 | Amir Johnson, PF 22 MIN | 3-5 FG | 0-0 FT | 4 REB | 4 AST | 0 STL | 2 BLK | 1 TO | 6 PTS | -4 Boozer out played him in the first half, and he was invisible in the 2nd. He did injure his ankle and left the game, but that came a bit late to excuse most of the egg he laid. Was hoping for a continuation of the Mavs game, but didn’t even get close. |  |
 | Terrence Ross, SF 38 MIN | 8-12 FG | 0-0 FT | 5 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 20 PTS | -3 Could have had 30 tonight if he just put it on the floor and went to the rack. Ross is too quick, and his handles too tight for the Lakers perimeter defenders to have done anything about it. Had a hard time with Kobe, but was up on him for the most part (Kobe just felt it tonight). Huge clutch threes in crunch time. |  |
 | Jonas Valanciunas, C 33 MIN | 4-10 FG | 1-2 FT | 13 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 3 BLK | 1 TO | 9 PTS | -7 Jordan Hill got everything he wanted. Helped Amir lay that egg tonight. That block on Kobe at the end of the regulation saved the game and seemed to energize him in overtime for some time, but wasn’t enough. | |
 | Kyle Lowry, PG 41 MIN | 10-28 FG | 8-12 FT | 6 REB | 9 AST | 3 STL | 0 BLK | 2 TO | 29 PTS | -7 Felt like he could have done more to help out, but came on in waves. Fortunately, he was focused in the clutch on both ends of the floor. That charge at the end of regulation was the right call, but tough to take considering how hard he worked. Missed a few layups he normally makes…and I’m nitpicking. He played hard, and just didn’t have enough. |  |
 | Greivis Vasquez, PG 34 MIN | 8-16 FG | 2-4 FT | 0 REB | 5 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 19 PTS | -7 Consistently looked to attack off the dribble, but took two-too many jumpers for my taste. Didn’t do enough to get the rest of the involved, but you could make the case that his offense was crucial early in the game. |  |
 | Tyler Hansbrough, PF 9 MIN | 0-1 FG | 0-0 FT | 4 REB | 1 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 0 PTS | +2 Was key with 2Pat in giving the Lakers front court something to adjust to off the bench. He just doesn’t do enough offensively to warrant extended minutes in games like this. | |
 | James Johnson, PF 22 MIN | 3-5 FG | 2-2 FT | 4 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 8 PTS | -7 Elite defense on Kobe throughout the game. None more important than when he pushed Kobe into the waiting JV for the block. Eventually fouled out on a BS call, but it would have been much worse without him. |  |
 | Patrick Patterson, PF 34 MIN | 3-8 FG | 4-4 FT | 13 REB | 3 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 0 TO | 10 PTS | -2 I don’t have much to say about 2Pat, but he was up on the glass, and made key buckets. Good game, not great, but like JJ, things would have been much worse without him. | |
 | Chuck Hayes, C 5 MIN | 1-2 FG | 0-0 FT | 2 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 2 PTS | -6 He could have been used more than 5 minutes tonight; never thought I’d say that. |  |
 | Louis Williams, SG 26 MIN | 5-17 FG | 6-7 FT | 2 REB | 1 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 19 PTS | +6 When he was attacking off the dribble, really good things happened (dunk off the hop in the 3rd the highlight), but forced too many contested jumpers from the perimeter. That fourth quarter, though. |  |
 | Landry Fields, SG 0 MIN | 0-0 FG | 0-0 FT | 0 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 0 PTS | 0 Can’t get playing time with DeMar out; probably out of the league next season. |  |
 | Dwane Casey Good job of refocusing the team after the half and in the 3rd when the Lakers went on that 7-2 run. Had the right guys out on the floor, but it’s not his fault the team was missing shots they should have been hitting, or watching Kobe orchestrate things. The 33 three-pointers they took and the 24 they missed he could have did something about. | |
Three Things We Saw
- Shot far too many threes when the Lakers were more than willing to give up any lane they could. This is what cost the Raptors the game: 24 missed threes. Ridiculous.
- Here’s an idea, how about when Kobe gets the ball, you don’t do anything. Let him orchestrate shit like it’s 2010. Please explain how Kobe goes into the half with 10 assists with this Laker team around him? He finished with a triple-double (31pts 11reb 12ast), but it could have been worse.
- Kobe got a lot of bullshit calls. Not unexpected, but still really annoying to watch call after call after call after call after call go his way. To be fair, he puts himself in the position to get the benefit of the doubt, and had a phenomenal game, but man, the calls are automatic.
