Victor Wembanyama Almost Leads Spurs Past LeBron James-Less Lakers – 3 Key Takeaways in Purple and Gold’s Narrow Escape

The Los Angeles Lakers had a close call against the San Antonio Spurs tonight. In the wake of 17 straight losses, the Spurs heard the lucky news that LeBron James will not be taking the floor. Hopeful that this might be enough to break their losing streak, Victor Wembanyama and Co. gave the Lakers a scare by scoring 45 points in the 4th quarter and almost snatching a win.

Luckily, the Lakers held on and edged out a 122-119 victory, on the back of yet another Anthony Davis double-double. Here are the three key takeaways from the game!

1. LeBron James’ absence takes a toll on Lakers

Just half an hour before the much-anticipated LeBron-Wemby matchup, it was announced that James would be sitting this one out. Nursing a calf injury, the team decided to let him rest. While this was good news for the Spurs, his teammates agree to disagree.

But Anthony Davis made sure that the Lakers were not going to lose their momentum going forward. Owning the court tonight, AD scored a season-high 37 points and 10 rebounds. He scored 24 of them in the first half alone! Davis had his game face on. Austin Reaves was AD’s partner in crime for tonight. Playing 29 minutes, he notched 15 points, eight assists, and four rebounds. The second quarter saw Reaves and Prince’s three-pointers put the Lakers ahead by 16 points, within just three minutes.

Even so, it was painfully obvious that the purple and gold still have a hard time maintaining the standard of game they usually showcase with Bron on-court.

2. Victor Wembanyama is emerging as a true leader

Just 19 years old and Wemby is carrying the heavy weight of the San Antonio Spurs. Though the team is struggling more than any other team in the league, except for the Detroit Pistons, Wembanyama is evolving as a true leader. Tonight was no exception to his game. Even though Davis tried his best to stagger the young big man, he countered with a brilliant performance.

The sixth straight double-double of this season, Victor scored 30 points (second 30-point game of the season), six blocks, and 13 rebounds. He’s been a constant for the team, and tonight, along with Keldon Johnson, and Malaki Branham, took the lead in scoring. The trio together contributed a combined 77 points, but their efforts weren’t enough to stop the Lakers’ victory on the road.

By halftime, the San Antonio crowd had pretty much lost their vigor until Wemby barged in with a monster dunk on the Lakers’ big man, AD. He’s had a terrific run in the past few games and is looking like a genuine star now and living up to his potential.

3. The Lakers were not wrong about Cam Reddish hype

Cam Reddish has been nothing short of remarkable for the Lakers this season. Always ready to take on more responsibilities and see them through, Reddish has lived to the maximum of his hype. One of their best defenders, Reddish has also showcased his skills in three-point shooting. There have been many digs and jabs directed at Cam ever since he missed a game-winning shot against the Miami Heat at the start of the season. And Bron is famous for passing shots, no matter what point of the game they are at, to open teammates. James has also been quite consistent in praising Reddish for his support.

The most recent were his comments following their IST victory. He said, “People were writing him off. I’m so happy he got to experience this and perform. I believe in him.”

The 24-year-old forward has gone over and beyond to reciprocate the trust LeBron and his team have put in him. He’s averaging 7.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists this season. Last month saw Reddish averaging 2.0 steals and the last five games have him with 0.8 steals per game. Against the Spurs, he landed 10 points, two rebounds, three assists, and three steals. The Lakers are now 5-8 on the road this season, while the Spurs are 2-9. The two teams will face each other once again on Friday and the Spurs will most definitely look to avenge today’s close win.

Will the result remain the same if LeBron James returns on Friday? Or will the Spurs have a surprise waiting for the King?

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