Los Angeles Lakers continue downward slide after loss to depleted Toronto Raptors

The Los Angeles Lakers began the night finally healthy, with LeBron James and Anthony Davis back from injuries but the return of the superstar duo could not stop another disappointing night for the NBA champions.

Trailing by as many as 21 points, the Lakers lost to the Toronto Raptors 121-114 in LA on Sunday evening.

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Pascal Siakam carried the scoring load for Toronto, finishing with 39 points and 13 rebounds. Kyle Lowry tallied a season-high 37 points and added 11 assists for the Raptors. DeAndre' Bembry chipped in 14 points and eight rebounds for Toronto.

The Lakers have lost six of their last seven games and are 0-2 since James returned to the starting lineup after a right, high-ankle sprain. James finished with 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists but played 27 minutes and departed with 6:42 left due to soreness in the ankle.

Point guard Dennis Schröder did not play for the Lakers due to the NBA's health and safety protocols. The Lakers are 0-5 this season with Schröder out of the lineup.

Even more embarrassing for the Lakers is Toronto played short-handed in the second night of a back-to-back after going toe-to-toe with the Utah Jazz in a tough road loss.

OG Anunoby (left calf strain), Chris Boucher (left knee sprain), Gary Trent Jr. (left leg contusion), Fred VanVleet (left hip flexor) and Paul Watson (left knee tendonitis) all sat out for the Raptors.

Kyle Kuzma came off the bench to provide some offensive firepower for Los Angeles, finishing with a team-high 24 points.

Andre Drummond totalled 19 points and 11 rebounds. Anthony Davis finished with 12 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.

With the Lakers' loss to Toronto, the Dallas Mavericks (36-28) losing at home to the Sacramento Kings and the Portland Trail Blazers (36-28) defeating the Boston Celtics on the road, the Lakers (36-28), Mavericks and Trail Blazers are all tied for the No 5 seed in the Western Conference.

The Lakers host the Denver Nuggets on Monday.

With the win, Toronto (27-38) are two-and-a-half games behind the Washington Wizards for the No 10 spot in the Eastern Conference and a chance to get into the play-in game for the postseason tournament.

The Lakers led 38-32 after the first quarter, but the undermanned Raptors rallied in the second quarter, outscoring Los Angeles 23-6 over the final six minutes of the second quarter to take a 13-point lead at halftime.

Toronto's 72 points are the second-most the Lakers have given up all season in a half. Los Angeles had led by as many as 12 points in the first half.

The Raptors continued to pour it on, extending their lead to 21 points early in the third quarter. The Lakers cut Toronto's lead to six points late in the fourth quarter, but would get no closer.

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme

Priority access to new homes from participating developers
Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
Flexible payment plans from developers
Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates

Key facilities

Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
Premier League-standard football pitch
400m Olympic running track
NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
600-seat auditorium
Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
Specialist robotics and science laboratories
AR and VR-enabled learning centres
Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills

RESULTS

Men – semi-finals

57kg – Tak Chuen Suen (MAC) beat Phuong Xuan Nguyen (VIE) 29-28; Almaz Sarsembekov (KAZ) beat Zakaria Eljamari (UAE) by points 30-27.

67kg – Mohammed Mardi (UAE) beat Huong The Nguyen (VIE) by points 30-27; Narin Wonglakhon (THA) v Mojtaba Taravati Aram (IRI) by points 29-28.

60kg – Yerkanat Ospan (KAZ) beat Amir Hosein Kaviani (IRI) 30-27; Long Doan Nguyen (VIE) beat Ibrahim Bilal (UAE) 29-28

63.5kg – Abil Galiyev (KAZ) beat Truong Cao Phat (VIE) 30-27; Nouredine Samir (UAE) beat Norapat Khundam (THA) RSC round 3.

71kg – Shaker Al Tekreeti (IRQ) beat Fawzi Baltagi (LBN) 30-27; Amine El Moatassime (UAE) beat Man Kongsib (THA) 29-28

81kg – Ilyass Hbibali (UAE) beat Alexandr Tsarikov (KAZ) 29-28; Khaled Tarraf (LBN) beat Mustafa Al Tekreeti (IRQ) 30-27

86kg – Ali Takaloo (IRI) beat Mohammed Al Qahtani (KSA) RSC round 1; Emil Umayev (KAZ) beat Ahmad Bahman (UAE) TKO round

The specs

Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 640hp
Torque: 760nm
On sale: 2026
Price: Not announced yet

RESULTS

6.30pm: Handicap (rated 100 ) US$175,000 1,200m
Winner: Baccarat, William Buick (jockey), Charlie Appleby (trainer)

7.05pm: Handicap (78-94) $60,000 1,800m
Winner: Baroot, Christophe Soumillon, Mike de Kock

7.40pm: Firebreak Stakes Group 3 $200,000 1,600m
Winner: Heavy Metal, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer

8.15pm: Handicap (95-108) $125,000 1,200m
Winner: Yalta, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer

8.50pm: Balanchine Group 2 $200,000 1,800m
Winner: Promising Run, Pat Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor

9.25pm: Handicap (95-105) $125,000 1,800m
Winner: Blair House, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby

10pm: Handicap (95-105) $125,000 1,400m
Winner: Oh This Is Us, Tom Marquand, Richard Hannon

Top 10 most polluted cities

Bhiwadi, India
Ghaziabad, India
Hotan, China
Delhi, India
Jaunpur, India
Faisalabad, Pakistan
Noida, India
Bahawalpur, Pakistan
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'Skin'

Dir: Guy Nattiv

Starring: Jamie Bell, Danielle McDonald, Bill Camp, Vera Farmiga

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

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High profile Al Shabab attacks

2010: A restaurant attack in Kampala Uganda kills 74 people watching a Fifa World Cup final football match.
2013: The Westgate shopping mall attack, 62 civilians, five Kenyan soldiers and four gunmen are killed.
2014: A series of bombings and shootings across Kenya sees scores of civilians killed.
2015: Four gunmen attack Garissa University College in northeastern Kenya and take over 700 students hostage, killing those who identified as Christian; 148 die and 79 more are injured.
2016: An attack on a Kenyan military base in El Adde Somalia kills 180 soldiers.
2017: A suicide truck bombing outside the Safari Hotel in Mogadishu kills 587 people and destroys several city blocks, making it the deadliest attack by the group and the worst in Somalia’s history.

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The Perfect Couple

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor

Creator: Jenna Lamia

Rating: 3/5

The specs

Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel

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Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh825,900

On sale: Now

Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction

Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.

Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.

Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.

Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.

Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.

What are the guidelines?

Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.

Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.

Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.

Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.

Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.

Source: American Paediatric Association