Luka Doncic scored 35 points as the Los Angeles Lakers narrowly defeated the San Antonio Spurs 118-116 on Wednesday at Crypto.com Arena. The victory improves the Lakers’ record to 7-2 while the Spurs fall to 5-3.
Los Angeles overcame a slow start, trailing by five after the first quarter, before rallying behind Doncic and Deandre Ayton, who added 22 points and 10 rebounds. Rui Hachimura chipped in 15 points, and Marcus Smart contributed 17 points with five assists.
The Spurs leaned on Stephon Castle, who posted 16 points, eight assists, and three steals, while Victor Wembanyama struggled with just 19 points and nine rebounds. San Antonio led briefly in the third quarter but could not maintain momentum against the Lakers’ late surge.
San Antonio’s rookie Dylan Harper left the game early with a calf injury, and De’Aaron Fox remained sidelined with a hamstring issue. The absence of Fox limited the Spurs’ backcourt options, forcing Castle and Harrison Barnes to handle the bulk of the offensive load.
Los Angeles has managed a strong start to the season despite missing LeBron James (sciatica). Nick Smith Jr. came off the bench to provide a spark with 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting, while Ayton delivered his third double-digit rebound game of the season.
The Lakers’ defense played a key role down the stretch, holding the Spurs to 39.4% shooting and forcing 19 turnovers. The win reinforces Los Angeles’ status as a top contender in the Western Conference, even with key stars battling injuries.
San Antonio will return home to host the Houston Rockets on Friday, looking to regain their early-season form. Los Angeles will travel to face the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday in their next test.
