LOS ANGELES_From a vastly more veteran team, the Los Angeles Lakers got a lesson on Friday night at Staples Center.
They lost to the San Antonio Spurs, 116-107, falling to 7-6 this season while the Spurs improved to 10-3.
Although the Lakers got as close as within four points in the fourth quarter, the Spurs kept them an arm's length away until the end. Spurs point guard Tony Parker's layup with 33 seconds left in the game gave the Spurs a six-point lead that only grew as the Lakers fouled to slow the game.
The Spurs entered the game undefeated on the road, and with a more experienced roster. All of their starters had at least five years of NBA experience, with several having at least 10 years.
An injury made the Lakers a little bit more veteran than they had been previously. Point guard D'Angelo Russell missed the game with a sore left knee. Without Russell the Lakers started the 35-year-old Jose Calderon, again eschewing a lineup that would disrupt his vaunted second unit.
Heading into Friday's game the Lakers bench was the highest scoring bench in the NBA, and their second unit of Jordan Clarkson, Lou Williams, Larry Nance Jr., Tarik Black and Brandon Ingram, had a habit of digging the Lakers out of early deficits.
On Friday, climbing out of an early deficit was a group effort.
While the Lakers trailed, 26-16 after one quarter, they outscored the Spurs, 36-26 in the second quarter. Luol Deng scored eight points, including two three-pointers, in the second quarter, and Nick Young made all four of his shots.
Young hit a three-pointer with 58.2 seconds left in the half. On the very next play, Young drove to the basket for a lay-up that gave the Lakers a one-point lead. It was part of a 7-0 run near the end of the half that brought the Lakers back into contention. Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard found himself open for a dunk as the quarter ended, but the ensuing review showed the shot happened after the clock expired.
The teams went into halftime tied at 52. Lou Williams, known more for his fourth-quarter heroics, scored 11 points by halftime. He finished the game with 24.
Everything was a fight.
The Lakers fast breaks were rarely uncontested. And even solid defensive plays weren't always enough. Midway through the fourth quarter, Nance tapped the ball away from Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge, but Aldridge managed to get the ball back anyway and score.
After three quarters, the Lakers trailed by 15 points. The Spurs shot 73.7 percent in the third quarter, which helped them score 39 points.
It didn't last. With 1:39 remaining in the game, the Spurs had made 7 of 18 fourth-quarter shots. The Lakers, meanwhile, charged with the energy of their home crowd, made one final push.
Young hit a three-pointer to bring the Lakers within eight. Clarkson hit another three to bring the Lakers within 5. And after the Spurs took a time out to stop the bleeding, Julius Randle attacked the basket, going right at former Laker Pau Gasol, who fouled him. He made one of two free throws to bring the Lakers within four.
Ultimately, the Spurs talent, experience and strength proved too much for the Lakers to overcome.
