Lakers Highlights: Spurs Best Shorthanded LA In Second Meeting This Week

LeBron James returns as part of a new-look starting five.

With three of your Los Angeles Lakers' starters sitting tonight against the San Antonio Spurs (and five standard roster players sitting overall), LA had significantly more trouble in San Antonio tonight than it did on Wednesday, ultimately helping the Spurs end their 18-game losing streak. The absence of Anthony Davis clearly hurt Los Angeles the most, as without the 6'10" big man's intimidating two-way play, San Antonio was able to play much more freely.

In the first quarter, the Spurs ran roughshod over the Lake Show, connecting on 64% of all their field goals. With Jaxson Hayes starting for an ailing Anthony Davis, San Antonio star Victor Wembanyama (and the rest of his colleagues) were able to get whatever they wanted inside, outscoring LA 14-8 in the post.

But, hey, at least LeBron James looked unencumbered by the calf issue that waylaid him on Wednesday:

LEBRON STEAL AND DUNK. 🔥

pic.twitter.com/fnFoBV41af

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) December 16, 2023

Austin Reaves, elevated to a starting gig with D'Angelo Russell out, led all Lakers scorers in the quarter with 11 points on 4-of-8 field goal shooting.

Things got so dire, two-way Lakers guard D'Moi Hodge even got some rotation minutes.

By the end of the frame, San Antonio was up big, 42-22.

The Spurs quickly built up their lead to as much as 25 points early in the second quarter.

And then LeBron James woke up.

The 6'9" forward helped LA outscore San Antonio 40-27 in the frame, thanks to a 12-point, nine-assist offensive clinic. That nine-assist tally ties his maximum secured in a single quarter, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

This disrespectful fadeaway corner triple in Victor Wembanyama's face was the best moment of James' run:

In Wemby's face! #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/P6BtjBRT0c

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) December 16, 2023

Although Los Angeles got within five, they ultimately closed out the half training by seven, 69-62.

San Antonio cranked up the gas to start the second half, quickly galloping to a 15-point edge. After LeBron James took a breather following some friendly fire (Rui Hachimura accidentally hit his nose), LA’s offense in the period was powered by newly-minted starting point guard Austin Reaves (who had eight points in the frame) and reserve bigs Hachimura and Christian Wood. Darvin Ham reinstated James at the end of the quarter, and he promptly assumed the brunt of the Lakers’ offensive burden. San Antonio still led by double digits after three, but by a surmountable 98-87 margin.

With Davis sitting, Christian Wood was dusted off the deep bench, and he responded with some emphatic offense, finishing with 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the floor (2-of-5 from deep) and 3-of-8 from the foul line, eight rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal:

Wood slam! 🔨 pic.twitter.com/Cs79XhzT6P

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) December 16, 2023

Surprisingly, LA couldn’t get much closer in the fourth, eventually falling 129-115. Yes, the team was missing four of its top eight players (Davis, D'Angelo Russell, Cam Reddish and Gabe Vincent), but there was really no excusing this defeat.

Three Lakers finished with 20+ points (five overall finished in double digits): James, who had 23 points on an inefficient 7-of-17 shooting line from the field, along with 14 assists, seven rebounds and two steals; Austin Reaves, whose 22 points all arrived in the contest's first three quarters (he left early in the fourth quarter with cramps), while Hachimura notched 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the field. 

On the Spurs side, it was small forward Devin Vassell who threw off the grading curve, scoring 19 points more than anybody else on the team, with 36 points on 12-of-19 shooting from the floor (including 5-of-10 from distance) and 7-of-7 shooting from the charity stripe. Seven Spurs finished with double-digit scoring. Rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama logged a 13-point, 15-rebound double-double, along with five dimes, two blocks and two steals, in 30:50.

LA actually outscored San Antonio in the paint 58-44 and converted a similar amount of shots from the field (San Antonio outshot the Lakers slightly, 49.5%-48.3%), but its big weakness this season still ultimately held it back: three-point shooting. The Spurs went 18-of-42 from deep (42.9%), while Los Angeles shot 11-of-36 from long range (30.6%), meaning San Antonio enjoyed a 21-point advantage just from three-point land.

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