The Lakers’ home floor has long been a stage for stars. Tuesday night, it became Victor Wembanyama’s canvas.
With a performance that felt equal parts artistry and avalanche, the San Antonio Spurs rolled past a short-handed Los Angeles Lakers squad, 136–108, in a game that was effectively decided before halftime.
Wembanyama authored the kind of first half that turns heads across the league. The 7-foot-4 All-Star poured in 25 points in the opening quarter alone, scoring inside, outside and everywhere
in between. Fadeaways over outstretched arms. Catch-and-shoot threes in rhythm. Swift drives that ended with soft finishes at the rim. By the time the teams walked into the locker room, Wembanyama had 37 points — finishing with 40 for the night — and the Spurs had posted 84 first-half points, the most ever surrendered by a Lakers team in a half.
The Lakers searched for answers and found none.
San Antonio’s offense moved with purpose from the opening tip. The ball zipped around the perimeter, extra passes led to open looks, and turnovers quickly turned into transition buckets. The Spurs shot better than 50 percent from the field and collected 13 steals, repeatedly turning Los Angeles mistakes into easy points the other way.
While Wembanyama delivered the headline performance, the supporting cast ensured it became a rout.
Rookie Carter Bryant knocked down shots with confidence, finishing with a career-high 16 points, while fellow rookie Dylan Harper added 15 points and six assists, attacking gaps in the defense and keeping the offense sailing with ease. San Antonio’s bench maintained the tempo, preventing any sustained Lakers push.
Los Angeles, playing without LeBron James, Luka Dončić, Marcus Smart, and Austin Reaves, struggled to generate offense. The depleted lineup showed effort but lacked the firepower to match the Spurs’ early surge. Each brief Lakers run was met with another San Antonio response, the lead swelling past 20 — and eventually past 40 — before settling at 28 by the final horn.
By the fourth quarter, the only suspense remaining was the final margin.
For the Spurs, the victory was more than a lopsided score line. It was a statement of growth and cohesion, a young roster blending generational talent with developing depth. When Wembanyama ignites the way he did in Los Angeles, San Antonio’s ceiling rises dramatically.
On a night when the spotlight often shines brightest on the purple and gold, it was the Spurs who owned the stage — and they left it with one of their most emphatic wins of the season.
