Lakers bounce back with overtime win against Spurs
LeBron returns to lineup as AD sits out
Recap of Lakers/Spurs game played on December 15, 2023
1st Quarter
These two teams met for the third time in a week and the Spurs snapped the Lakers six game winning streak on Wednesday. LeBron James returned to the lineup and Anthony Davis sat this game out. The Spurs took control of this game early on thanks to Victor Wembanyama who got himself and the Spurs off to a fast start. Wembanyama scored 11 points in the quarter including a three-pointer that put the Spurs up by twelve, 22-10. The Spurs led by as many as sixteen in the quarter and held a 32-18 lead when the quarter was over.
2nd Quarter
The Spurs increased their lead to twenty-one at one point, 42-21. Down 50-30, the Lakers mounted a comeback to close out the first half. They outscored the Spurs 25-13 to trail by eight-points at halftime, 63-55.
3rd Quarter
LeBron James came out and scored the first eight points of the half and quickly tied the game at 63-63. The Lakers took a six-point lead 73-67 as part of an 18-4 run to start the second half, capped off by a slam dunk by Rui Hachimura. The Lakers led by as many as ten points on two separate occasions in the quarter as they outscored the Spurs 30-17 in the quarter. Rui Hachimura scored 10 points in the 3rd on the way to the Lakers holding an 85-80 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
4th Quarter
As the two teams traded baskets and the lead to start the quarter the Lakers led down the stretch by four-points, 101-97 thanks to a Colin Castleton dunk. Malik Branham's three-pointer on the Spurs next possession cut the Lakers lead down to one, 101-100. LeBron James scored on back-to-back layups on the Lakers next two offensive possessions, but the Spurs responded with dunks by Wembanyama and Johnson. A dunk by James and layup by Reaves gave the Lakers a five-point lead, 109-104 with thirty seconds left in the game. Up 109-108 Austin Reaves knocked down two free throws to give the Lakers a 111-108 lead, but the Spurs Malik Branham hit a game-tying three-pointer with two seconds left to send the game into overtime, 111-111.
Overtime
In overtime, LeBron James played facilitator as Max Christie knocked down two three-pointers and Austin Reaves knocked down five free throws as the Lakers overcame a 21-point deficit and came out with an impressive 126-119 win in overtime.
 |
@ |  |
|
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
OT |
Final |
| Los Angeles Lakers |
18 |
32 |
30 |
26 |
15 |
126 |
| San Antonio Spurs |
32 |
31 |
17 |
31 |
8 |
119 |
Los Angeles Lakers Player Stats
LeBron James - 39 points, 11 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 steals
Rui Hachimura - 25 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals
Austin Reaves - 18 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal
Christian Wood - 18 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 blocks
Taurean Prince - 10 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal
San Antonio Spurs Player Stats
Victor Wembanyama - 26 points, 4 rebounds, 1 block
Devin Vassell - 17 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal
Keldon Johnson - 17 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists
Zach Collins - 16 points, 8 rebounds, 1 steal
Malik Branham - 15 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists
Jeremy Sochan - 13 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals
Upcoming Schedule
12/18/23: vs. New York Knicks
12/20/23: @ Chicago Bulls
12/21/23: @ Minnesota Timberwolves
12/23/23: @ Oklahoma City Thunder
12/25/23: vs. Boston Celtics
Reaves with the opening dunk to start the game
James with the layup down the stretch in the fourth quarter
Christie in the corner knocking down the open three
LeBron again attacking and scoring
James with the off balance shot in the fourth quarter
Bron in mid-season from
