LeBron’s streak finally ends in Lakers win
The Lakers beat Toronto with a 123-120 win Thursday night, capped by Rui Hachimura drilling a corner three buzzer beater to win the game. It was the exact kind of chaotic finish LA has found itself in way too often, but this time it worked in our favor.
OMFG LEBRON JUST SACRIFICED HIS 10-POINT STREAK FOR A GAME-WINNING ASSIST TO RUI 🤯🤯🤯
ABSOLUTE POETRY. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/0nyweTPiBh
— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) December 5, 2025
Reaves Takes Over
Austin Reaves was the story of the night. He finished with 44 points and 11 assists and basically carried the Lakers’ offense whenever it stalled out. Every time LA needed someone to settle things, he stepped up and kept them afloat. He looked steady all night and never let the game get away from him.
LeBron Ends His Streak
The main headline everywhere will be LeBron’s 1,297-game double-digit scoring streak coming to an end. He finished with only 8 points, shooting 4-for-17 in one of his least efficient nights since 2007.
But the part that actually mattered was how he impacted the game when the scoring wasn’t there. He ended the night with 11 assists, controlled the tempo when the Lakers needed someone steady, and drew the kind of attention that still completely reshapes possessions.
The final play says everything: LeBron drives, the entire Raptors backline shifts toward him, and that movement frees Hachimura in the corner. The shift doesn’t work because the defense still reacts to him like he’s the focal point, even on a night where nothing was failing.
Raptors Keep Fighting Back
Toronto never let the Lakers fully separate. Scottie Barnes was the engine of everything they did, putting up 23 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists, and constantly attacking mismatches. The Lakers had no real answer for his blend of strength and pace. He got wherever he wanted and dictated long stretches of the game.
By the time the 4th quarter hit, it had basically turned into a possession-by-possession grind. The Raptors looked like they might actually steal it after a couple of tough Lakers turnovers, but they could never get the stop that flipped the momentum fully in their favor.
The Final Minutes
The last two minutes were incredibly tense. Neither team led by more than one possession, and both traded misses that could’ve swung the outcome.
With the game tied at 120 each, the Lakers got the ball back for the final shot, and they didn’t overthink it. LeBron held for the last look, went downhill with about 4 seconds left, forced the entire defense to collapse, and kicked it out. Hachimura caught it clean and knocked down the shot right as the buzzer sounded.
What This Win Means
The Lakers battled through inconsistency tonight but still found a way to close it out and win.
Reaves looked every bit like a player who can carry you when needed. LeBron turned a rough scoring night into a night where he just made the right decisions over and over again. But most importantly, the Lakers didn’t crumble when the Raptors made their pushes late.
It wasn’t perfect, but getting a buzzer-beater road win like this is exactly what you want to see as a fan.
