Wembanyama Dominates as Shorthanded Lakers Get Routed by Spurs
Coming off a tough loss to the Thunder, the Lakers didn’t get any favors from the schedule or the injury report. On the second night of a back-to-back, and missing a laundry list of key players - Luka Doncic, LeBron James, Austin Reaves, Marcus Smart, and Deandre Ayton - Los Angeles ran into a San Antonio Spurs team that came into the night sitting second in the West and playing like it.
The result? A 136-108 blowout that was never really in doubt.
Let’s start with the obvious: Victor Wembanyama was unstoppable. The 7-foot-4 phenom came out firing, dropping 25 points in the first seven minutes of the game.
That’s not a typo. The Lakers tried to throw bodies at him - Jaxson Hayes and Maxi Kleber were both in early foul trouble - but it didn’t matter.
Wembanyama was getting to his spots, finishing at the rim, and hitting from deep. It was a showcase of just how unguardable he can be when he's locked in.
To their credit, the Lakers didn’t fold early. Kobe Bufkin and Jake LaRavia hit a couple of threes to try to inject some life into the offense, but the deficit was already ballooning. San Antonio dropped 47 points in the first quarter alone, and L.A. trailed by 17 heading into the second.
The second quarter didn’t bring much relief. With no true rim protector available, the Lakers had no answer for Wembanyama’s length and touch around the basket. He was doing whatever he wanted offensively, and the Spurs kept feeding him.
There was a scary moment midway through the second when Stephon Castle went down hard on a block attempt and landed on his back. He was able to walk off under his own power, but he didn’t return to the game.
Even with the game largely out of reach by halftime, the Lakers found small silver linings. Bronny James knocked down a three at the buzzer to cut the Spurs’ lead to 84-55 heading into the break. It didn’t change the outcome, but for a young player still finding his footing, those moments matter.
Jake LaRavia, who had been one of the few bright spots early, picked up his sixth foul just after halftime and was done for the night. With the Lakers already missing five regulars, that left the floor wide open for the younger, less experienced players to get extended minutes.
The Spurs kept their foot on the gas in the third, stretching the lead to 115-81 by the end of the quarter. From there, it was all about development. The Lakers used the final frame to get reps for their young core in a low-pressure setting.
One of the more encouraging sights came late in the game when Adou Thiero checked in. After missing the last month with a knee injury, Thiero made his return and immediately made his presence felt with a thunderous dunk in garbage time. It was a reminder of the energy and athleticism he can bring to the rotation when healthy.
But the night belonged to Wembanyama. In just 26 minutes, he poured in 40 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, shooting 13-of-20 from the field. It was a clinic - a reminder of why he’s one of the most feared young stars in the league and a matchup nightmare for any team, let alone one missing its top defenders.
What’s Next
The Lakers will look to regroup and get healthy as they close out the first half of the season on Thursday night against the Dallas Mavericks. With the All-Star break looming, that game offers a final chance to build some momentum - and possibly get some key players back - before a much-needed week off.