Final Score: TOR 108, LAL 103

Game Notes:

The Lakers just lost their fifth straight on the road, and to a very average Raptors team that didn't even play Andrea Bargnani. 

Jose Calderon ran the show today. I guess Kobe's defensive experiment didn't work out today, as Jose registered 22 points and nine assists. 

Dwight got ejected in the first half, and the Lakers defense never really recovered. Not that it was even that impressive when he was in there. 

Kobe was launching from all over the floor and despite a pretty efficient fourth quarter, finished 10-32 shooting. 

Pau chipped in 25 points but may as well have been on the bench when the Lakers played defense, because the Raptors were converting all kinds of easy looks under the basket. The only other potential bright spot for L.A. was Earl Clark, who registered 14 points and 14 boards. 

This game drops the Lakers to 17-23, while the Raptors improve to 15-26. 

Nash inbounds to Kobe who launches a turnaround three and misses, Gasol fouls on the defensive rebound for the Raptors. 

Tough loss for the Lakers. 

Stay tuned for a quick recap and box score!

This will become a slow finish with a free throw battle. Odds are the Raptors come away with the win here, only 17.8 seconds remain.

Lakers need to drain a deep one in the next five or so seconds for this to even be in question.

Here we go.

Kobe just airballed a deep three and that will just about do it my friends. 

Toronto runs the clock down to 35 seconds and an eight point lead is feeling very comfortable. 

Pau scores under the hoop but Calderon will head to the line following a foul from Earl Clark, who had a tremendous game otherwise. 

Amir Johnson just punched the Lakers in the gut with an offensive rebound and subsequent finish. 

TOR 105, LAL 97; 1:02 remaining in regulation

Jose Calderon has been the ice man all game long for Toronto and a quick jumper extends the Raptors lead to nine. 

Just before Kobe hit three from the scorers table. 

Raptors by six, 1:13 to play.

All of the sudden the Lakers have found their offensive flow and are within seven points. 

The defensive intensity has picked up for L.A. and the results are palpable. Toronto is holding their breath a bit and a jam from Pau spikes the Lakers energy. 

It all starts on the defensive end. Three consecutive stops for L.A. gives them the opportunity to cut into the lead and they have done just that. 

All of the sudden the lead is just 10 and Toronto takes a timeout. 

Three balls from Nash and Kobe bring the Lakers back to within 12, six minutes to play. Can the Raptors possibly blow this lead?

No way, right?

This one has quickly become a blowout folks. Lakers are turning the ball over and the Raptors continue to get to the cup. 

D'Antoni takes a timeout at the back end of a 10-0 run from Toronto. L.A. down 19, yikes. 

A wide open three ball by Kyle Lowry regains crowd interest and the Raptors are winning the energy battle. 

After a Metta miss, Lowry drains again from range and all of the sudden Toronto leads by 15. 

With each passing minute, high hopes for the Lakers' season continue to slip away. 

Pau can score but he ain't stoppin' anything in the painted area. 

Toronto is scoring at will near the basket. Raptors by nine with 10 minutes to play in regulation. 

Kobe gets called for a technical after turning the ball over. Strangely, his complaint stops the play which would have resulted in a fast break and easy score for the Raptors. 

And to boot, Toronto misses the technical free throw and doesn't score on their ensuing possession. 

What a weird twist and bad break for the Raptors. 

Antawn Jamison just doesn't provide L.A. with anything on the defensive end. 

After they took the momentum into the locker room at half, the Lakers came out flat and got exposed by a slashing Raptors team in the third. 

Time for the Lakers to dig in, this is a game the team needs to win to keep postseason hopes alive and feasible. 

Oh boy. A three by Alan Anderson caps a 14-4 run for Toronto as they extend their lead up to 14. 

Woah! Kobe makes a ridiculous shot with a foul at the other end before I could finish the post. 

Mamba time? Lakers down 11. 

Do the Lakers have another late-quarter run in them? Better hope so!

Every time the Lakers get a score—like a wild turnaround jumper from Kobe—the Raptors immediately answer, usually early in the shot clock. 

The interior defense of L.A. is suffering without Dwight in there. 

Kobe finds Pau for another short bucket, but again the Lakers can't stop Toronto. 

Nine-point lead for the Raptors despite Gasol's 17 points. 

After Bryant drills two free throws, the Lakers trail by seven. 

TOR 72, LAL 65; 4:26 to play in the third

Ouch. 

Pau comes out to show on a high ball screen and the Raptors find an inside seam and it results in jam. 

Gasol answers with a mid-range jumper. 

Simply put, the Lakers will not win this game if they don't play defense. Calderon is picking them apart right now. 

Sometimes Kobe tries to do too much out there. He has other offensive teammates that can score the ball, no need to force up a wobbly jumper after a spin move! Especially today, when he can't seem to make anything. 

Pau scores again under the hoop but Calderon shakes, bakes and drills a jumper to make it an eight-point advantage for the Raptors. 

Poor defensive effort by L.A. in transition leads to an alley-oop and the Raptors re-extend their lead to six points. 

TOR 59, LAL 53; 9:00 to go in the third quarter

Pau to the line to start the second half. I predict a big contribution from Gasol if the Lakers are planning to win. 

He drains both. Toronto's lead is cut to two. 

First half notes:

Dwight Howard got ejected on a questionable double technical late in the second quarter.

For all the talk of Kobe being a key defender, he didn't help the Lakers stop much of anything in the first half. It could have something to do with the fact that Antawn Jamison was on the floor. 

The play of Earl Clark and Pau Gasol were bright spots for L.A., as well as how they closed the half. 

Toronto has played with big time energy and has been led by Calderon, Ed Davis and a complete effort from Landry Fields, who chipped in six points and seven boards. 

Who will hang on for the win? We'll soon find out. 

Here's a look at how the Lakers fared in the first half.

Laker Nation is pleased with that late run!

HALFTIME: Lakers close the 2nd qtr on a 13-5 run, trail 53-49. Earl Clark w/ 9 pts, 8 rebs off the bench. Nash, MWP also w/ 9 pts. #GoLakers

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) January 20, 2013