Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs square off in NBA Cup West semi-final
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LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers driving against Jabari Walker of the Philadelphia 76ers during the Lakers' 112-108 NBA win on Dec 7 at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
PHOTO: AFP
LOS ANGELES – A pair of Western Conference powers, vying to become the primary threat to the defending National Basketball Association (NBA) champions, will meet in an NBA Cup West semi-final on Dec 10 (Dec 11, Singapore time) when the Los Angeles Lakers play host to the San Antonio Spurs.
Both teams are hot as the Lakers have won nine times over their past 11 games, with the Spurs prevailing in eight of their past 11. The Lakers saw LeBron James return during that stretch, while the Spurs are finding success without Victor Wembanyama due to a calf injury.
Up next for the winners could be the ultimate mid-season litmus test against the Oklahoma City Thunder, if the reigning NBA champions beat the Phoenix Suns in the other West semi-final.
Wembanyama will miss his 12th straight game. “I think we all trust each other with the ball,” rookie Dylan Harper said of playing without their star.
“There is no ego between us... which is a big thing in this league. I think we all just want to see each other succeed, no matter what. Just have that mindset of playing off each other and have one common goal, and that’s winning.”
Without the 2.24m inside threat of Wembanyama, San Antonio shot 17 of 36 (47.2 per cent) from three-point range in their last game, a 135-123 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Dec 8. The Spurs now face the Lakers, who are one of the worst teams at defending shots from long range, with opponents shooting 37.9 per cent from the three-point line.
As the Lakers get their perimeter defence together, with Marcus Smart (back) expected to return after missing the past six games, they did see James make his season debut on Nov 18. In seven games, James has averaged 16.1 points with 7.6 assists.
Los Angeles clinched a 112-108 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Dec 7 when James hit a go-ahead three with 1:12 remaining and added another jumper with 27.4 seconds left, finishing with a season-high 29 points.
“That was amazing. That was vintage Bron,” guard Luka Doncic said. “We’re happy he was there to save us. He had an amazing game. He just decided the game.”
The winners of the Lakers-Spurs clash earn a trip to Las Vegas for the West final on Dec 13 with the NBA Cup final against the East winners also set for Las Vegas on Dec 16.
Meanwhile, in NBA action on Dec 9, the Orlando Magic, sparked by 37 points from Desmond Bane, and the New York Knicks advanced to an NBA Cup semi-final showdown with breakthrough triumphs.
Bane went six of nine from three-point range and added six rebounds and five assists in Orlando’s 117-108 victory over the visiting Miami Heat. New York’s Jalen Brunson scored 35 points in the 117-101 win over the Toronto Raptors in the other Eastern semi-final. REUTERS, AFP
