FSM Essential Recap: Lakers vs Spurs - Game 18

FSM Essential Recap: Lakers vs Spurs – Game 18

Franchise Sports Media

Los Angeles Lakers (7-11) | San Antonio Spurs (6-15)

 

LeBron James powered the Lake Show with no Anthony Davis in their win over the San Antonio Spurs 143-138.

 

The NBA suspended Patrick Beverley for three games due to his accumulation of unsportsmanlike acts. It is the eighth time he has either been suspended or fined. He was barred from playing in this one and will be eligible to return in the matchup against Portland.

Anthony Davis was out with a left calf contusion that he suffered against San Antonio last time out.

The Lake Show’s starters were Dennis Schroder, Lonnie Walker IV, Troy Brown Jr., LeBron James, and Thomas Bryant.

Jakob Poeltl got to work with no Davis and got the second chance point. But the Lakers started 4 of 4 with a pair of threes, and the Spurs were 5 of 8 with a pair of offensive boards in a fast start in San Antonio. The Lakers led early 12-10.

However, with no Davis inside, San Antonio had 12 points in the paint in the first 3+ minutes, including back-to-back layups to put them up 14-12 into the first Lakers time-out.

Coming out of the timeout, James drew the double team and bounced it over to Bryant who threw down a dunk to tie the game. The Spurs countered by ripping off a 7-0 run capped off by Devin Vassell as he converted an and-1 layup.

Russell Westbrook entered the game and immediately scored to stop the drought, Wenyen Gabriel knocked down his second three on the season to cut the lead to five, Walker IV scored inside to cut the lead to three, Westbrook hit a shot off the glass and it was a one-point game, Austin Reaves got a floater to fall in transition and the Lakers had the lead again.

That nice run from the Lake Show’s bench produced a 25-24 lead after the starters had dug an 8-point hole earlier. To end the first quarter, Gabriel stole a Spurs inbounds pass with two seconds left at midcourt, and rose to hit a one-legged, buzzer-beating three, his second of the quarter, to trim the Spurs lead to 34-33 after 12 minutes.

To open the second quarter, the Spurs go on a quick 6-2 run with back-to-back threes. Poeltl went up and under to score through traffic inside. No Davis was hurting the Lake Show in the paint. Then Poeltl got the dunk in transition but came down hobbling, he exited promptly back to the locker room.

Poeltl, who took advantage of Davis’ absence for 12 points and 9 rebounds, limped to the locker room after apparently hurting himself on a dunk, Poeltl was quickly ruled out for the game due to right quad soreness.

Then another injury scare came up with Bryant doing exactly what Davis did last game, slipping on a wet spot as he was running over to help James up. Thankfully he was just fine.

A 9-0 Laker run was spoiled by Keldon Johnson who hit a three. With that, both teams shot well from deep early on, with the Lakers at 50% (8-16) and the Spurs at 58.3% (7-12).

Dennis Schroder took the lead for the Lakers after sinking a mid-range jumper. Zach Collins took the lead back after getting a three to fall. After Bryant’s free throws, it was a tie game at 58-58. Then a highlight play, James lobbed it to Westbrook, who lobbed it right back to James for a finish that put the Lake Show up 70-66 late in the 2nd quarter. 

 

That lob put them up by 6, capping a run before the Spurs managed the final four points of the half. The Lakers had trailed by 11 at the 7:24 mark before closing the half on a 29-16 run, much of it after Poeltl left the game. The first half came to an end with the Lakers leading, 70-68.

 

Another Spurs injury occurred as Jeremy Sochan was out as well due to a right quad contusion. Schröder had only 24 combined points in his first four Laker games this season, albeit in limited minutes. In this one, he had 21 points already, on 6 of 8 field goals with 3 threes.

Reaves was a perfect 5 for 5 off the bench after a transition and-1, for 12 bench points, his latest making it 97-90 with the advantage for the Lakers.

Westbrook then comes down bleeding after getting whacked by Collins on a layup attempt. Collins got him right on his forehead with an elbow. It was a flagrant two-foul on Collins, who was ejected. Westbrook got a technical foul for confronting Collins as he was getting up. The Lakers led 100-93.

To end the third, the score read 106-97 with the Lake Show ahead by nine. So far this was James’ best 3-point shooting night of the season, at 5 for 9 thus far. He came in shooting just 24.0% from three in his first 11 games.

Walker IV hit a three to extend the lead back to double digits. Johnson then came back down and scored through contact, however, he complained after the play, and was called for a technical foul. Giving the Lakers a four-point swing as James hit the technical free throw, and a three.

James was now 6 for 10 from three, and 10 for 10 at the free throw line totaling 32 points. The Lake Show held a 116-105 lead with 9:35 to play.

Westbrook returned to the bench and gave Darvin Ham a thumbs-up that he was available to return. The cut on his head required no sutures.

Isaiah Roby and Romeo Langford hit back-to-back threes and that cut the Lake Show lead to eight. A scoring run by James had the Lakers up 16, but the Spurs ran their way to an 8-0 push to trim the margin in half with 7:11 still to play.

Walker IV would then hit a huge run-stopping three, the former Spur, out of the time out as James got a rest. Walker IV continued pouring it on with a layup inside. Walker IV and Doug McDermott then traded threes, with the Lake Show still ahead by 10. 

San Antonio tried to mount a late-game comeback, but the Lake Show wouldn’t let up. As the final score read Lakers 143, Spurs 138. The Lakers won without Davis to improve to 7-11 and they scored a season-high 143 points. The Lake Show has now won 5 of 6.

Key Takeaways

 

James had a season-high 39 points on a season-high seven threes, along with 11 rebounds. James told Mike Trudell that he wasn’t worried about his early-season shooting slump because he knows and trusts the work he puts in.

Schroder had 21 points on 3-4 shooting from three and six assists. Four other Lakers scored in double figures, 19 points by Walker IV on 3-5 from three, 16 points from Reaves on 6-7 overall, 15 points from Gabriel on 2-4 from three, and 11 points, eight rebounds, and six assists from Westbrook.

Johnson led the way with 26 points and 10 rebounds, but he shot 10-28 from the field. Tre Jones had 23 points, eight rebounds, and 13 assists. Vassell had 20 points on 4-9 from three. McDermott had 15 points.

Davis is expected to return from his left calf contusion injury Monday vs. the Pacers, sources told ESPN.

“We beat them three times. I think it’s a win on my end,” Walker IV told reporters on returning to San Antonio to face his former team.

 

The Lakers will now go back home to take on the Indiana Pacers. They’ll face off Monday, November 28th, at 7:30 p.m. at the Crypto.com Arena. The game will be available on Spectrum SportsNet, NBA League Pass, Bally Sports Indiana, Bally Sports Midwest, Bally Sports South, and Bally Sports Southeast.

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– Jake Ideguchi-Furukawa – Franchise Sports Media

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