Shorthanded Lakers fall short against Spurs

Gregg Popovich known as a timeout, strolling instantly from his bench throughout the court docket in an angered rush. He pointed at a fan in a blue collared shirt within the second row and motioned for him to get within the sport.

That fan? Corridor of Famer David Robinson.

Seems, the Spurs didn’t want him — San Antonio gaining a sport on the Lakers within the race for one of many last play-in event spots with a 117-110 victory.

The win ties Popovich with Don Nelson for essentially the most NBA teaching wins with 1,335 regular-season victories.

Loads of the greats have been on the Spurs-Lakers sport Monday night time in San Antonio, and like Robinson, most of them weren’t in uniform.

Similar to Popovich wished he might’ve had Robinson within the sport patrolling the paint, Lakers coach Frank Vogel simply needed to look down his bench for gamers he wished he might use — a bunch that Monday included LeBron James.

James missed Monday’s sport towards the Spurs, swelling and soreness in his left knee coming simply two days after he scored 56 factors in a win the Lakers desperately wanted towards the Golden State Warriors.

The damage value him 5 video games starting in late January and he’s been listed as “questionable” on the group’s damage report since.

“The heavy load that he’s carrying for us this yr, we all know that it’s at all times a chance. I believe that’s why we proceed to listing him as questionable to see the way it’s responding over the 48 hours between video games,” Vogel mentioned pregame. “And that is simply a type of days the place it was vital sufficient to carry him out.”

With out James, and naturally Anthony Davis and Kendrick Nunn, the Lakers wanted balanced manufacturing to problem the Spurs, however whereas their offense carried out properly sufficient, the Lakers couldn’t get sufficient stops.

The Spurs shot higher than 50% from the sphere and led by as many as 14, forcing the Lakers to chase them for nearly your complete sport. And whereas they have been in a position to briefly take one-point leads, the Lakers couldn’t get sufficient large performs down the stretch.

Russell Westbrook scored 17 to go along with 10 rebounds and 6 assists. Carmelo Anthony and Malik Monk every had 17, and Talen Horton-Tucker scored 18 to guide the group.

Dejounte Murray, the Spurs’ younger All-Star guard, led everybody with 26 factors, with every of the opposite 4 San Antonio starters becoming a member of him in double figures.

The Spurs now path the Lakers by 4 video games within the loss column.