San Antonio started its Rodeo Road Trip by displacing the Boston Celtics with the highest scoring half (84 to 83) by an opponent in Lakers’ franchise history on the way to a blowout win. Los Angeles, missing Luka Doncic, Lebron James, and Austin Reaves, could not stop Wembanyama from putting up a Gervin-like 25 point first quarter and 37 for the half in 18 total minutes. The Spurs surpassed 30+ points over the first three quarters, while keeping their field goal percentage well above 50% and nabbing
13 steals. The only down moment of the night came late in the first half, when Stephon Castle impressively turned away a Laker transition dunk at the rim, but fell awkwardly on his backside and didn’t return.
Victor Wembanyama (40 points and 12 rebounds) had a comically easy time generating his numbers tonight in comparison to some of his recent physical battles to push San Antonio to 17-10 on the road. Rookie Carter Bryant (16 points and 4 rebounds) continued his recent string of solid games, while fellow rookie Dylan Harper (15 points and 6 assists) shined just as brightly. Harrison Barnes (11 points and 3 steals) had a solid night off the bench.
Luke Kennard (14 points and 5 assists) and Jaxson Hayes (13 points and 4 rebounds) paced the Lakers in defeat. With a boxscore resembling an 80s backup center, Jake LaRavia finished with 10 points and 6 fouls.
Wembanyama scored 17 of San Antonio’s first 20 points with extraordinary creativity and accuracy, while Los Angeles struggled to find any movement and space. The Lakers looked like they were figuring out pre-season assignments during that initial Wemby-lanche. The impressive thing was that the Spurs drew Los Angeles into the foul bonus within minutes to expand out the offensive repertoire. Los Angeles started seeing its shots fall – enabling them to stay within 10-14 points. While Wembanyama sat, Keldon Johnson muscled home two lay-ups, Harper dribbled circles around his defenders, and a Kornet reverse tip-in made it 47-30.
San Antonio made sure to not play with its food and continued to add to its cushion through much of the second quarter. Wembanyama continued to feast from the interior while the standout guards – Fox, Harper, and Bryant – helped get the lead to as much as 30. Bryant, in particular, played the role of confident lead guard (especially after Castle went to the locker room after a tough fall) and the Spurs went to the half up 84-55.
San Antonio started the second half with consecutive threes from Harrison Barnes and Devin Vassell, but wasted several of possessions after. Kennard’s corner three did bring Los Angeles square with the Spurs for the period. Wembanyama continued his dominant offense over several minutes before the teams emptied their benches as the San Antonio lead stretched to 40.
Observations
- What the h*** just happened Sequence: Midway through the second period and off a Spur steal, Fox kept it for himself on a 4-on-1 lay-up. On the ensuing steal, Fox made like he was going to take it in himself again, but threw a off-the-backboard lob for a Wembanyama slam.
- It was nice to see Wembanyama start in the baseline / dunker spot in the first minute – he received a nice pass from Champagnie to draw two fouls at the rim. (This was before all of the following awesomeness happened).
- Barnes, upon entering the action late in the first, sought out his offense – hitting a fadeaway in the lane. Could he be fill the role of series-changing bench contributor?
- Right after Bronny James airballed a stepback by several feet, my wife quips “they should put him in the G-League.”
- The LA broadcast was advertising a ‘2 free tacos if the Lakers win’ offer well into the first half.
- Drew Timme (14 points), future Spurs assistant coach.
- I was really happy to see Marcus Smart on the injury report. He is always good for 2-3 excessive fouls per game.
- Carter Bryant is doing things: Late in the first half, Bryant, who could have given up on a drive, instead ripped the ball away from an unsuspecting Laker, drove into traffic, and whipped a pass out to Barnes for a three.
- Carter Bryant is doing things: As an exclamation to an 84 point first half, Wembanyama – from the left block – found a cutting Bryant for a monstrous two-hand jam.
- Bryant has the most flamboyant Spur rebounding form since Kevin Willis.
- Sequence of the Game #1: Between the 11 and the 8 minute mark of the opening stanza, Wembanyama put up the quickest 17 points of his career.
- Sequence of the Game #2:. San Antonio’s first two points of the second period came in transition on a perfectly exsecuted 2-man fastbreak between Fox (lobber) and Harper (dunker).
- Sequence of the Game #3: Vassell knocked down a Kobe-like turnaround on Kennard late in the third; then stole an intended pass for Kennard and glided down the court for a dunk.
Game Rundown
After a Champagnie baseline three on the first possession, Wembanyama scored the next 17 in rapid and dominant succession for San Antonio. The Lakers were hesitant and tentative – missing often from distance. Outside of Bufkin’s two baskets, the Lakers fell behind by double-digits. Fox was the first Spur other than the previous two to get into the boxscore. LaRavia hit his shots to keep things interesting over the remainder of the quarter. In the final four Wemby-less minutes, San Antonio increased its advantage and exited the first up 17.
At the start of the second, Fox and Harper formed a solid battery – Fox fed for a Harper lob, then Fox fed for a Harper reverse. Bryant got in on the action with a power dunk to make it 53-30 with Stu Lantz lamenting “the Lakers looking at a TERRIBLE scoreboard.” LaRavia, picked up his fourth foul with over 9+ minutes left. Bryant bricked an open corner three, but confidently knocked down his next one seconds later. A baseline floater by Wembanyama made it 70-40. Castle had a spectacular chasedown block of a Hachimura dunk but had a difficult fall in the process. Wembanyama walked Kennard in for a Nerf dunk; then fed Bryant in the corner for a Danny Green three. LaRavia picked up his FIFTH FOUL with six seconds in the half, and the Spurs went to the break up 28.
Barnes and Vassell led off San Antonio’s scoring in the third with triples. LaRavia hilariously picked up his sixth foul with 7:43 in the third! Wembanyama’s wing three got the Spurs to 100 and himself to 40 – effectively ending the night for him. Harper’s transition and-1 pushed the Spur lead to 40 and San Antonio accomplished its goals of avoiding any more injuries while maintaining sufficient cushion to rest its starters for Wednesday’s tilt with Golden State, .
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San Antonio has a road SEGABABA with Draymond Green and the Golden State Warriors Wednesday night at 9:00 PM CDT.
