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 in opposition to a younger, quick and athletic San Antonio Spurs staff lacking its greatest participant.
The Lakers gained 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 Area.
The Lakers received 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 received 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 Good got here off the bench to attain 26 and LeBron James had 19 factors, 15 rebounds and eight assists. However that wasn’t sufficient in opposition to a Spurs staff that had seven gamers rating in double figures.
Stephon Citadel led the Spurs with 30 factors and De’Aaron Fox had 20.
When the Lakers wanted somebody to carry them once they received down by 18 factors within the second, somebody to offer them a spark when there wasn’t one for a lot of the quarter, they lastly received it from the oldest participant on the court docket, 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 in opposition to Spurs middle Luke Kornet within the first half.
(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Instances)
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 easier baskets for the Spurs to fall into an 80-60 gap early within the third.
The Lakers didn’t make it simple on themselves both.
Doncic received a technical foul within the first quarter after no foul was referred to as after Kelly Olynyk smacked him within the face and Lakers coach JJ Redick was referred to as for a technical foul within the second quarter.
When the Lakers final confronted the Spurs a bit over a month in the past right here, San Antonio celebrity Victor Wembanyama performed in a sport L.A. gained, however speedy level guard De’Aaron Fox didn’t.
It was the other this time, with Fox enjoying 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 in opposition to San Antonio.
The Spurs are extra guard-oriented with Fox, Citadel and Dylan Harper.
The Lakers received a style of how a lot sooner 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 sector 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 operating a whole lot of choose and rolls with Fox, a whole lot of choose and rolls with Citadel and Harper,” Lakers coach JJ Redick stated pregame concerning the Spurs’ new method of enjoying. “And all these choose and rolls result in drives, these choose and rolls result in kick-outs and catch two threes after which extra drives. So, we’ve received to do a superb job of containing the basketball and do a superb job of contesting.”
