind the LA Clippers for the eighth seed in the Western Conference standings, a massive amount of ground to make up with only 15 games remaining on the schedule. Making matters more difficult for the Lakers is they'll have to do it without Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram, both of whom have been ruled out for the remainder of the season, as well as a limited LeBron James, who has been put on a minutes restriction. Will that prevent James from having a big game? Time will tell. The four-time MVP has a history of playing well against the Raptors on their home court. The last time he was in Toronto was Game 2 of last season's second round series between the Cavaliers and Raptors, when James recorded 43 points, 14 assists and eight rebounds in a big win for Cleveland. Looking to slow him down this time will be Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard, two veterans who had a number of battles with James during their time with the San Antonio Spurs. Notes The Raptors will be without Serge Ibaka, who will serve the first of a three-game suspension for his role in a fight with Cavaliers forward Marquese Chriss. Ibaka was terrific in the first matchup between the Raptors and Lakers this season, exploding for 34 points and 10 rebounds. Kawhi Leonard sat out that game with left foot soreness. If he plays on Thursday, it will be his first time playing against LeBron James since March 27, 2017. Leonard is 5-3 against James in the regular season and 7-5 against him in the playoffs. According to Tankathon, the Lakers have the eighth-hardest remaining schedule this season. The Raptors, on the other hand, have the second-easiest. The Lakers are coming off of a 16-point win over the Chicago Bulls and the Raptors are coming off of a 25-point loss to the Cavaliers. Last Time They Played Date: Nov. 4, 2018 Score: Raptors 121, Lakers 107 Raptors: Serge Ibaka - 34 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals Lakers: Kyle Kuzma - 24 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists