The Lakeshow Review

The Los Angeles Lakers returned home to face the 5-1 San Antonio Spurs, who were the second seed in the Western Conference coming into the matchup. It was a highly competitive game, with momentum constantly swinging both ways, but fortunately the Lakers were able to prevail by a final score of 118-116. The Spurs, led by center Victor Wembanyama, are projected to be one of the top teams in the Western Conference, and Wembanyama’s own stellar play has garnered him early MVP consideration. LA fell behind midway through the final period, but were able to rally back and eventually secure a late lead, one which they were able to hold on to. It was a sluggish game for both teams, but as they’ve been doing lately, the Lakers found a way to pull it off.

The Spurs got off to an early 10-6 lead, but LA, thanks to their half-court pressure on offense, were able to keep pace with them. Luka Dončić led the way, as his 22 first half points helped LA stay afloat. The Lakers, and Head Coach JJ Redick, have been doing a great job lately of getting Luka going offensively early in games. They know they need his scoring, while other players find their rhythm. Last night, the Lakers ran Luka off a ton of off-ball screens, having him curl and catch the ball in motion. This allows Luka to operate on the pick-and-roll with a full head of steam, with the screen setter also rolling to the rim. From there, Dončić can drive, pull up, hit the roller or collapse the defense and create for an open teammate. This has proved to be an effective strategy in generating early offense, and if his defender keeps going over the screen, this play should be there for LA consistently. On-ball, Luka continues to thrive on high pick-and-rolls with either Jaxson Hayes, or Deandre Ayton. If the big manages to slip behind the defense, then it’s an easy dunk, and against the drop, Luka can comfortably pull up for the midrange. Thanks to their timely offensive execution, the Lakers were able to take a 60-59 lead into the half.

The third quarter saw San Antonio regain the lead, thanks in large part to a barrage of three pointers and thanks in no small part to the referees. The Spurs shot 16 free throws in the third quarter, to LAs eight. The Spurs would go on to win the third quarter 37-28. The Lakers, however, made sure to start the fourth quarter hot. Eventually closing in on the Spurs’ lead, until a late triple by Luka with a little over two minutes gave them a lead. They would go on to get timely defensive stops, and big baskets by Rui Hachimura and Marcus Smart helped LA sustain their lead. The Lakers seemingly had the game in the bag, up by two points with only seconds left. That was before Smart made a not-so-smart play, as he inbounded the ball with one foot still planted in front of the out-of-bounds line. As a result, San Antonio was allowed to inbound the ball on LAs side, and potentially tie or take the lead. Thankfully, neither took place, as forward Julian Champagnie was fouled after the inbound and would go on to miss both free throws. The Lakers averted what would have been a disastrous loss, however, the team deserves credit for fighting their way back versus a tough opponent. One whom they’ll be seeing more of throughout the season, and possibly in the playoffs.

Luka Dončić was once again stellar, scoring 35 points on 9-27 shooting. He also went 13-17 from the free throw line. Despite a poor shooting night, Luka managed to have a positive impact, as he pulled down nine boards and dished 13 assists. He also collected five steals, as he continues to be both aggressive and alert on help defense, specifically in the passing lanes. The Lakers also continue to make good use of his gravity in order to create offense for his teammates. Deandre Ayton had another efficient night with 22 points and 10 rebounds, while Marcus Smart also contributed 17 points, five boards and five assists, in addition to his usual defensive impact. Save for the boneheaded play at the end, Smart continues to show why he was one of LAs best acquisitions last summer.

Defensively, the Lakers did a fine job of containing Spurs superstar and MVP-hopeful Victor Wembanyama. Wemby finished with 19 points and eight rebounds on 5-14 shooting, before fouling out late in the fourth quarter. LA made a conscious effort to relentlessly front the post and make sure Wemby caught the ball as far away from the paint as possible. They made sure his shot diet consisted of mostly fadeaway jumpers or midrange looks. LA also constantly doubled Wemby as soon as he caught the ball, in order to make him a passer rather than a scorer, and forced a few turnovers this way. Despite the Spurs’ hot shooting, the Lakers’ rotations were generally on point, where I feel this was the best defensive game they’ve played so far this season.

The Lakers played an impressive game, albeit an ugly one. But they found a way to win it at the end. Despite giving up considerable size to the Spurs’ frontcourt, LA won the rebounding battle 38-37. And despite it being a sluggish performance by both sides, the Lakers did manage to keep their turnovers relatively low, 14 to San Antonio’s 19. Even with the Spurs outshooting them from the floor, the Lakers still had more assists as a team, much of that thanks to Luka’s 13 dimes. Not the most efficient game played this year by either team, but LA found its way to a victory despite not playing their best. That’s always a good sign. Now, they’ll prepare for a five-game road trip where they’ll take on the Atlanta Hawks to kick things off. If the coaching staff keeps making the right tweaks, and the team can continue to bring this type of energy and effort, they’ll be in good shape. Until then, let’s hope they manage to get healthier and continue improving. Go Lakers.