The Spurs lose to the Lakers and are now on a two-game losing skid.
SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio Spurs lost to the Los Angeles Lakers for their second-straight loss. Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs with 19 points, eight rebounds, and one block, but fouled out in the fourth period. Sixty-six fouls were also recorded between the two teams, and three Spurs fouled out during the game – Wembanyama, Harrison Barnes, and Jeremy Sochan.
Julian Champagnie and Barnes had 14 points each. Devin Vassell added 15, Keldon Johnson finished with 12, and Stephon Castle added 16. Sochan, in his return to the court, recorded 16 off 6-7 shooting.
The Spurs are 5-2 and will next host the Rockets on Friday night.
Here’s a sample of what the Spurs said after the game.
Mitch Johnson:
“I think the attention and detail and some of the decision making and discipline just has to improve. I thought at the end they actually were a little bit more locked in, I guess. But we still had some real punishable miscues that really put us in bind there that didn’t make them (Lakers) earn some points. We put them on the foul line and just breakdowns.”
“He’ll (Wembanyama) be fine. We need to get in the ball in better spots. We need to get to our starting spots earlier. He needs to be more demonstrative and demand the ball when he doesn’t, should yell at everybody in the gym, including his teammates and myself.”
Wembanyama:
“There’s no worry really. It’s just trying to figure out what’s best and I mean there’s obvious things we can correct right away, but there are things right now it feels like the game is going fast somehow. It feels like the game has, as we got better as a team and as we all got better as individuals as well, it’s like the opponents have stepped up in some ways defensively, and I feel in a way that the game is fast right now. So we’re going to catch up on it, of course.”
“I don’t think he’ll (Wembanyama) have a problem. I mean, we had a rough second half. We had a lead. I feel like we slipped up and let them get back in the game with some free throws. But I mean, Vic could get right back on track, and he works hard. He has the right mindset. I don’t really think we need to keep relaying the same message to him. I think he gets it, and he’ll figure it out.”
JJ Redick:
Luka Doncic: