However, an alpha performance by Dejounte Murray (26 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists) and clutch execution by Otto Porter (15 points, 3-4 3PT), Fred VanVleet (14 points, 4-9 3PT) & Brandon Ingram (20 points) proved to be the difference. The Lakers had taken the lead after a 31-24 surge in the 3rd Quarter and the Spurs began to falter, until a timely 3PT strike by Buddy Hield (18 points, 6-10 3PT) kept the Spurs in it, with Andre Drummond hoisting 13 rebounds and 3 blocks, giving the other AD enough resistance down low.
A quiet scoring night by LeBron James (8 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 0-3 3PT) and cold shooting by Carmelo Anthony & Talen Horton-Tucker (1-13, 0-4 3PT) only helped the Spurs succeed as road villains. In the loss, Russell Westbrook had 25 points with 7 assists, but LA fell to 32-27 on the season.
As the Spurs win another big time game against a championship contender. San Antonio has just 23 games remaining, with an unprecedented infallible home win record. Past Spurs teams in the dynastic reign had mighty win streaks and tremendous resilience at home, but with just 12 games left at the AT&T Center this season, this incarnation may very well go undefeated at home, which would make for quite the highlight for the history books.
