Victor Wembanyama scored a season-high-tying 40 points as the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 107-91 on Wednesday night, exacerbating the Lakers’ depth issues. The Lakers were without several key players, including LeBron James, who was rested after playing against the Pelicans the previous night, and Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura.
The Spurs’ victory came during a challenging stretch of games immediately following the holiday period, a time when player fatigue often impacts performance. San Antonio had recently suffered a narrow loss to Memphis, where a last-second block by Santi Aldama sealed their fate, before returning home to face the depleted Lakers.
Luka Dončić, despite putting up 38 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists for a triple-double, could not prevent the Lakers from a lackluster shooting performance. The team shot just 4-for-25 from three-point range, and 9-for-39 overall.
Wembanyama’s performance included 16 points and 14 rebounds, contributing to a Spurs team effort led by Keldon Johnson, who scored 27 points on efficient shooting. Stephon Castle added 15 points, and De’Aaron Fox contributed 14.
Spurs coach Keldon Johnson utilized a tight rotation, employing only eight players, with the ninth player seeing limited action with just 11 minutes on the court. This strategy appears to be a preparation for the anticipated challenges of the playoffs.
The win snapped a two-game losing streak for the Spurs, who had previously lost four of their last five games. The Lakers’ struggles were further highlighted by their poor free throw shooting (64%) and two-point shooting (53%) compared to their opponents.
Earlier in the season, on November 5, 2025, Dončić expressed his respect for Wembanyama after a Lakers victory over the Spurs, praising the young Frenchman’s potential and impact on the game. Dončić noted Wembanyama’s progress in his third NBA season and acknowledged the difficulty of playing against him. At that time, Wembanyama recorded 19 points and 8 rebounds in the contest, while Dončić posted 35 points, 13 assists, and 9 rebounds.
In a November 6th game, Dončić again outperformed Wembanyama, leading the Lakers to a 118-116 victory after a late-game comeback. Wembanyama fouled out with approximately 100 seconds remaining in the game, and the Lakers capitalized on his absence. Dončić finished with 35 points, 13 assists, and 9 rebounds, while Wembanyama had 19 points and 8 rebounds, shooting 5 of 14 from the field.
