LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers continue to rack up the wins as they defeated the San Antonio Spurs for the second time during the 2019-20 NBA season to reach 15-2 and secure their eighth consecutive victory.
The Spurs came into the matchup losers of eight of their last nine games, but did not look like a struggling team as they led the Lakers for most of the first half. LaMarcus Aldridge was his usual self from midrange as he routinely knocked down jumpers to keep Los Angeles at bay for stretches of the night.
However, the Lakers once again turned up the intensity in the second half, particularly James who had yet another masterful half controlling the offense. After finishing the first two quarters with only one assist, James was able to efficiently distribute the ball, piling up eight assists in the period alone.
With the game still within striking distance for San Antonio, James began to look more for his shot, knocking down three three-pointers in the final period en route to 33 points on the night. He also had plenty of success barreling to the rim, including a drive where he simply shrugged off contact from DeMar DeRozan to earn himself an and-1 opportunity.
Anthony Davis was quiet in the first half as he struggled to score against a Spurs defense that was intent on doubling him and making him catch passes out on the perimeter. However, he impacted the game in other areas as he pulled down 12 rebounds while also providing the stalwart defense that has made him the early 2019-20 NBA Defensive Player of the Year frontrunner.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope also continued his tear from the outside as he scored 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting, including three three-pointers of his own. His outside shooting presence has proven to be a huge boon for a Lakers offense that needs space for James and Davis to operate.