Lakers seeking spark to save season after loss

TORONTO - The struggling Los Angeles Lakers were unable to solve their mounting problems in the National Basketball Association’s most northern outpost as the Toronto Raptors handed them a 108-103 defeat.

Monday, January 21, 2013
Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant puts his jersey in his mouth during a break in play against the Toronto Raptors. Net photo.

SundayOrlando  105-111    Dallas     Detroit    103-88    Boston     Denver    121-118    Oklahoma City     TORONTO - The struggling Los Angeles Lakers were unable to solve their mounting problems in the National Basketball Association’s most northern outpost as the Toronto Raptors handed them a 108-103 defeat.With the offseason addition of Steve Nash and Dwight Howard, the Lakers created the NBA’s newest super team, rekindling fond memories of the team’s "Showtime” era from 1979-1989 with Hall of Famers Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.But the season has not gone according to script and the Lakers (17-23) limped out of Toronto with only two more wins than the lowly Raptors (15-26), having lost five consecutive road games and sitting 11th in the 15-team Western Conference.In the midst of rebuild, Toronto coach Dwane Casey is not particularly disturbed by his team’s record but admitted he was surprised to find the Lakers in the same neighborhood."I would have thought they were nuts,” said Casey, when asked what he would have thought if someone had projected the Lakers and Raptors would have similar records.