LA Lakers edge Denver Nuggets in NBA OT while Wemby sparks San Antonio Spurs win
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Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic ) takes the game-winning shot while under pressure from Denver Nuggets forward Spencer Jones in overtime at Crypto.com Arena on March 14, 2026 in California
PHOTO: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
LOS ANGELES – Luka Doncic sank a baseline jumper with half a second remaining in overtime on March 14 to give the Los Angeles Lakers a dramatic 127-125 National Basketball Association victory over Denver for their fifth straight triumph.
NBA scoring leader Doncic had a triple double with 30 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds to foil a triple-double effort by Denver’s Nikola Jokic, who had 24 points, 16 rebounds and 14 assists.
“This game was very big,” Doncic said. “We’ve still got a long way to the play-offs. We’ve got to approach every game the same way.”
The contest reached overtime only because Lakers guard Austin Reaves, who scored a game-high 32 points, rebounded his own missed free throw and sank a tying basket from the left side with 1.9 seconds to play in regulation.
“Saw they only had one person on that side, so tried to miss on that side and go make a play,” he said. “I’ve made it once before but not to this magnitude.”
The score was deadlocked again late in overtime before Doncic’s closing heroics.
“I just wanted to get my shot off,” the Slovenian superstar said. “I saw there was an opening, so I went to the other side. Went to my step back, I’ve worked on this, and trust my shot.”
The Lakers squandered a 17-point lead, then erased an eight-point Denver fourth-quarter advantage and won to stand at 42-25, third in the Western Conference, while the Nuggets fell to 41-27, sixth in the West.
The Lakers won the season series over Denver, a key tie-breaker edge in the standings if needed.
At San Antonio, Victor Wembanyama delivered an electric all-around performance to lead the Spurs over Charlotte 115-102.
The 2.24m Frenchman scored a game-high 32 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for San Antonio’s 17th victory in 19 games. He added eight assists, four blocked shots and two steals to avenge a January loss at Charlotte.
“That might have been my worst defensive game all year,” Wembanyama said. “So yeah, we had to make a statement today.”
The Spurs improved to 49-18, the second-best record in the NBA and only three games behind West leaders Oklahoma City.
“What’s next is pretty straightforward. We want to win everything,” Wembanyama said.
“We’ve got one disadvantage is that we don’t (have) experience. But that can be an advantage, too, because if we don’t know it’s impossible we might still do it.”
He is mindful of keeping his body healthy for the upcoming post-season and his quest for personal awards – the NBA Most Valuable Player and NBA Defensive Player of the Year trophies.
“In my mind it’s taking great care of my body because I also want to win the MVP and defensive player of the year,” he added.
Wembanyama scored four points and added an assist in a 12-0 Spurs run to grab a 104-88 lead with 6:05 remaining. AFP
