The San Antonio Spurs started the season 3-2, including a back-to-back impressive road wins over the Phoenix Suns. Since then, the Spurs have not won a game, losing 18 in a row as Victor Wembanyama and company have been competitive at times but unable to put together a full four quarter effort over the past month-plus of games.
That streak finally ended on national television on Friday, as Wembanyama, Devin Vassell, and the rest of the young Spurs were able to exorcise some demons en route to a 129-115 win over LeBron James and an Anthony Davis-less Lakers squad to get back in the win column for the first time in more than a month.
San Antonio came out and blitzed the Lakers, turning defense into offense and darting out to a 42-22 lead after the first quarter, with Wembanyama, Vassell, and Keldon Johnson leading the way.
Wemby steal & push… Vassell knocks down the triple
Spurs coming out HOT.
Lakers-Spurs | Live on ESPN pic.twitter.com/KV5ePimRah
— NBA (@NBA) December 16, 2023
Wemby stands TALL at the rim
Lakers-Spurs | Live on ESPN pic.twitter.com/RWBXdPN0VA
— NBA (@NBA) December 16, 2023
Wemby with EASE!
Lakers-Spurs | Live on ESPN pic.twitter.com/4hYzCSYtv5
— NBA (@NBA) December 16, 2023
The Lakers would come back and make it a game at the half, as LeBron James and company made the expected charge to get back into the game, including the moment of the game when LeBron hit a high arcing three in a rare isolation possession against Wembanyama.
Good defense.
Better shotmaking.LeBron and Wemby going to battle in their first-ever meeting pic.twitter.com/b6bM63pA8k
— NBA (@NBA) December 16, 2023
However, on the whole, Wembanyama would get the better of James and the Lakers, scoring 13 points, pulling down 15 rebounds, dishing out five assists, and putting up two blocks and two steals in a strong showing.
Point-Wemby pulls up and knocks down the 3!
With this bucket, the rookie notches his 7th-straight double-double
Lakers-Spurs | Live on ESPN pic.twitter.com/DJVgwOqRrE
— NBA (@NBA) December 16, 2023
Wemby gets to the cup and punches it down!
Lakers-Spurs | Live on ESPN pic.twitter.com/AaW5yTj2NJ
— NBA (@NBA) December 16, 2023
Vassell was the standout scorer for the Spurs on Friday night, as he poured in a career-high 36 points on the Lakers and, for the first time since November 2, the Spurs got to celebrate a win.
Devin Vassell drops a career-high 36 points as the Spurs get the win over the Lakers!
36 PTS / 12-19 FGM / 5-10 3PM pic.twitter.com/2ecx7m6arE
— NBA (@NBA) December 16, 2023
In all, the Spurs had seven players reach double figures on the night, as they thoroughly enjoyed facing a Lakers defense that did not have their anchor in Davis. As a team, San Antonio shot 49.5 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from three, lighting up an L.A. team that simply didn’t have anything close to their A-game on that end with their star center out. Even factoring in injury issues for the Lakers (D’Angelo Russell was also out) it was not a good showing, and no team ever wants to be the “get right” game for a team on a lengthy losing streak.