By Harshit
LOS ANGELES, DEC. 11 —
The semifinal field of the NBA Cup is officially locked in. The San Antonio Spurs closed out quarterfinal play on Wednesday night with a commanding 132–119 win over the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena, using speed, depth, and relentless transition pressure to secure their trip to Las Vegas.
San Antonio placed seven players in double figures, but the night belonged to explosive rookie guard Stephon Castle, who delivered a spectacular 30-point, 10-rebound double-double with 6 assists. Castle and De’Aaron Fox formed a devastating backcourt duo, repeatedly torching L.A. in transition and dictating the pace from the opening tip.
The win sends the Spurs into Saturday’s semifinal matchup against the 24–1 Oklahoma City Thunder, the tournament’s top seed and the defending NBA champions.
Spurs Overwhelm Lakers With Pace and Transition Dominance
Even without superstar Victor Wembanyama, still sidelined with a calf strain, San Antonio leaned into speed and spacing. The Spurs piled up:
- 27 fast-break points
- 16 points off turnovers
- 32 free-throw attempts
The Lakers, by contrast, generated only 2 points off turnovers and struggled badly to get back on defense — a theme that defined the night.
Fox added 22 points and 7 assists, while Keldon Johnson ignited the first quarter with a blistering shooting performance off the bench.
Luka Dončić Keeps Lakers Close — But Not Close Enough
Luka Dončić, who has carried the Lakers throughout the NBA Cup, delivered 35 points, 8 assists and 5 rebounds on 11-for-24 shooting. He and LeBron James briefly sparked a comeback attempt late in the fourth quarter, including an 11–0 run that trimmed the deficit to eight.
But Fox answered with a corner three that ended the rally, and the Spurs closed comfortably from there.
LIVE BLOG — SPURS VS. LAKERS QUARTERFINAL
End Q3: Spurs 104, Lakers 87
The Lakers hit a wall offensively coming out of halftime, missing 9 of their first 13 shots. San Antonio seized the opportunity, widening the gap by punishing L.A. in transition and relentlessly attacking the rim.
- Free throws: Spurs 32, Lakers 16
- Fast-break points: Spurs 24, Lakers 15
- Bench points: Spurs 42, Lakers 16
L.A.’s frustration boiled over repeatedly, as players jawed with officials while the Spurs kept pushing pace.
End Q2: Spurs 70, Lakers 58
San Antonio opened an 18-point lead behind downhill attacks and lethal guard play. De’Aaron Fox, Castle, and Dylan Harper carved apart the Lakers early, forcing delayed rotations and mismatches.
But the Lakers responded late behind Dončić’s scoring burst and a highlight moment from LeBron James, who detonated a poster dunk over Luke Kornet, bringing the arena to its feet.
The Spurs shot 10-for-20 from deep through two quarters.
End Q1: Spurs 39, Lakers 30
Keldon Johnson came out firing, scoring 13 points in just over five minutes, drilling all three of his 3-pointers.
The Lakers opened strong with interior scoring — 12 of their first 15 points came in the paint — taking advantage of Wembanyama’s absence. But once San Antonio tightened its low-post coverage, the momentum flipped sharply.
Fox added 8 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists in the opening frame.
Game Tip-Off
Los Angeles immediately targeted the rim with Wembanyama unavailable, jumping out to a 15–11 lead. San Antonio countered with quick-hitting transition attacks and early pressure.
Starting Lineups
Lakers: LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, Deandre Ayton, Austin Reaves, Luka Dončić
Spurs: De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell, Harrison Barnes, Luke Kornet
What’s Next?
The Spurs move on to face the Oklahoma City Thunder in Saturday’s semifinals in Las Vegas. With Wembanyama nearing a return, San Antonio may unleash its full roster in pursuit of the $500,000-per-player NBA Cup prize.