Victor Wembanyama scores 40 points in Spurs win…
When the Lakers opened their homestand with back-to-back wins over the 76ers and Warriors, giving them a three-game successful streak for the first time in a month, it seemed like they have been primed to head into the All-Star break with momentum on their aspect.
(*40*)-eight hours can change a lot.
Because once it turned clear they’d be without most of their main gamers on Tuesday evening against the San Antonio Spurs, with Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves among the gamers who have been in avenue garments on the group’s bench, it was all but sure that the Lakers have been going to drop back-to-back video games after shedding to the first-place Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday evening.
And Spurs star Victor Wembanyama ensured that can be the case, recording a game-best 40 points (13-of-20 taking pictures) to go with 12 rebounds en route to handing the Lakers a 136-108 defeat at Crypto.com Arena.
San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama is double-teamed. AP
Dendre Ayton and Marcus Smart have been also sidelined for the Lakers.
With the Lakers short-handed, Luke Kennard and Drew Timme led the under-manned group with 14 points apiece.
But the Spurs carved up their protection with ease, taking pictures 56.5% from the sphere.
What it means
The Lakers dropped to 32-21 on the season, but maintained their No. 5 spot in the Western Conference standings because they own the tiebreaker over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
They’re wanting to keep away from their third three-game shedding streak since mid-December.
LeBron James watches from the sideline as Bronny James walks up the court during the first half. AP
Turning level
At 1:06 p.m. on Tuesday.
That’s when the Lakers announced they’d be without Doncic, James, Reaves and Smart.
And an hour before tipoff, Ayton was ruled out, sidelined with what may doubtlessly be their beginning lineup when totally healthy.
MVP: Victor Wembanyama
If there have been any doubts about what the outcome of Tuesday’s sport can be after it turned clear who the Lakers can be without, Wembanyama shortly erased them.
The 7-foot-4 French phenom scored 23 of the Spurs’ first 28 points, and precisely half of the first 46 points of the sport between the Lakers and Spurs.
Victor Wembanyama dunks the ball. AP
He had 25 first-quarter points through the sport’s first eight minutes before being subbed out.
Wembanyama’s first-quarter scoring complete was tied for the Tenth-most in the play-by-play period (1996-97 season), with his eight minutes in the opening body being the fewest among those 16 gamers who’ve scored at least 25 points in a first quarter.
Stat of the sport: 26
That’s how many minutes Wembanyama needed to match his season-high scoring complete.
He turned the third participant in league historical past to rating at least 40 points in fewer than 27 minutes, becoming a member of Patrick Ewing (1988) and “Sleepy” Floyd (1991).
It was the second-fewest minutes in a 40-point, 10-rebound sport behind Ewing.
Up next
The Lakers will continue their homestand, and play their ultimate sport before the All-Star break, when they host the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday.
The Mavericks have misplaced eight straight video games, with their shedding streak beginning when they fell to the Lakers on Jan. 24 in Dallas.
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