With a four-game lost line behind it, the Los Angeles Lakers will continue to look for a way forward as they play host for San Antonio Spurs on Monday night.
Lakers (41-25), who handled damage to Foenix Suns damage on Sunday. Luka Doncic had 33 points, 11 returns and eight assists, while Austin Reave chipped in 28 points.
“I get there (physically) and every day I feel better,” said Doncic, who was out from December 27 to February 10 with a calf injury and arrived at the Lakers while he was still recovering. “Physically speaking, I had my knee hydrated, my ankle (injured) again, but I’m good.”
The Lakers were without Lebron James (Ljumsk) for the fourth game in a row, and to start forward Rui Hachimura (knee) missed his ninth game in a row. Both are considered day to day.
Jaxson Hayes, who took over the center place when Anthony Davis was traded to Dallas Mavericks for Doncic, returned from a four-game absence due to a knee account injury to get 19 points with six returns to Suns.
“Just his energy, his effort, his presence in his pocket, a lobhot, gives Luka (space),” said Reaves about Hayes after the game. “… it was good to see him back.”
Lakers have a little less than a month to get completely healthy before a potential playoffs, and the higher the playoffs the seed, the better. On the way into the second game in a five-match home, Los Angeles is in fifth place on the Western Conference, but only 2 1/2 matches above the Play-in-Tournament line.
The spurs (28-38) know everything about injuries, after losing both Star Center Victor Wembanyama (Blood Clot) and the new arrival De’aaron Fox (finger surgery) for the season. Head coach Gregg Popovich has missed most of the season after a stroke.
San Antonio has played twice since Fox was suspended. On Friday, it allowed 145 points in a loss to Charlotte Hornets before recovering for a victory 119-115 at home against New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday.
Devin Vassell scored 22 points for San Antonio on Saturday, while Keldon Johnson made 19 from the bench. On 6-AV-17 shooting, Vassell 4 of 9 went from the 3-point area with five returns and three steals.
“It is not a fantastic night that shoots basketball but only being able to influence the game in other ways, whether it is recovery, whether it is stealing, whether just encouraging as a teammate, whatever the case can be, I have tried to have that role and transfer it to each game,” said Vassell.
In a sign of how the spurs tries to find their way without a couple of stars, four of their seven two -digit scores came against the Pelicans from the bench.
Rookie guard Stephon Castle, who started the last two matches with Fox Out, got 17 points and had seven assists but went 0 out of 5 from 3 points.
Monday’s game was originally scheduled for January 11 but was postponed due to deadly fires in the Los Angeles area. Lakers are 2-1 against Spurs this season.
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