Wembanyama Scores 30 As Spurs Fall To Grizzlies In Tight NBA Showdown

LeBron James and Luka Doncic powered the Los Angeles Lakers to a 111-103 win over the New Orleans Pelicans, while Darius Garland inspired a late Cleveland Cavaliers surge against the Indiana Pacers and Cam Spencer closed out a 106-105 Memphis Grizzlies victory over the San Antonio Spurs.

The Lakers handed New Orleans an eighth straight defeat, Garland extended Indiana’s misery to a franchise-record 13th loss, and Memphis ended a four-game skid despite 30 points from Victor Wembanyama, who returned after missing two games for the Spurs.

James finished with 30 points and Doncic matched that total while also handing out 10 assists, including two off-balance 3-pointers that beat the shot clock, as Los Angeles protected the lead late and continued

a strong spell of form with a fourth win in five games.

Deandre Ayton added 18 points and 11 rebounds, giving the Lakers a consistent inside option. New Orleans still held a nine-point advantage late in the third quarter, but could not hold off the decisive response and slipped further during a difficult losing run.

Trey Murphy delivered a career-best 42 points for the Pelicans, while Zion Williamson scored 15. Rookie Derik Queen contributed 10 points and 13 rebounds, yet New Orleans lost control when Los Angeles opened the fourth quarter with an 18-4 burst that completely changed the game.

That run featured two deep 3-pointers from James, another from Dalton Knecht and two close-range baskets by Ayton. The surge pushed the Lakers ahead 97-90, and from that stage the Pelicans never cut the margin to fewer than four points despite several late opportunities.

Got it done pic.twitter.com/oXFXEHz01V Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) January 7, 2026

Garland scored 29 points and took charge in the fourth quarter, producing 14 in the final period as Cleveland overturned a nine-point deficit against Indiana to claim a 120-116 win, giving the Cavaliers four victories in five games despite missing several important rotation players.

The Pacers, last season’s Eastern Conference champions, dropped to 6-31 and recorded a 13th straight defeat, their longest losing run in the NBA era. Indiana now stands one loss away from matching the Washington Wizards’ 14-game slide, the season’s worst streak so far.

The Cavaliers were short-handed after coach Kenny Atkinson rested All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell. Earlier, team officials confirmed Max Strus was expected to be out for at least another month because of a left foot injury, though Atkinson stressed that the revised schedule did not reflect any new setback.

Cleveland also lost Dean Wade in the first half due to a bruised left knee, further stretching options. Evan Mobley responded with 20 points, while Jarrett Allen and Sam Merrill each scored 19. Merrill hit six of 10 attempts from 3-point range, providing crucial spacing during the comeback.

Team	Result	Key Scorer	Record After Game
Cleveland Cavaliers	120-116 vs Pacers	Darius Garland (29)	4 wins in last 5
Indiana Pacers	Loss vs Cavaliers	—	6-31, 13-game skid

Goodnight, Cleveland! #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/93AyFlyisy Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) January 7, 2026

NBA thriller as Grizzlies edge Spurs

Spencer produced 21 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for Memphis, and controlled the closing stages as the Grizzlies edged San Antonio by one point. Jaren Jackson Jr. also finished with 21 points, while Jack Landale added 19, helping Memphis halt a four-game losing streak.

In a tense finish, Spencer hit five points during the last 1:26, including a 10-foot baseline jumper with 36.5 seconds remaining that became the final score of the night. San Antonio attempted to answer but came up short in the game’s last possession.

De'Aaron Fox created a final chance for the Spurs, pulling up for a 15-foot jumper with five seconds left. Santi Aldama met the attempt cleanly, blocking the shot and securing the ball for Memphis, which then ran out the clock to seal the narrow victory.

Wembanyama led San Antonio with 30 points in 21 minutes after returning from a two-game absence. Wembanyama shot 10 of 20 from the field and 3 of 6 from 3-point range, while Julian Champagnie scored 23 points and Stephon Castle added 15 before fouling out with 3:13 remaining.

Matchup	Final Score	Top Performer	Stat Line
Grizzlies vs Spurs	106-105	Cam Spencer	21 pts, 8 reb, 8 ast
Lakers vs Pelicans	111-103	LeBron James	30 pts, key 4Q threes

COUNT THAT FOR VIC @FanDuelSN_SW https://t.co/frD28T3bmx pic.twitter.com/h4awTzV034 San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) January 7, 2026

The night across the NBA featured decisive late-game moments, from Garland’s surge in Cleveland to Spencer’s block-sealing jumper in Memphis and James’ shooting flurry in Los Angeles, with each performance shaping team momentum heading deeper into the regular season schedule.