The Los Angeles Lakers narrowly defeated the San Antonio Spurs 118-116 in a thrilling NBA game on Wednesday night, surviving a late foul scare to secure their fifth consecutive victory. Luka Dončić led the way with 35 points and 13 assists, while Victor Wembanyama fouled out in the closing minutes, adding to the drama at the crypto.com Arena.
The contest was tightly contested throughout, with the Spurs holding a slim lead for much of the fourth quarter. San Antonio built a 106-97 advantage with just over seven minutes remaining, appearing poised for victory despite Wembanyama’s offensive struggles. However, the Lakers’ defense intensified, holding the Spurs without a field goal for nearly four and a half minutes to ignite a crucial comeback.
Dončić, though shooting just 9-of-27 from the field, delivered in key moments. His step-back three-pointer with 2:31 left gave the Lakers their first lead of the quarter at 113-112. Shortly after, Wembanyama was called for a charge—his sixth foul—and exited the game with 1:39 remaining, depriving the Spurs of their star player during the critical final stretch.
In the waning seconds, the Lakers nearly let the win slip away. Marcus Smart committed an inbound violation with 1.2 seconds left, granting San Antonio a final opportunity. Julian Champagnie was fouled on a tip-in attempt but missed both free throws, allowing Los Angeles to escape with the narrow victory amid the chaotic finish.
Dončić’s all-around performance included nine rebounds and five steals, falling just short of a triple-double. Deandre Ayton provided strong support with 22 points and 10 rebounds, anchoring the interior. For the Spurs, Wembanyama finished with 19 points and eight rebounds on 5-of-14 shooting, while Stephon Castle and Jeremy Sochan each contributed 16 points in the losing effort.
The win improves the Lakers to 7-2, the second-best record in the Western Conference, despite dealing with injuries to key players like LeBron James and Austin Reaves. Dončić has missed several games himself, but the team has demonstrated depth and resilience early in the season.
San Antonio drops to 5-2 with its second straight loss after a perfect start. The Spurs will aim to rebound against the Houston Rockets on Friday, while the Lakers begin a five-game road trip against the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday, with a challenging matchup against the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder looming ahead.