The San Antonio Spurs blew out the undermanned Los Angeles Lakers 136-108 at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday. The Lakers appeared to have little chance of victory against the Spurs, with Luka Doncic, LeBron James, Austin Reaves, Deandre Ayton, and Marcus Smart being out, and this game was over almost as soon as it began.
The Spurs scored 47 points in the first quarter and led 84-55 at halftime. You’d have expected the Lakers to struggle offensively, but this might have been their worst defensive showing of the season. Victor Wembanyama had 25 points in the first quarter, and had this game been close, he’d have finished with a lot more than 40 points.
The Lakers dropped to 32-21 with this loss, and here’s a look at how their players fared on this night.
Luke Kennard: B
Game Stats: 14 PTS, 2 REB, 5 AST, 1 TOV, 5-8 FG, 1-3 3PT, 3-3 FT, 28 MIN
Luke Kennard had his second double-digit scoring game in his third outing as a Laker. Kennard also tied his season-high with five assists and took fairly good care of the ball. You’d have liked to see him be a bit more aggressive out there, though. Kennard only attempted one three-pointer in the first half. He is one of the very best shooters in the NBA, but doesn’t take nearly as many shots as you’d want.
Bronny James: B
Game Stats: 12 PTS, 3 REB, 6 AST, 1 BLK, 2 TOV, 5-10 FG, 2-2 3PT, 25 MIN
Bronny James was among the reserves who got an extended run because this game was out of reach very quickly. James had an impressive fourth quarter, recording seven points and three assists in it. He showed off his bag and was aggressive, which is what you want to see from him on a consistent basis. Considering he did most of his damage in the garbage time, though, he isn’t getting too high a grade.
As for the defensive end, James got a block late in this one and also drew big cheers when he forced an offensive foul on Wembanyama earlier.
Jaxson Hayes: B-
Game Stats: 13 PTS, 4 REB, 3 AST, 2 TOV, 6-7 FG, 1-1 3PT, 17 MIN
Jaxson Hayes unsurprisingly came out second best in the battle with Wembanyama, but he did have some good moments. Hayes managed to score on the towering Frenchman a couple of times, and it was an efficient night on offense. He actually took just his second three-pointer of the season here and made it, and is now 2-2 from three in 2025-26.
Drew Timme: B-
Game Stats: 14 PTS, 2 REB, 1 TOV, 5-8 FG, 2-3 3PT, 2-4 FT, 20 MIN
Drew Timme was another who shone in garbage time against the Spurs. Timme hit one great spin move in particular against Kelly Olynyk, and you wonder whether Lakers head coach JJ Redick might think about putting him back in the rotation. He had impressed in mid-January, but then found himself out of the fold.
Jake LaRavia: C+
Game Stats: 10 PTS, 2 REB, 1 AST, 1 TOV, 3-6 FG, 2-2 3PT, 2-2 FT, 18 MIN
Jake LaRavia has been struggling with his outside shot lately, but he managed to hit a couple of threes here against the Spurs. Unfortunately, LaRavia wouldn’t be on the court for too long, as he fouled out in the third quarter. He found himself guarding Wembanyama at times, and it was a proper mismatch. It’s hard to blame LaRavia too much for getting scored on repeatedly, as the best bigs in the NBA struggle with that task.
Jarred Vanderbilt: C
Game Stats: 6 PTS, 4 REB, 2 AST, 2 TOV, 2-5 FG, 1-2 3PT, 1-2 FT, 16 MIN
Jarred Vanderbilt had gone 3-18 from beyond the arc in his last eight games, so his making a three here was a positive. Vanderbilt hustled and was active on the glass, but didn’t make too much of an impact. He did have one lowlight, as he blew a wide-open layup in transition in the third quarter.
Dalton Knecht: C
Game Stats: 9 PTS, 5 REB, 1 AST, 1 TOV, 4-8 FG, 0-2 3PT, 1-2 FT, 16 MIN
Dalton Knecht got an extended run here, but didn’t quite take advantage of it as well as James and Timme did. Knecht found some success driving to the basket, but the outside shot has deserted him at this point. He is now shooting 30.6% from three this season after missing those two shots here.
Maxi Kleber: C
Game Stats: 6 PTS, 3 REB, 1 STL, 2 TOV, 2-2 FG, 1-1 3PT, 1-2 FT, 13 MIN
Maxi Kleber has impressed on defense for the Lakers lately, but was powerless against Wembanyama here. Like LaRavia, Kleber found himself in foul trouble early on. He had three fouls in the first quarter alone and then picked up his fourth not long after he was put back in the game in the second. With Ayton already out, the German needed to be more careful.
Nick Smith Jr.: C
Game Stats: 6 PTS, 2 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 1 TOV, 3-8 FG, 0-1 3PT, 17 MIN
Unlike so many of these other reserves, Nick Smith Jr. did his damage in the first half. All of Smith’s six points came in the first half, and he was a non-factor offensively in the second.
Adou Thiero: C
Game Stats: 3 PTS, 1 BLK, 1-1 FG, 1-1 FT, 9 MIN
Adou Thiero made his much-awaited return here after missing 21 games with a right MCL sprain. Thiero made arguably the biggest highlight play of the night for the Lakers with an alley-oop slam. He also got a block and put in good effort in his short stint on the court.
Chris Manon: C
Game Stats: 2 PTS, 1 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 2-2 FT, 7 MIN
Chris Manon played just his fifth game of the season here and scored his first points. The fact that Manon got to play tells you what kind of game this was.
Kobe Bufkin: C-
Game Stats: 7 PTS, 2 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 3 TOV, 2-10 FG, 1-5 3PT, 2-2 FT, 24 MIN
Redick inserted Kobe Bufkin into the starting lineup here, and he started off well. Bufkin made two of his first three shots, but then went ice cold. The Lakers had signed the guard to a two-year deal on Sunday due to his G League exploits, and this game was a reminder that it’s not easy to translate good play in the developmental league into the NBA.
Rui Hachimura: D
Game Stats: 6 PTS, 4 REB, 2 AST, 2 STL, 1 TOV, 3-12 FG, 0-3 3PT, 27 MIN
With so many of the big names being out, the stage was set for Rui Hachimura to show what he is capable of, and he laid an egg here. Hachimura could not buy a basket for much of the night, and this might have been his worst game of the season.
