Lakers star Luka Doncic drives to the basket as San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle defends during the second half on Monday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul shoots as Lakers center Jaxson Hayes defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Lakers guard Austin Reaves, left, is fouled by the San Antonio Spurs’ Sandro Mamukelashvili during the first half on Monday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Lakers star Luka Doncic shoots over San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle during the first half of a game in Los Angeles, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Lakers guard Dalton Knecht drives to the basket as San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson, center, shoots over Lakers center Christian Koloko, left, and guard Dalton Knecht, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Injured Lakers star LeBron James watches from the sideline during the first half of a game against the San Antonio Spurs in Los Angeles, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Lakers star Luka Doncic posts up against San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Spurs guard Chris Paul handles the ball during the first half of their game against the Lakers on Monday night at Crypto.com Arena. Paul has always impressed former Clippers teammate JJ Redick, who is now the Lakers’ head coach. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Lakers star Luka Doncic is fouled by the San Antonio Spurs’ Bismack Biyombo during the first half on Monday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Lakers rookie guard Dalton Knecht gestures after scoring during the first half of a game against the San Antonio Spurs in Los Angeles, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Lakers guard Jordan Goodwin, left, Lakers forward Dorian Finney-Smith, center, and San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie, right, reach for the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Lakers guard Austin Reaves dribbles during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs in Los Angeles, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes, left front, goes up for a basket as Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt, left back, and guard Austin Reaves, right, defend during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Lakers guard Austin Reaves drives to the basket during the second half of their game against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
San Antonio Spurs guard Blake Wesley shoots over Lakers guard Austin Reaves, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Lakers star Luka Doncic dribbles during the second half of a game against the San Antonio Spurs in Los Angeles, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell drives to the basket as Lakers center Jaxson Hayes defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Lakers guard Austin Reaves takes a 3-point shot during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs in Los Angeles, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Lakers center Jaxson Hayes dunks in front of San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Lakers guard Dalton Knecht goes up for a basket as San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Lakers star Luka Doncic takes a 3-point shot over San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (0) blocks the shot by Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Lakers guard Austin Reaves gestures after making a 3-point shot during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs in Los Angeles, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Lakers star Luka Doncic drives to the basket as San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Lakers star Luka Doncic goes up for a basket San Antonio Spurs guard Blake Wesley, left, and guard Stephon Castle during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Lakers rookie guard Bronny James, left, takes a 3-point shot over San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Lakers star Luka Doncic shoots during the second half of a game against the San Antonio Spurs in Los Angeles, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Lakers star Luka Doncic shoots over San Antonio Spurs center Bismack Biyombo (18) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Lakers star Luka Doncic gestures during the second half of a game against the San Antonio Spurs in Los Angeles, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Lakers rookie guard Bronny James enters the game during the second half of a game against the San Antonio Spurs in Los Angeles, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Lakers guard Bronny James handles the ball during the second half of a game against the San Antonio Spurs in Los Angeles, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Actor Daniel Kaluuya attends a game between the Lakers and the San Antonio Spurs on Monday, March 17, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
1 of 33
Lakers star Luka Doncic drives to the basket as San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle defends during the second half on Monday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
LOS ANGELES — Lakers coach JJ Redick didn’t want to overstate the importance of the next few weeks for his team.
But he couldn’t help but acknowledge the “enormity,” as he put it, of the Lakers’ final 16 regular-season games ahead of Monday night’s home game against the San Antonio Spurs.
As the Lakers found out the hard way, one injury-riddled bad week can be the difference between being in second place in the Western Conference standings and falling to fifth.
So even with the team remaining without two-fifths of its starting lineup (LeBron James, Rui Hachimura), and the Spurs being without their two best players (Victor Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox), Redick acknowledged the growth the Lakers have made over the last 2½ months in these situations.
“Our group,” Redick said, “for the most part has been very professional.”
Consider Monday’s 125-109 victory over the Spurs at Crypto.com Arena in light of what Redick was looking for.
Despite star Luka Doncic struggling with his shots (5 for 20 overall, 1 for 7 from 3-point range), the Lakers (42-25) pulled off the near wire-to-wire victory with contributions from nearly every available player in a game that was rescheduled from Jan. 11 because of the wildfires.
“We played hard and stuck to the game plan through the end of the game and we continued to build that chemistry,” Austin Reaves said after they had 34 assists on their 44 field goals. “You can tell by the way we’re playing. Everybody is sharing the ball. Luka causes so much havoc for teams’ defenses that the majority of the time you got to blitz him and then you’re playing four-on-three.
“It’s just a fun brand of basketball and after a long road trip that we were really bad on, it’s good to get home and get back to winning.”
Reaves (30 points, seven rebounds and six assists) led the team in scoring with his fourth consecutive game scoring at least 28 points. He only reached 28 points four times in the Lakers’ first 63 games this season.
“This guy just scored 30 in his fourth game in five days,” Doncic said of Reaves. “That explains everything. He’s an amazing player. For him to go undrafted is unbelievable. And, it’s not easy to go undrafted and play at this level. It’s amazing just to be by his side.”
Doncic offset his rough night from the field by getting himself to the free-throw line (10 for 13) and setting up his teammates often to finish just shy of a triple-double: 21 points, 14 assists and nine rebounds.
“People start learning that at some point in the game, they’re going to double-team me,” Doncic said. “I accept that and I like playing that. It saves my energy. We just get to play four-on-three. Guys are doing great out of that.”
In addition to making the hustle plays that have become normal for them in Lakers uniforms, Jordan Goodwin (15 points on 6-of-9 shooting) and Dorian Finney-Smith (15 points on 5-of-12 shooting) were in a strong shooting rhythm.
They combined for 7-of-12 shooting from behind the arc, making more than a third of the Lakers’ 19 3-pointers.
“They ran a bunch of pick-and-roll coverages, trying to guard Luka and A.R.,” Finney-Smith said. “It just opened up shots for me, Gabe [Vincent], Goodie. It’s a good overall win.”
Reaves scored nine points in a 3½-minute stretch while the Lakers opened a 28-point lead in the third quarter. San Antonio responded with a 15-0 run, but never got the deficit to single digits.
“There were stretches that we played good defensively,” said Redick, whose team improved to 7-3 in the second game of back-to-back sets this season. “We lost our way at the end of the third, start of the fourth, when they went on that run. But the way we were able to generate good offense, I think it was 48 3s and 34 were uncontested … our offensive decision-making and consistency where we had four really good offensive quarters was great.”
Jaxson Hayes, playing in his second game since returning from a bruised right knee that sidelined him for four games, once again made a difference at the rim, finishing with nine points, 11 rebounds, three assists, a pair of steals and a blocked shot.
Dalton Knecht (13 points) and Vincent (11 points) combined for 24 of the Lakers’ 35 bench points – a figure that was boosted by both teams playing their end-of-bench players for the final 2:30.
Stephon Castle had 23 points and eight rebounds and Devin Vassell added 17 points (15 before halftime) and eight rebounds for the Spurs, who have lost five of seven.
Jarred Vanderbilt and Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan (15 points) were ejected with 6:27 remaining after both were given double technical fouls for their altercation, during which Sochan threw the ball at Vanderbilt after a foul and Vanderbilt shoved Sochan.
Second-round draft pick Bronny James made a 3-pointer one minute after subbing in as part of the Lakers’ end-of-bench unit.
UP NEXT
The Lakers have another challenging back-to-back coming up, hosting the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night and the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night.
