Anthony Davis turned a frustrating night into vintage AD in 12 electric minutes. The Lakers big man poured in 14 fourth-quarter points, capping a 35-point masterpiece that lifted Los Angeles to a 123-118 comeback victory over San Antonio at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday night.
What looked like another disappointing home loss became the kind of statement win that reminds everyone why the Lakers (22-16) can be dangerous when their stars align. Davis dominated the paint when it mattered most, LeBron James chipped in 28 points while creeping closer to history, and suddenly LA sits seventh in the loaded Western Conference.
The Big Man Takes Over
Trailing 96-94 entering the final frame, Davis went into attack mode. The 6-foot-10 forward bullied his way to 6-of-8 shooting in the quarter, punctuated by thunderous back-to-back dunks that sent Crypto.com Arena into a frenzy and gave the home side a 115-109 cushion with 3:42 left.
“AD was phenomenal down the stretch,” coach Darvin Ham said afterward. “He demanded the ball and made plays when we needed them most.”
It was vintage Davis — finishing 13-of-22 from the field with 12 rebounds for his 28th double-double. The 35-point explosion marked his best scoring night since torching Portland for 37 on December 23, the kind of takeover performance that silences any lingering trade whispers.
Wemby Shows Flashes Despite Loss
The Spurs (12-26) entered shorthanded without injured forwards Keldon Johnson and Jeremy Sochan, but their young guns kept pace for three quarters. Devin Vassell torched the Lakers defense for 29 points on 11-of-18 shooting, while Victor Wembanyama continued his Rookie of the Year campaign with 22 points and 10 boards.
The 20-year-old phenom showcased his otherworldly range, drilling 4-of-7 from deep while swatting three shots on the other end. His silky 22-footer with 6:18 remaining pulled San Antonio within 109-107, but the visitors couldn’t find enough defensive stops to complete the upset.
“We competed hard tonight,” interim coach Mitch Johnson said. “Victor continues to show growth, and Devin was excellent. We just couldn’t get enough stops down the stretch.”
King James Marches Toward History
LeBron shot an efficient 11-of-19 while dishing eight assists in 36 minutes of floor time. The 39-year-old has now scored 20-plus in 12 straight games — his longest streak since Cleveland’s championship run in 2017-18.
More importantly, he’s just 89 points shy of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s seemingly untouchable record of 38,387 career points. At his current pace of 29.1 per night, the coronation could come within the next four contests.
Russell Westbrook provided the perfect complement off the bench, adding 18 points and seven assists in 28 minutes. The veteran guard knocked down 3-of-5 from deep, including a back-breaking 26-footer that pushed LA’s lead to 120-113 with under two minutes remaining.
Clutch Time Belongs to Lakers
The fourth quarter told the story. Los Angeles outscored the Spurs 29-22 over the final 12 minutes, shooting a blistering 10-of-16 while forcing five crucial turnovers. Those miscues became eight points, part of a decisive 19-4 edge in points off turnovers.
Austin Reaves chipped in 16 points for the winners, while Tre Jones countered with 15 points and six assists for San Antonio. The visitors shot a respectable 47.9% overall but went ice-cold from distance, connecting on just 9-of-29 three-point tries when they needed to match LA’s firepower.
The victory improved the Lakers to 13-6 at Crypto.com Arena this season. They’ll try to build momentum Friday night when Portland visits for a 10:30 p.m. tip — another chance for Davis and LeBron to show this team might have more magic left in the tank.
