Any likelihood the Lakers had at attempting to seize a second NBA Cup championship within the third season of the event evaporated for good within the fourth quarter towards a younger, quick and athletic San Antonio Spurs staff lacking its finest participant.
The Lakers received the inaugural NBA Cup title in 2023 and had designs on successful it once more in 2025 and the $500,000 money that goes to every participant on the championship staff.
But it surely was to not be — not with the Lakers unable to decelerate the Spurs throughout a 132-119 quarterfinal loss Wednesday evening at Crypto.com Enviornment.
The Lakers bought down by as a lot as 24 factors within the fourth and made a run to get to inside eight factors late within the fourth quarter.
However the Lakers bought no nearer and now will face the Suns in Phoenix on Sunday.
The Spurs will meet the defending NBA champion Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder on Saturday evening in Las Vegas within the semifinals.
Luka Doncic had 35 factors, eight rebounds and 5 assists, Marcus Sensible got here off the bench to attain 26 and LeBron James had 19 factors, 15 rebounds and eight assists. However that wasn’t sufficient towards a Spurs staff that had seven gamers rating in double figures.
Stephon Fort led the Spurs with 30 factors and De’Aaron Fox had 20.
When the Lakers wanted somebody to raise them after they bought down by 18 factors within the second, somebody to supply them a spark when there wasn’t one for a lot of the quarter, they lastly bought it from the oldest participant on the courtroom, 40-year-old LeBron James.
James drove down the lane and threw down a thunderous dunk over Spurs 7-1 middle Luke Kornet, bringing the Lakers to inside eight factors and charging up the group within the course of.
James growled and yelled within the face of the reeling Kornet. The gang stood and cheered, now completely happy that there was a Lakers’ awakening.
Lebron James and Jaxson Hayes react after James dunked towards Spurs middle Luke Kornet within the first half.
(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Occasions)
However the Lakers couldn’t maintain on to that momentum, falling behind 70-58 on the half.
After which when the third quarter began, the Lakers got here out flat, giving up back-to-back threes and two less difficult baskets for the Spurs to fall into an 80-60 gap early within the third.
The Lakers didn’t make it straightforward on themselves both.
Doncic bought a technical foul within the first quarter after no foul was known as after Kelly Olynyk smacked him within the face and Lakers coach JJ Redick was known as for a technical foul within the second quarter.
When the Lakers final confronted the Spurs a bit of over a month in the past right here, San Antonio famous person Victor Wembanyama performed in a recreation L.A. received, however speedy level guard De’Aaron Fox didn’t.
It was the alternative this time, with Fox taking part in and Wembanyama out with a left calf pressure.
The 7-5 Wembanyama has been out for nearly a month and the super-quick Fox has been again throughout that point, which has modified the dynamic of the Spurs, which meant the Lakers needed to shift how they performed protection towards San Antonio.
The Spurs are extra guard-oriented with Fox, Fort and Dylan Harper.
The Lakers bought a style of how a lot quicker the Spurs are actually within the first quarter, when L.A. gave up 39 factors and trailed by 9 after the primary body.
The Spurs present 56% from the sphere within the first, 50% (six-for-12) from three-point vary.
Keldon Johnson got here off the bench to attain 13 factors within the first quarter for the Spurs.
“Yeah, they’re running a lot of pick and rolls with Fox, a lot of pick and rolls with Castle and Harper,” Lakers coach JJ Redick mentioned pregame in regards to the Spurs’ new approach of taking part in. “And all those pick and rolls lead to drives, those pick and rolls lead to kick-outs and catch two threes and then more drives. So, we’ve got to do a good job of containing the basketball and do a good job of contesting.”
