Luka Doncic’s 35 Points Power Lakers to Dramatic Win Over Spurs
The Los Angeles Lakers capped a thrilling comeback with a 21–10 run, overcoming a nine-point deficit midway through the fourth quarter to defeat the San Antonio Spurs 118–116 on Wednesday night, marking their fifth consecutive victory.
Luka Doncic led the Lakers with another impressive showing, recording 35 points, 13 assists, nine rebounds, and five steals. His clutch performance included eight points in the final quarter along with a decisive three-pointer with just 2:31 left on the clock.
“Doncic’s playmaking and late-game composure were the difference in a foul-heavy contest,” ESPN reported via News.Az.
Deandre Ayton added stability inside with 22 points and 10 rebounds for Los Angeles. Despite shooting just 9-of-27 from the field, Doncic’s leadership helped the Lakers hold San Antonio without a basket for nearly four and a half minutes down the stretch.
The closing moments were intense: after Kelly Olynyk’s putback with 1.2 seconds remaining, Marcus Smart committed an inbound violation, giving San Antonio a final chance. Justin Champagnie drew a foul from Jake LaRavia on the ensuing play but missed his first free throw, and the Spurs failed to convert on the second miss as time expired.
Victor Wembanyama paced the Spurs with 19 points and eight rebounds before fouling out with 1:39 left. Stephon Castle and Jeremy Sochan each added 16 points. San Antonio’s loss marked its second straight after opening the season with a 5–0 record.
Author’s Summary
Luka Doncic’s all-around brilliance lifted the Lakers to their fifth straight victory in a tense finish against the Spurs, highlighted by decisive late-game execution.