Doncic's Lakers Edge Spurs, Blazers Defeat Thunder
Luka Doncic outplayed Victor Wembanyama as the Los Angeles Lakers narrowly beat the San Antonio Spurs 118-116 on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Portland Trail Blazers rallied to hand the NBA champions, Oklahoma City Thunder, their first loss of the season.
Doncic vs. Wembanyama Showdown
In the much-anticipated matchup between Slovenian star Luka Doncic and young phenom Victor Wembanyama, Doncic showcased his all-around skills with 35 points, 9 rebounds, and 13 assists. He also contributed five steals and two blocks, leading the Lakers to victory in a hectic finish at Crypto.com Arena.
The Lakers improved their record to 7-2, continuing strong without injured superstar LeBron James, who has yet to make his season debut.
Spurs’ Balanced Attack Falls Short
Victor Wembanyama led San Antonio with 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists. Teammates Stephon Castle and Jeremy Sochan each added 16 points, and in total, seven Spurs players scored in double digits. Despite their deep roster effort, foul trouble plagued Wembanyama throughout the game, culminating in his fouling out with 1:40 left while the Spurs were trailing 113-112.
Final Moments
- The Lakers held a slim 118-116 lead with just 1.2 seconds left.
- A failed inbound play gave the Spurs possession, but they could not convert.
"They only lost one (other) game, so to come back, being with (Austin Reaves) and LeBron out, it's unbelievable," Doncic said.
Blazers Hand Thunder First Loss
The Portland Trail Blazers rallied to defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder, handing the reigning NBA champions their first defeat of the season.
Author's Summary
Doncic led the Lakers to a tight win over Wembanyama's Spurs as the Blazers delivered the Thunder their first loss, proving resilience despite missing key stars.