In what may have been his final appearance in Toronto, a diminished but still impactful LeBron James helped the Los Lakers snatch a 123-120 victory from the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday night. While far from his legendary peak, James made a critical play in the closing moments to extend his unique dominance over the Canadian franchise.
A Career Bookended in Canada
The night carried a sense of historical symmetry. Just over 22 years ago, a teenage LeBron James was scheduled to make his NBA preseason debut in St. John's, Newfoundland, in a game that also promised the first appearances of Chris Bosh and a rare East Coast showing from Vince Carter. That game was cancelled due to unsafe court conditions. While the Raptors never returned to Newfoundland, Toronto has borne witness to two decades of James' brilliance, often to its own detriment.
Thursday marked James's 30th regular-season game in Toronto, placing him behind only fellow Raptor tormentor Paul Pierce (32 games) for most visits by an opponent. Over those previous 29 contests, he averaged 27.9 points, the third-highest mark ever against Toronto on its home court. This includes a 56-point outburst in 2005, which stood as his career-high for nine years.
The Shadow of Father Time
This appearance, however, was starkly different. Now in his record 23rd NBA season, James has been limited to just six games due to a debilitating back issue. His scoring average has been nearly halved, and he entered the night coming off the first game of his career without recording a rebound, block, or steal.
The evidence of his decline was visible throughout the game. James started the night shooting a dismal 1-for-8 from the field. In a symbolic moment, he was blocked by Raptors rookie Collin Murray-Boyles, who was not born until after James had already completed two All-Star seasons. Later, Raptors star Scottie Barnes swatted away a James fadeaway attempt.
The drama built around whether James would extend his historic streak of 1,297 consecutive games with double-digit scoring, a run dating back to 2007. He reached eight points on a tough basket over Barnes late in the game. With a chance to score in the paint on the final possession, the 40-year-old veteran made the quintessential, unselfish play, kicking the ball out to Rui Hachimura for a game-sealing three-pointer at the buzzer.
Reaves Shines as Toronto's Newest Nemesis
While James struggled, the Lakers found their offense through Austin Reaves, who torched the Raptors for 44 points—the most scored by any opponent in Toronto in the past six seasons. Barnes was brilliant for the Raptors, outplaying James for much of the night, but it wasn't enough to secure a win.
James's playoff performances in Toronto were even more devastating than his regular-season exploits. In seven postseason games at Scotiabank Arena, he averaged 32.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 8.1 assists on 55.6% shooting, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 5-2 record and three series victories over the Raptors.
James is now the last active player from the 2003, 2004, and 2005 NBA drafts, with Kyle Lowry (2006) being the next most senior. The crowd in Toronto, aware this could be a finale, still roared with every move, treating the fading king with a mixture of reverence and relief.
Though he is no longer the best player on his own team—especially with Luka Doncic absent—LeBron James proved he still possesses just enough magic to break Toronto's heart one more time. His unparalleled reign over the Raptors, a defining subplot of the franchise's history, may be nearing its end, but the final chapter has yet to be officially closed.
