Here is what you need to know before the Lakers’ road visit against the San Antonio Spurs.
1) All hail the King
LeBron James simply took it to another level in the Lakers’ come-from-behind win in Dallas on Friday, erupting for 39 points, 16 assists and 12 rebounds.
Not only was it the first 35/15/10 game in franchise history, LeBron was also at his best when it mattered most. He was a one-man demolition crew in overtime, scoring or assisting on 13 of the Lakers’ 16 points.
On top of all that, James was excellent defensively in Dallas (and has been for most of the early season). And his pick-and-roll game with Anthony Davis (31 points) is something to behold.
2) They call him Deadshot
For as brilliant as LeBron was in OT, the Lakers wouldn’t have even reached that point if it weren’t for the heroics of “Deadshot” Danny Green.
Down by three in the final seconds of regulation, coach Frank Vogel drew up a play to have LeBron penetrate while Green came off a screen in the opposite corner. The sharpshooter did his thing from there, catching and releasing the game-tying triple as time expired.
Green’s contributions have extended far outside of just one play. He’s averaging 3.0 treys per game on a sizzling 50.0 percent clip, and has also been one of the team’s premier perimeter defenders.
3) Spurs stay on top
As fitting for a team with 22 straight winning seasons, San Antonio is off to a stellar start, matching the Lakers’ 4-1 record.
The Spurs shoot few 3-pointers, but have been super efficient inside the arc, boasting a high field goal percentage and a ton of free throws. They are also crashing the boards at a top-shelf level.
As for individual matchups, DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge are recent All-NBA selections who will be tall defensive tasks for Green and JaVale McGee, respectively. Plus, Dejounte Murray, Derrick White, Bryn Forbes and Patty Mills make for a strong supporting cast.
Injury Report
Lakers: Rajon Rondo (sore right calf), Talen Horton-Tucker (stress reaction, right foot) and DeMarcus Cousins (rehabilitation, right knee) are out.
Spurs: Dejounte Murray (knee) is day-to-day.
Tip-Off: 4 p.m. PT
TV: Spectrum SportsNet
Radio: 710 ESPN and 1330 Tu Liga
Unis: Purple Statement
Location: AT&T Center — San Antonio, Texas