Austin Reaves shines as Lakers secure a 125-109 win over Spurs, extending their home winning streak to eight games. (AP/Mark J. Terrill)
- Reaves dominates with 30 points, while Doncic contributes 21 points, 14 assists, and 9 rebounds in Lakers' victory.
- Lakers extend home winning streak to eight games with balanced scoring, despite LeBron James' absence.
- Spurs struggle defensively, allowing Lakers to shoot 48.9% from the field and make 19 three-pointers.
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LOS ANGELES — Austin Reaves scored 30 points and Luka Doncic had 21 points, 14 assists and nine rebounds in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 125-109 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night.
Dorian Finney-Smith added 15 points while hitting four 3-pointers for the Lakers, who extended their home winning streak to eight games with back-to-back victories over Phoenix and San Antonio following four consecutive losses on the road.
Stephon Castle had 23 points and Devin Vassell scored 15 of his 17 in the first half for the Spurs, who have lost five of seven.
While Doncic struggled through a 5-for-20 shooting performance, Reaves hit five 3-pointers and added seven rebounds and six assists to dominate a game rescheduled from Jan. 11 after wildfires devastated parts of Southern California.
Jarred Vanderbilt shoved San Antonio’s Jeremy Sochan in the chest after Sochan threw the ball at Vanderbilt following a foul with 6:27 to play. Both reserves were ejected.
Bronny James played the final 2:30, and he hit a 3-pointer that set off a wild standing ovation from Lakers fans who had been chanting his name earlier.
Related Story: At Beginning of Tough Stretch, Lakers Show Grit With Overtime Victory Over Knicks
Defensive Struggles for Spurs
Defense was a problem for the third game since De’Aaron Fox was shut down for the season. The Lakers made 48.9% of their shots, including 19 3-pointers.
Lakers’ Balanced Scoring
LeBron James missed his fifth straight game, but balanced scoring is keeping them competitive amid a brutal stretch of 20 games in five weeks.
Reaves’ Dominant Performance
Reaves scored nine points in 3 1/2 minutes while the Lakers took a 28-point lead in the third. San Antonio responded with a 15-0 run, but never got the deficit to single digits.
With James sidelined, Reaves has scored at least 28 points in four consecutive games. He only reached 28 points four times in the Lakers’ first 63 games this season.
The Spurs host the Knicks on Wednesday, and the Lakers host the Nuggets.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
