SAN ANTONIO — The Lakers have come into several games lacking their normal firepower this season, and the younger, deeper opponents who sense blood in the water have been taking advantage of those situations.
Luka Doncic had 38 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists but with three-fifths of their preferred starting lineup unavailable it wasn’t nearly enough for the Lakers in a 107-91 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night.
Keldon Johnson had 27 points and Victor Wembanyama added 16 points and 14 rebounds as the Spurs (26-11) moved into second place in the Western Conference despite shooting 4 for 25 from 3-point range.
LeBron James didn’t play due to left joint arthritis and sciatica, joining Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura (both nursing calf strains) on the unavailable list as the Lakers (23-12) saw their three-game winning streak come to an end.
Jake LaRavia (16 points) and Jaxson Hayes (10) were the only other Lakers to score in double figures.
Wembanyama was listed as questionable after returning Tuesday from a two-game absence due to a hyperextended left knee. He had 30 points in 20 minutes in a 106-105 loss at Memphis and followed that with his 15th double-double of the season.
San Antonio went on an 11-4 run midway through the third quarter to open a 71-59 lead. Johnson and Stephon Castle combined for nine points during the run.
Castle finished with 15 points and De’Aaron Fox added 14.
Both teams were on the second night of a back-to-back game.
The Lakers disrupted alley-oop attempts to Castle and Luke Kornet in the opening minutes.
While the Spurs struggled to complete what has become one of their go-to moves this season, Hayes threw in a reverse dunk in front of Wembanyama on a half-court, alley-oop pass from Doncic.
Doncic had 22 points, seven rebounds and seven assists while playing all but four minutes in the first half. He finished with his 86th career triple-double in the regular season, which is seventh in league history.
JAMES SITS
James, 41, was downgraded to out about 90 minutes before tipoff, with Jarred Vanderbilt starting in his place.
James sat out training camp and the first 14 games of the season because of the sciatica that affects his lower back and down his right leg. He has yet to play in both legs of a back-to-back set since making his return.
The NBA’s all-time leading scorer played 33 minutes in the Lakers’ 111-103 road victory over the Pelicans on Tuesday night in New Orleans, finishing with 30 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.
After the win, James told reporters that his status for all back-to-back games for the rest of the season won’t be determined until he sees how his body responds to the first game.
“Every back-to-back, for the rest of the season, is TBD,” James said. “I am 41. I got the most minutes in NBA history. Bank [that answer] right now.”
Lakers coach JJ Redick explained the decision to sit James before the game against the Spurs.
“A lot of it is based on his injuries and just the management of those,” Redick said. “His foot typically after a game is sore. So that’s the primary thing. I talked to him today in the meal room. We were hoping that he gets to the point where he can play in back-to-backs with his body. But this stretch and this month, it’s going to be tough to say that.
“We hope he’s available, but a lot of it is how he wakes up the next morning.”
In other injury news, veteran guard Gabe Vincent rejoined the lineup following a nine-game absence because of a lower back injury.
UP NEXT
The Lakers host the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
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