Spurs pursue season-series-clinching win in opposition to Lakers

Surging towards the All-Star break, the San Antonio Spurs will start a back-to-back state of affairs earlier than some much-deserved relaxation once they hit the street to face the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday.

The second half of the back-to-back for the Spurs, who arrive in California on a four-game successful streak, will probably be in opposition to the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday in San Francisco. The All-Star Recreation will probably be within the Los Angeles space on Sunday.

The Lakers had been on a three-game successful streak and had an eight-point lead within the third quarter on Monday earlier than falling 119-110 to the visiting Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder. Los Angeles was with out Luka Doncic (hamstring) for the second consecutive sport.

The Spurs obtained previous the Thunder 116-106 on Wednesday, then earned consecutive victories over the Dallas Mavericks, together with a 138-125 dwelling choice on Saturday once they scored a season-high 81 factors within the first half.

Stephon Fortress poured in a career-high 40 factors in a triple-double that included 12 rebounds and 12 assists. Victor Wembanyama added 16 factors and 11 rebounds.

“Having a sport like that is undoubtedly a dream come true,” stated Fortress, who shot 15 of 19 from the ground. “It is good to have (going) into the break and undoubtedly a great signal. It felt good to be on the market and cozy with each shot I took and to see them go in.”

With a victory on Tuesday, San Antonio would match its longest successful streak of the season, 5 video games, achieved twice earlier than.

The Spurs have a 2-1 document in opposition to the Lakers going into the season finale between the groups. Fortress is scoring 20.3 factors, 6.7 rebounds and 6.0 assists in opposition to Los Angeles this season.

In the latest sport between the groups, the Spurs earned a 107-91 dwelling victory on Jan. 7 behind 27 factors from Keldon Johnson, matching his season excessive. It was the Lakers’ second-lowest scoring sport of the season.

LeBron James logged 22 factors and 10 assists within the Lakers’ loss to the Thunder on Monday within the opener of the back-to-back. James performed a team-high 36 minutes. The 41-year-old veteran, in his document twenty third NBA season, has performed on consecutive days simply twice this season, each instances in mid-January.

Marcus Good added 19 factors for Los Angeles whereas Austin Reaves had 16 in his fourth sport after lacking greater than a month with a calf pressure. The Lakers made half of their 84 pictures within the sport however had been outscored 26-19 within the fourth quarter.

“I used to be fairly dangerous in that second half,” stated Reaves, who shot 1 of seven from the ground and was referred to as for a technical foul after halftime. “I’ve to be higher than that.”

Now the Lakers could have restricted preparation time following a loss to the highest staff within the Western Convention earlier than dealing with the second-best membership, the Spurs.

“Once you play the most effective groups … it’s a must to have a very excessive degree of effort and it’s a must to have a very excessive degree of execution,” Los Angeles coach JJ Redick stated. “It is gotta be each. I believed for essentially the most half our effort was improbable (in opposition to the Thunder), and in the important thing stretches of the sport, our execution wasn’t nice.”

Whereas the Lakers are 14-8 in dwelling video games this season, the Spurs are 16-10 in street video games.

–Subject Stage Media