Lakers set franchise low with early 25-point hole

7:03 pm | November 4, 2018 | Go to Source | Author:

11:42 PM ET

LOS ANGELES — The Lakers followed up perhaps their best win of the season on Saturday with one of the worst first quarters in franchise history on Sunday.

The Toronto Raptors outscored L.A. 42-17 in the opening frame, with Serge Ibaka (20 points on 8-for-8 shooting) personally outscoring the Lakers, as they shot just 7-for-21 as a team.

Entering Sunday, the Lakers had never been outscored by more than 24 points in a first quarter in the shot-clock era (since 1954-55), according to data compiled by ESPN Stats & Info.

Prior to tipoff the Lakers learned they would not have to contend with former Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard and his season averages of 26.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.0 steals, as Toronto coach Nick Nurse announced his star forward was being held out with soreness in his left foot.

If they thought they were being granted a reprieve — a day after a 114-110 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers that snapped a 16-game losing streak — they were sorely mistaken.

Ibaka’s 20 points were a career high for points in any quarter, eclipsing his previous mark of 15.

For LeBron James, playing in the Lakers’ Sunday whites for the first time, it was a reminder of a dark day in his final season with the Miami Heat when his team was also outscored by 25, 43-18, in the first quarter on Jan. 15, 2014.

The Raptors pushed their lead to as many as 31 points in the first half, eliciting boos from the Staples Center crowd.

Toronto took a 71-49 lead into halftime.