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| Anthony Davis blocked Ingram's layup on the 1st possession. |
This game by night's end became an instant classic, with the Spurs enduring a turbulent storm by the Lakers at home by the edge of a knife. Teases of blockbuster suspense came at the opening tip as Brandon Ingram (30 points, 2 blocks, 1 steal) was stuffed at the basket by A.D. (30 points, 14 rebounds, 3 blocks, 3 steals, 15-23 FG), who dished the ball to a streaking LeBron James (22 points, 9 assists, 2 blocks) for a huge dunk past the Spurs defense. San Antonio, led by Ingram, would weather the opening salvo by Los Angeles to hold a ten-point spread at halftime.
The Lakers had shooting woes for most of the game, and it appeared that San Antone would pull away for good with the lead growing to 74-60 midway through the 3rd Quarter. Then the first furious rally of of two by the Lakers happened, erasing the Spurs lead (which was hampered by foul trouble) and by the buzzer's call, A.D. had dunked the ball home to lead by one point heading into the final period.
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| Murray is showing strides as a floor general. |
Remarkably, the Spurs were boosted by the 1-2 performance of Ingram & Murray as Coach Popovich shrewdly sat one (with both in foul trouble) while the other took up the slack to pad the lead. Murray (16 points, 7 assists, 1 steal, 1 block) excelled in the clutch down low, weaving his way past Marc Gasol (11 rebounds) with 4:18 to play, a 5-PT lead for the defending champions, slayer of last season's Lakers squad. Several loose balls and defensive deflections shined upon the Spurs tonight, as Kent Bazemore lost the ball on a drive only to claw it back away from Gasol's mighty hands, who would foul Andre Drummond, with the Big Penguin being remarkably solid from the charity stripe to push the lead to seven points. An alley oop to A.D. and it was back down to five...
Then down to three after KCP's floater, only for Ingram to crash the rim on the fast break, 94-89. Another dunk by A.D: 94-92, as Murray would draw the foul to hit one of two as the clock dropped under two minutes. James would miss a 3PTer, with Fred VanVleet dishing to an unopposed Drummond downwind for the thunderous windmill jam. Davis would respond back with the offensive rebound put-back dunk, roaring to the STAPLES Center faithful.
A.D. wasn't finished, blocking Ingram's layup yet again with 1:21 remaining. Danny Green couldn't capitalize, however, with Marc Gasol whiffing on both free throws. VanVleet made the Lakers pay with a would-be dagger from the perimeter on the lone man fast break, 100-94, but KCP would strike right back off a Gasol screen, 100-97 with 52s left in regulation.
Then the final minute happened, and not a million flash bulbs could do it justice!
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| The King came up short, but just barely. |
Murray kicked it to Ingram, who was looking to ISO a shot over Davis, but A.D. ripped the ball from Brandon and dunked it home with 38s left to go, flexing to the roar of the home crowd, 100-99. Dejounte spotted Ingram galloping to the tin, but A.D. was on his heels, contesting the lay-in just enough for it to miss. With a hero's chance, Davis kicked the corner pass in transition to Caldwell-Pope, but it did not go in. Davis caught the rebound, but Ingram stripped it free for his revenge as Drummond. The Lakers tried to foul the big man, but he chucked the ball ahead to Murray for the standalone smash on the other end, 102-99 with 14.1s on the clock.
A Lakers timeout ensued, as did a mini-war of free throws, but the Spurs ultimately got the W.
The Rest:
San Antonio (32-3, #1 in Western Conference)
VanVleet:
18 points, 6 assists
(4-6 3PT), 2 steals
Bazemore: 14 points, 2-3 3PT, 2 steals
Drummond: 12 points, 13 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocks
Harris: 9 points (3-6 3PT)
Los Angeles (27-9, #2 in Western Conference)
Caldwell-Pope: 18 points, 5 assists
Waiters: 15 points
1st: 29-19, Spurs
2nd: 21-21
3rd: 26-37, Lakers
4th: 31-27, Spurs
The Lakers missed nine free throws, with the Spurs missing only six and hitting four more threes than the Lakers. The Spurs led by sixteen at one point, in what promises to be a fierce Playoffs rematch down the way.
