The loss will sting for a while, and it should. The Raptors did more than enough good things to win Friday night but made just enough mistakes at crucial times to have victory torn away from them.
The central figures in the overtime loss to the Los Angeles Lakers were 20-year-old Scottie Barnes and, to a lesser degree, 22-year-old Precious Achiuwa. And how they learn from the disappointment will be significant as the Raptors continue their march to the NBA playoffs.
“It’s a chance to learn maybe a little bit more astutely,” Raptors coach Nick Nurse said after a five-game winning streak ended.