It was almost 4 a.m. Wednesday when the Lakers arrived at their San Antonio-area hotel, their last two losses exposing some of the worst internal fears of the team.
The way they had played in the second half of losses to Denver and Phoenix had players wondering if all the work the team had put in over the last two months had been worth it — that all the effort and time spent trying to change hadn’t mattered.
When Denver pushed the familiar pressure points, the Lakers crumbled. When the offense went cold and the rims got tight in Phoenix, they folded.
Their body language said what no one dared mutter publicly: “Here we go again.”
But by the Lakers took the floor Wednesday evening, they took on the persona of their head coach, JJ Redick, who pregame said, “I don’t think I’ve ever dwelled on the past.”
Energized, in part by a new starting five, and in part, by a fresh chance to get back to winning, the Lakers played one of their most consistent games of the season on both ends of the court in a 119-101 win against the Spurs.
Read more: Lakers look to ramp up defense with return to physical play
Redick moved rookie Dalton Knecht back into the starting five, moving Cam Reddish to the bench, and the group responded by winning each of the four quarters.
Defensively, they caused havoc and dictated the game with their physicality, pushing Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama away from the paint. Offensively, the ball popped, baskets almost always coming as result of crisp passing, the Lakers recapturing vibes that had evaporated during their three-game losing streak.
Knecht led seven players in double figures with 20 points, LeBron James had his sixth triple-double and Anthony Davis had 19 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists. D’Angelo Russell had one of the best games of his season, scoring 17 off the bench. Max Christie added 12.
The Lakers NBA Cup chances are still alive, but they need a win on Friday against Oklahoma City (while needing the Spurs to upset the Suns).
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
