The Los Angeles Lakers, who desperately needed a win after a challenging week, will seek to capitalize on their success when the Toronto Raptors come to visit on Tuesday.

The Lakers managed to break a four-game losing streak by securing a hard-fought 106-103 win against the rapidly improving Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday. LeBron James, with 25 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and Anthony Davis, with 22 points and 10 rebounds, led the team’s effort to change their fortunes.

The Lakers had been struggling with a 3-10 record since winning the NBA in-season tournament, and there were reports of dissatisfaction among unidentified players on the squad and head coach Darvin Ham.

James and Davis, in what seemed to be a display of support for Ham, stepped up and inspired the team. Their contributions motivated other players around them, with Taurean Prince and D’Angelo Russell each scoring 13 points, and Christian Wood contributing nine points and 10 rebounds. Russell, who had missed the previous three games due to a tailbone contusion, returned to the lineup, but Rui Hachimura was still sidelined for the third consecutive game with a calf injury. The Lakers’ defense limited the sharp-shooting Clippers to a field goal percentage of 39.6, which was their worst in a game this season.

“It takes the rest of the team to win championships and basketball games,” said Davis. “These guys played exceptionally well, and when they perform at this level, it just makes things easier for me and Bron. Clearly, we have complete confidence in these guys to make shots and take crucial shots. When they are performing at a high level, it creates opportunities for us on the court.”

James and Davis collectively shot 21 of 34 (61.8 percent) from the field, helping the Lakers to a team shooting percentage of 51.2 percent, including 11 of 29 from 3-point range (37.9 percent).

“We need to use this as a springboard for improved performance,” James commented. “However, it doesn’t erase how we’ve been playing in the last 11 or 12 games. It was a good start. Hopefully, we can build on this performance going forward.”

The revamped Raptors have been showing improvement after a tough stretch, winning three of their last four games following a period in which they lost five out of six. Toronto achieved a 133-118 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Sunday, bringing their record to 2-1 on a six-game road trip. RJ Barrett, playing in his fourth game with the Raptors following his trade from the New York Knicks, scored a season-high 37 points. Immanuel Quickley, another acquisition from the same trade, contributed 10 assists and nine points.

In his four games with the Raptors, Barrett has averaged 21.0 points on 53.8-percent shooting along with 6.5 rebounds. This is a notable improvement from his performances in the 26 games with the Knicks at the start of the season, during which he scored 18.2 points on 42.3-percent shooting.

“I’m adapting to a new system and trying to tackle it head-on; striving to be open-minded,” Barrett remarked. “I’m studying a lot of film to ensure that I’m meeting the expectations of coach Darko Rajakovic and finding ways to be effective in that system.”