On the second night of a back-to-back set for the Lakers, they flew to San Antonio for a showdown against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs. As losers of three straight games, the Lakers were desperately seeking a win in this one and they managed to secure one in the form of a 119-101 thrashing over the Spurs.
After a rough stretch of play, the Lakers made a statement in the first half with a solid effort on both ends of the floor. They brought physicality to every play and enjoyed a balanced contribution from the role-players. In the final 24 minutes, the Lakers turned up the Heat even more and blew the game open by outshooting the Spurs to a ridiculous degree (Lakers shot 53%, Spurs shot 42%).
LeBron James had a rough night by his standards but he did record a triple-double with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists on 44.4% shooting. Anthony Davis also scored below his average but he did more than enough to win with 19 points, 14 rebounds, and 7 assists on 8-14 shooting. D’Angelo Russel was huge off the bench with 17 points, 5 assists, and 1 rebound per game 63.6% shooting.
On the other side, it’s no surprise that Victor Wembanyama was the star of the show. The former No. 1 overall pick put up 20 points (FG), 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks in 33:24 minutes. He had help from veteran swingman Harrison Barnes, who poured in 19 points and rebounds on 5-6 shooting from three. Devin Vasseell led their second unit with 14 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals on 50% shooting.
This game served as a major test for both teams heading into December. As a young team on the rise, the Spurs got to test their metal against a championship core while the Lakers got to see how they hold up against a rising Western Conference threat.
7 Players With 10 Points Or More
Usually, the Lakers rely on LeBron James and Anthony Davis to carry the scoring load, but it was everyone else who shined tonight. Seven different Lakers were in double-digits, including LeBron James (16 points, 8-18 FG), Anthony Davis (19 points, 8-13 FG), Dalton Knecht (20 points, 8-14 FG), Rui Hachimura (16 points 5-9 FG), Austin Reaves (13 points, 5-11 FG), D’Angelo Russell (17 points, 7-11 FG), and Max Christie (12 points, 4-5 FG).
Thanks to good passing, good shooting, and defensive mishaps by the Spurs, the Lakers cruised to victory with a red-hot offense that shot 54.1% from the field and 40.6% from three.
The game was an example of what the Lakers could be at their best when the role-players step up and give the stars the support they need. It remains to be seen if the Lakers can maintain this level of play, but it’s what they’ll need to stay relevant in the West with an aging LeBron James.
Small Ball Changed The Game
The Lakers started the game with Anthony Davis at center but as they were looking to build up a lead down the stretch, they gave LeBron James some run at the position. He took on the assignment of guarding Victor Wembanyama, who had a relatively mediocre game by his standards with 20 points and 10 rebounds on 45% shooting.
Of course, the Lakers couldn’t stick with the lineup for long but LeBron was able to catch a rhythm in the game after not shooting well through the first half of action. It kept the Spurs in check and allowed the Lakers to keep Christian Koloko’s minutes down.
For a team that typically plays better with size and strength, JJ Redick surprised a lot of people by moving James to center, if even for a brief time. And while it’s not an ideal scenario by any means, LeBron is clearly the best candidate available to fill in at center, given their lack of depth at the position.
Dalton Knecht Back In the Starting Lineup
One of the big changes between the Lakers’ recent losing streak and their win tonight was the starting lineup. After a brief stint off the bench, Redick decided to try starting Dalton again tonight, and the results were pretty conclusive.
In 30:31 minutes on the court, he dropped 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 steals on 53.3% shooting. His mere presence on the court opened up the floor for the other starters, including Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves, who both shot over 45% for the game.
Redick learned tonight that Dalton should be a permanent member of the starting lineup and as the team’s best perimeter player his role will likely continue to increase as he gains more experience.
The Lakers looked solid on both ends of the floor tonight and they took care of the ball relatively well with just 13 turnovers. But it should be noted that it came against a young and struggling Spurs team who is still trying to find their identity.
Tonight was nothing short of a must-win for the Lakers, and fortunately, they managed to get the job done before their next slate of games. At 11-7 on the season, the Lakers are barely above the play-in line but are still in play for a top-four seed in the West.
On Friday, November 29th, the Lakers will face off against the top-seeded Thunder at home, in the Crypto.com arena, at 10:00 PM EST. The next game is against the Jazz at Delta Center, at 8:00 PM EST before a match against the Timberwolves on December 2nd at Target Center.
