Raptors drop fourth straight but gain valuable experience against Lakers’ stars

Toronto still searching for first win of preseason

Raptors fall 131-126 to Lakers in Las Vegas

The Toronto Raptors dropped their fourth straight preseason game on Monday night, falling 131-126 to the Los Angeles Lakers in Las Vegas.

Despite the loss, the Raptors showed some positive signs, especially from their young players. Scottie Barnes led the way with 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Precious Achiuwa added 19 points and 11 rebounds.

The Raptors also got a strong performance from their bench, as Malachi Flynn scored 17 points and Juancho Hernangomez added 16.

The Lakers were led by Anthony Davis, who had 28 points and 10 rebounds. LeBron James added 23 points and 8 assists, while Russell Westbrook had 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists.

The Raptors will be back in action on Wednesday night, when they take on the Minnesota Timberwolves in Edmonton.

Valuable experience for young Raptors

While the Raptors have yet to win a preseason game, they have shown some positive signs, especially from their young players.

Barnes, in particular, has been impressive. The 20-year-old forward has averaged 17.5 points and 9.5 rebounds in four preseason games. He has also shown a knack for making big plays, such as his game-winning dunk against the Utah Jazz on Saturday night.

Achiuwa has also been solid in the preseason. The 22-year-old forward is averaging 12.5 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. He has also shown some improvement on the defensive end, where he is averaging 1.8 blocks per game.

Flynn and Hernangomez have also been bright spots for the Raptors in the preseason. Flynn is averaging 12.3 points per game, while Hernangomez is averaging 11.8 points per game. Both players have shown the ability to create their own shot and knock down shots from the outside.

The Raptors are hoping that their young players will continue to develop and improve throughout the preseason. If they do, the Raptors could be a surprise team in the Eastern Conference this season.

Looking ahead

The Raptors will have one more preseason game before the regular season begins. They will take on the Minnesota Timberwolves in Edmonton on Wednesday night.

The Raptors will then open the regular season on October 19th against the Philadelphia 76ers in Toronto.