Raptors fall to Lakers despite season-high 30 assists

TORONTO, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) — The Toronto Raptors fell to the Los Angeles Lakers 112-106 on Sunday afternoon despite recording a season-high 30 assists in NBA action.

Toronto’s previous high was 29 assists, recorded on Jan. 3 in a victory over the Washington Wizards.

Despite the season-high in assists, Raptors head coach Dwane Casey was not pleased with the way his team played the game from a discipline and defensive perspective.

“We did not get defence in the game, nor did we attack the rim,” said Casey. “The shots we made were one pass shots, not rhythm three’s.”

Toronto started the game red hot with assists on 14 of their first 15 field goals, jumping out to a 19-point lead.

“Things are easy, seem easy, so you get seduced into that game,” Casey added. “If you’re not disciplined and get seduced into that, it’s easy to do.”

The game did not continue this way for Toronto as they were outscored in the final three quarters, resulting in the loss.

“Our personality wasn’t into the game today, which is a defensive focus,” said Casey. “We’re not built that way, that’s not our identity.”

Entering the game, Toronto was ranked 27th in the league with 19.9 assists per game in their first 39 games of the season, ahead of only Boston, Cleveland and Phoenix.

Despite the low overall ranking, Toronto has made strides since the Rudy Gay trade on Dec. 8.

In the first 18 games with Gay, the Raptors averaged 17.3 assists per game and ranked dead last in the league.

Following the trade, Casey’s squad has managed 22.7 assists per game in the 21 games since the trade and rank ninth in the league since Dec. 8. Atlanta and Portland lead the way during this period with 26.5 assists per game.

In the loss to the Lakers, Toronto recorded 13 assists in the first quarter, one away from tying the franchise record of 14 assists in a quarter recorded on six separate occasions.

The franchise record for assists in a game is 39, recorded on Dec. 15, 1997 against the Indiana Pacers.

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