SAN ANTONIO — The dance music blared as the crowd took turns roaring their way through a fourth-quarter timeout, Lakers coach JJ Redick frustrated after another clean look for the Spurs allowed them to get within a point.
To that point, the game had delivered.
With the NBA Cup raising the stakes, Anthony Davis and Victor Wembanyama dueled. The teams traded, and blew, double-digit leads. And with LMFAO turned up to 11 midway through the fourth, the NBA had exactly what it wanted — a November basketball game that felt like it mattered.
The crowd buzzed with each possession, a Wembanyama dunk off a lob getting a roar on one end. A clutch Davis triple on the other leading to a collective groan.
It went that way, deep into the final minute, with the Lakers making the biggest plays in the final seconds of a 120-115 win.
Davis, who scored 40 points, worked from the block with Wembanyama on his hip and the shot clock running down, only to find a cutting LeBron James for a layup that helped ice the win.
Six different Lakers scored in double figures, with James emphatically clapping his hands and Davis holding the ball in the air at the final horn.
“Another magnificent game by A.D.,” James said. “I thought our bench gave us a huge push today. Max Christie, Gabe Vincent, the rest of the bench — those guys came in and played some big minutes.”
On a night where he moved into a tie for the fifth most regular-season NBA games ever played, James figured out a way to do the incredible.
Lakers forward Dalton Knecht, left, drives to the basket in front of San Antonio’s Julian Champagnie during the first half Friday.
(Darren Abate / Associated Press)
In his 22nd NBA season, James figured out a way to do something for the first time.
Following triple-doubles in the Lakers’ wins over Philadelphia, Toronto and Memphis, James did it again Friday in San Antonio.
He finished with 15 points, 16 rebounds and 12 assists. The Lakers won each of those four games.
The Lakers didn’t have starting forward Rui Hachimura, who missed the game with a sprained ankle. The Lakers started rookie Dalton Knecht instead.
Their bench, which has been one of the team’s clearest weaknesses this season, had its best game. Christie, back in the rotation with Hachimura out, scored a season-high 11 points.
“Really happy for Max,” Redick said. “It’s obvious to me that [Christie] is able to do that every night.”
Christie, for his part, wasn’t surprised by his performance. “I know how I can play,” he said.
Vincent, who has been in a shooting slump to begin the season, had six points and three steals.
The team plays again Saturday night in New Orleans.
