Victor Wembanyama sets record despite loss to Los Angeles Lakers

Highlights

• LeBron James and Anthony Davis shine against the Spurs, proving their worth.
• Victor Wembanyama continues to impress, becoming the youngest player to record a “5×5′ stat sheet.
• The Lakers need to focus on bench scoring to stay competitive in the tough upcoming games.

The Los Angeles Lakers versus the San Antonio Spurs was a contest between three phenoms of the past, present, and future: LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Victor Wembanyama. With varying degrees of hype and expectations when they entered the league, each of them was a number one overall pick poised to lead a franchise turnaround. In the cases of James and Wembanyama, both players were tasked with being one of the faces of the league as well.

In year 21, James passed that test long ago, living up to, and exceeding, every lofty standard placed before him when he came into the NBA as a teenager in 2003. Wembanyama is on track for tremendous success of his own. His team is a long way from contention, but judging by the historic start to his career, it’s safe to say San Antonio has its franchise savior. In a pivotal contest for James’s Lakers to stay locked in the playoff hunt, which phenom(s) came out on top?

James vs. Wembanyama is a historical matchup

2003 #1 overall pick against the 2023 #1 overall pick

At the start of the game, Wembanyama and the Spurs showed a level of fight that has defined their recent performances. In just over four minutes of action in the first quarter, Wembanyama had 10 points – LA just couldn’t contain him despite a solid effort from Davis and help defenders. To their credit, the Lakers never really afforded the rest of the Spurs any confidence though.

Outside Wembanyama, they were able to limit San Antonio’s second-leading scorer, Devin Vassell, to an off-shooting night. While all eyes were rightfully on James and Wembanyama, it was Davis, who notched 28 points and 13 rebounds, who emphatically reminded everyone that he, too, is an incredibly skilled former top prospect as well.

Davis matched Wembanyama shot for shot in the first half—they each ended up with 20 points and 8 rebounds by the time the second quarter concluded. James wasn’t far behind either. After knocking down a pair of three-pointers, he kept up a familiar offensive flow that we have witnessed for over two decades.

From the jump, he dispelled any notion of limitations after returning from his ankle injury. James was engaged and seemed to have extra motivation going up against Wembanyama for the second time; he previously missed LA’s most recent game versus San Antonio.

On LeBron’s longevity, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich heaped a ton of praise.

“It was fun to watch him. His age, his conditioning, what he does, he’s a miracle. He’s something else.”

Wembanyama wasn’t the high-point man with 27 points, but his main accomplishment last night was becoming the 15th player in league history—and the youngest—to record a 5×5, meaning he had at least five points (30), rebounds (10), assists (8), steals (5), and blocks (5). That’s an other-worldly stat line that had James impressed. Following the game, he tweeted, “That kid is special!” about Wembanyama.

The Lakers used a third-quarter run to break the game open, though San Antonio kept it interesting enough in the fourth for starters from both teams to remain near the end. Malaki Branham (14 points and a monster left-handed dunk over James) and Jeremy Sochan (15 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists) provided nice relief for San Antonio, but it was LA’s co-stars who made the difference: D’Angelo Russell (22 and six assists) and Rui Hachimura (17 points and seven rebounds) stepped up, combining for 39 points to complement huge nights from James and Davis.

Play-In race is heating up

LA’s toughest stretch of the season is next

Depending on the night, Los Angeles either looks like one of the best teams in the world or extremely beatable. Whether it’s been players in and out of the lineup or inconsistencies from a rotation standpoint, they just haven’t put together a sustainable stretch of winning basketball.

In 2023-24, LA’s longest winning streak is just three games. Entering the toughest part of the season, now is the time to prove they are capable of hanging with some of the NBA’s most elite squads.

For that to happen, LA needs to shore up its bench scoring and find some production. Cam Reddish, Gabe Vincent, and Jarred Vanderbilt remain out of the lineup, so it’s easier said than done. However, the onus is on both Taurean Prince and Spencer Dinwiddie to reach, or at least get close to, 10 points each night out of the second unit. Their next opponent, Phoenix, has a similar struggle, but it will be tough to come away with key victories against the Nuggets, Clippers, and Thunder without a boost from the reserves.

Coach Darvin Ham’s starting five appears set for the rest of the year. Staying healthy and further solidifying the lineup will help the Lakers gain a prime position by the time the postseason begins.