Raptors Are Learning the Hard Way What They’re Missing Without Kawhi Leonard

The Toronto Raptors had enough opportunities to make Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers interesting down the stretch. What they couldn’t consistently find was a reliable way to score when the easy opportunities disappeared.

Luka Dončić’s 45-point performance will naturally dominate the conversation after the Lakers’ 131-125 win, but Toronto’s half-court offense deserves just as much attention. The Raptors have now struggled to generate offense in consecutive games when they can’t rely on transition opportunities or turnovers to get moving.

That becomes a more pressing concern with Kawhi Leonard still unavailable. Toronto acquired Leonard in part for his ability to create his own shot in the half court, and without him, the offense has leaned heavily on Scottie Barnes to make things happen.

Barnes finished with 29 points against Los Angeles after scoring 41 against Orlando earlier in the week. He has shown he can take on the added scoring responsibility, but the Lakers presented a different challenge once they had time to get set defensively. Toronto struggled to get clean looks inside, while failed entry passes and turnovers interrupted possessions that needed more patience.

The problem is figuring out who can take some of that responsibility off Barnes.

RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley both had productive moments against Los Angeles, but FanSided's Chris Lambert questioned whether either can consistently create efficient offense against a defense applying pressure in the half-court. Barrett’s ability to attack downhill becomes less effective when defenders cut off his driving lanes, while Quickley had to work against a Lakers defense intent on making his decisions difficult.

Walker Kessler’s presence made those drives even more complicated. Toronto was also without starting center Jakob Poeltl, who was ruled out shortly before tip-off with shoulder bursitis. Trayce Jackson-Davis started in his place but played only nine minutes, leaving the Raptors without a dependable answer for the Lakers’ size.

There were positives. Toronto forced 22 turnovers and collected 14 steals, creating the kind of opportunities its offense needs. Jamison Battle also scored 20 points in just 17 minutes off the bench, giving the Raptors an unexpected scoring boost.

Still, Toronto couldn’t turn those contributions into a win, even as it cut the deficit to five points inside the final minute.

Leonard’s eventual return should help, but the Raptors can’t assume his presence will resolve every offensive issue. Until then, they need to find ways to generate better possessions when opponents take away the transition game. Otherwise, Barnes could keep putting up big numbers without Toronto getting the results it needs.