Game ID: 22501204
San Antonio Spurs @ Los Angeles Lakers
Wednesday, December 10, 2025 at 10:00 PM ET
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
LAL 30 28 29 32 119SAS 39 31 34 28 132
LAL vs SAS ScoutingLAL vs SAS Scouting
Welcome to the scouting desk. The coffee is cold, the film is play-by-play, and somebody has to explain what happened.
Every game has a hinge — a stretch where it was decided, usually while everyone was watching something else. Start where the evidence lives: the Lineups' face-offs say which five actually won their minutes; the Possessions ledger says who ran ahead of the night's own pace; the Shot Chart says where the points really came from, which is rarely where the highlights were. When all three agree, that is the story. When they don't — that is why this desk has a chair.
LAL availability going into 12/01 · back-to-backOUT Smart missed 2 since 11/28, out tonight
OUT Vanderbilt missed 5 since 11/18, out tonight
OUT Smith Jr. missed 5 since 11/18, returns tonight: 6 min (52% of 11)
BACK Vincent back 11/18 after 11, 20 min since (105% of 19)
LAL availability going into 12/04 · 2 days' restOUT Smart missed 3 since 11/28, out tonight
OUT Vanderbilt missed 6 since 11/18, out tonight
BACK Smith Jr. back 12/01 after 5, 6 min since (52% of 11)
LAL availability going into 12/05 · back-to-backOUT Smart missed 4 since 11/28, out tonight
OUT Vanderbilt missed 7 since 11/18, out tonight
BACK Smith Jr. back 12/01 after 5, 10 min since (92% of 11)
LAL availability going into 12/07 · 1 day's restOUT Dončić missed 2 since 12/04, returns tonight: 39 min (109% of 36)
OUT Smart missed 5 since 11/28, out tonight
OUT Vanderbilt missed 8 since 11/18, returns tonight: 3 min (19% of 17)
BACK Smith Jr. back 12/01 after 5, 14 min since (133% of 11)
NEW Vincent 19 to 24 min over the last 5
LAL availability going into 12/10 · 2 days' restOUT Smart missed 6 since 11/28, returns tonight: 28 min (96% of 29)
BACK Dončić back 12/07 after 2, 39 min since (109% of 36)
BACK Vanderbilt back 12/07 after 8, 3 min since (19% of 17)
BACK Smith Jr. back 12/01 after 5, 14 min since (133% of 11)
LAL availability going into 12/14 · 3 days' restOUT Smith Jr. missed 2 since 12/07, out tonight
OUT Kleber missed 2 since 12/07, out tonight
BACK Dončić back 12/07 after 2, 40 min since (112% of 36)
BACK Smart back 12/10 after 6, 28 min since (96% of 29)
BACK Vanderbilt back 12/07 after 8, 3 min since (19% of 17)
LAL availability going into 12/18 · 3 days' restOUT Smith Jr. missed 3 since 12/07, returns tonight: 5 min (49% of 11)
OUT Kleber missed 3 since 12/07, returns tonight: 19 min (184% of 10)
BACK Dončić back 12/07 after 2, 39 min since (110% of 36)
BACK Smart back 12/10 after 6, 30 min since (102% of 29)
BACK Vanderbilt back 12/07 after 8, 9 min since (54% of 17)
LAL availability going into 12/20 · 1 day's restOUT Reaves missed 2 since 12/14, out tonight
BACK Dončić back 12/07 after 2, 39 min since (110% of 36)
BACK Smart back 12/10 after 6, 29 min since (99% of 29)
BACK Vanderbilt back 12/07 after 8, 14 min since (86% of 17)
BACK Smith Jr. back 12/18 after 3, 5 min since (49% of 11)
BACK Kleber back 12/18 after 3, 19 min since (184% of 10)
LAL availability going into 12/23 · 2 days' restOUT Reaves missed 3 since 12/14, returns tonight: 22 min (62% of 35)
OUT Ayton missed 2 since 12/18, returns tonight: 27 min (100% of 27)
OUT Vincent missed 2 since 12/18, out tonight
BACK Dončić back 12/07 after 2, 35 min since (99% of 36)
BACK Smart back 12/10 after 6, 30 min since (100% of 29)
BACK Vanderbilt back 12/07 after 8, 18 min since (105% of 17)
BACK Smith Jr. back 12/18 after 3, 14 min since (124% of 11)
BACK Kleber back 12/18 after 3, 17 min since (169% of 10)
SAS availability going into 12/02 · 1 day's restOUT Castle missed 6 since 11/18, out tonight
OUT Wembanyama missed 7 since 11/16, out tonight
BACK Harper back 11/26 after 10, 17 min since (73% of 24)
NEW Barnes 22 to 33 min over the last 5
NEW Kornet 19 to 26 min over the last 5
SAS availability going into 12/03 · back-to-backOUT Castle missed 7 since 11/18, out tonight
OUT Wembanyama missed 8 since 11/16, out tonight
BACK Harper back 11/26 after 10, 18 min since (76% of 24)
NEW Barnes 22 to 33 min over the last 5
NEW Kornet 19 to 27 min over the last 5
SAS availability going into 12/05 · 1 day's restOUT Castle missed 8 since 11/18, out tonight
OUT Wembanyama missed 9 since 11/16, out tonight
BACK Harper back 11/26 after 10, 19 min since (80% of 24)
NEW Barnes 22 to 33 min over the last 5
NEW Kornet 19 to 27 min over the last 5
SAS availability going into 12/08 · 2 days' restOUT Castle missed 9 since 11/18, returns tonight: 23 min (75% of 31)
OUT Wembanyama missed 10 since 11/16, out tonight
NEW Barnes 22 to 31 min over the last 5
NEW Kornet 19 to 27 min over the last 4
NEW Sochan 13 to 18 min over the last 5
SAS availability going into 12/10 · 1 day's restOUT Wembanyama missed 11 since 11/16, out tonight
BACK Castle back 12/08 after 9, 23 min since (75% of 31)
NEW Barnes 22 to 32 min over the last 5
NEW Kornet 19 to 26 min over the last 4
SAS availability going into 12/13
OUT Wembanyama missed 12 since 11/16, tonight's box is missing
BACK Castle back 12/08 after 9, 25 min since (81% of 31)
NEW Barnes 22 to 33 min over the last 5
NEW Kornet 19 to 29 min over the last 4
SAS availability going into 12/18 · 4 days' restOUT Wembanyama missed 12 since 11/16, returns tonight: 17 min (57% of 30)
BACK Castle back 12/08 after 9, 25 min since (81% of 31)
NEW Barnes 22 to 32 min over the last 4
NEW Kornet 19 to 29 min over the last 3
SAS availability going into 12/19 · back-to-backBACK Castle back 12/08 after 9, 25 min since (81% of 31)
BACK Wembanyama back 12/18 after 12, 17 min since (57% of 30)
NEW Barnes 22 to 29 min over the last 4
NEW Kornet 19 to 27 min over the last 3
SAS availability going into 12/21 · 1 day's restBACK Castle back 12/08 after 9, 25 min since (80% of 31)
BACK Wembanyama back 12/18 after 12, 19 min since (64% of 30)
NEW Kornet 19 to 25 min over the last 4
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
The Lakers come in 3-2 over their last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 120, shooting 48 percent and 39 from three, 27 free throws a game; Dončić at 34 and Reaves at 28 a game. Without Smart (6 straight). 2 days' rest. San Antonio comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 121 a night and allowing 124, shooting 48 percent and 38 from three, 25 free throws a game; Fox at 25 and Vassell at 16 a game. Without Wembanyama (11 straight). One day's rest.
So: The Lakers win, in a game with no one edge to lean on. Call it the Lakers 120, San Antonio 117, San Antonio keeping it close.
12/01 vs PHX 108-125 — LAL notes
LAL lost 108-125. LAL shot 51% (41 of 80) to PHX's 57%, 13 of 33 from three, and went to the line 15 times to PHX's 8 — 13 points from the stripe to their 4. LAL turned it over 21 times to PHX's 11, and PHX turned those into 16 steals. Dončić led with 38 (15 of 26, 3 of 8 from three); Reaves added 16, Knecht 13. Q4 was theirs, 31-29, the deficit cut from 19 to 17, but the other 3 periods went 96-77 against them. Dončić's -25 in 32 minutes was the worst on the floor.
12/04 @ TOR 123-120 — LAL notes
LAL won 123-120. LAL shot 50% (44 of 88) to TOR's 49%, 13 of 31 from three. Reaves led with 44 (13 of 21, 5 of 11 from three, 13 of 15 at the line); Ayton added 17, LaRavia 14. The hinge was Q1, 31-26: from level to 5 ahead. Reaves was the night's best plus/minus at +6.
12/05 @ BOS 105-126 — LAL notes
LAL lost 105-126. LAL shot 43% (33 of 77) to BOS's 55%, 14 of 35 from three, and went to the line 29 times to BOS's 12 — 25 points from the stripe to their 10. Reaves led with 36 (9 of 18, 3 of 8 from three, 15 of 17 at the line); Vincent added 18, Hachimura 13. Q3 was theirs, 36-28, the deficit cut from 23 to 15, but the other 3 periods went 98-69 against them. Vincent's -20 in 30 minutes was the worst on the floor.
12/07 @ PHI 112-108 — LAL notes
LAL won 112-108. LAL shot 48% (41 of 85) to PHI's 35%, 13 of 36 from three. Dončić led with 31 (9 of 24, 2 of 9 from three, 11 of 14 at the line); James added 29, Hachimura 17. The hinge was Q3, 34-24: LAL came in trailing by 7 and left it ahead by 3. LAL trailed 53-60 at the half and won the second half 59-48. Dončić was the night's best plus/minus at +12.
12/10 vs SAS 119-132 — LAL notes
LAL lost 119-132. LAL shot 49% (43 of 87) to SAS's 50%, 16 of 37 from three, and got to the line 23 times to SAS's 36. Dončić led with 35 (11 of 24, 3 of 8 from three, 10 of 14 at the line); Smart added 26, James 19. Q4 was theirs, 32-28, the deficit cut from 17 to 13, but the other 3 periods went 104-87 against them. LaRavia's -25 in 9 minutes was the worst on the floor.
12/14 @ PHX — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Phoenix comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 106 a night and allowing 120, shooting 45 percent and 32 from three, 18 free throws a game; Brooks at 23 and Gillespie at 15 a game. It has lost the glass by 6 a night. Without Booker (3 straight), Green (15 straight). 3 days' rest. The Lakers come in 2-3 over their last five, scoring 113 a night and allowing 122, shooting 48 percent and 40 from three, 24 free throws a game; Dončić at 35 and Reaves at 24 a game. 3 days' rest.
So: Phoenix wins, and the game turns on the arc, the Lakers at 40 percent from three to Phoenix's 32 and the line, where the Lakers take 24 free throws a game to Phoenix's 18. Call it Phoenix 116, the Lakers 115, the Lakers keeping it close.
12/18 @ UTA — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Utah comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 121 a night and allowing 129, shooting 47 percent and 38 from three, 26 free throws a game; Markkanen at 27 and George at 26 a game. Without Kessler (20 straight), Harkless (11 straight), Tshiebwe (25 straight). 2 days' rest. The Lakers come in 3-2 over their last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 120, shooting 47 percent and 36 from three, 30 free throws a game; Dončić at 32 and Reaves at 26 a game. 3 days' rest.
So: The Lakers win, on the road, and the game turns on the defense, the Lakers allowing 120 a night to Utah's 129 and the glass, where the Lakers have been plus-0 a night and Utah minus-4. Call it the Lakers 121, Utah 120, Utah keeping it close.
12/20 @ LAC — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
The Clippers come in 0-5 over their last five, scoring 104 a night and allowing 115, shooting 47 percent and 34 from three, 22 free throws a game; Leonard at 22 and Harden at 22 a game. That is 5 straight losses. Without Jones Jr. (14 straight). One day's rest. The Lakers come in 3-2 over their last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 123, shooting 47 percent and 34 from three, 32 free throws a game; Dončić at 35 and James at 26 a game. Without Reaves (2 straight). One day's rest.
So: The Lakers win, on the road, and the game turns on the line, where the Lakers take 32 free throws a game to the Clippers' 22 and the turnovers, the Clippers giving it away 17 times a game to the Lakers' 13. Call it the Lakers 116, the Clippers 115, the Clippers keeping it close.
12/23 @ PHX — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Phoenix comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 105 a night and allowing 115, shooting 44 percent and 33 from three, 21 free throws a game; Booker at 30 and Brooks at 20 a game. It has lost the glass by 9 a night. Without Allen (2 straight), Green (18 straight). 2 days' rest. The Lakers come in 3-2 over their last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 118, shooting 46 percent and 29 from three, 31 free throws a game; Dončić at 30 and James at 28 a game. Without Reaves (3 straight), Ayton (2 straight), Vincent (2 straight). 2 days' rest.
So: Phoenix wins, and the game turns on the glass, where the Lakers have been plus-2 a night and Phoenix minus-9 and the line, where the Lakers take 31 free throws a game to Phoenix's 21. Call it Phoenix 115, the Lakers 114, the Lakers keeping it close.
12/02 vs MEM 126-119 — SAS notes
SAS won 126-119. SAS shot 46% (42 of 92) to MEM's 50%, 18 of 39 from three, and went to the line 31 times to MEM's 24 — 24 points from the stripe to their 20. SAS turned it over 6 times to MEM's 15. The glass went 40-50 against them. Barnes led with 31 (10 of 20, 7 of 12 from three); Fox added 29, Harper 15. The hinge was Q4, 29-21: SAS came in trailing by 1 and left it ahead by 7. Johnson was the night's best plus/minus at +13.
12/03 @ ORL 114-112 — SAS notes
SAS won 114-112. SAS shot 46% (42 of 91) to ORL's 45%, 13 of 38 from three. SAS turned it over 19 times to ORL's 10, and ORL turned those into 11 steals. Fox led with 31 (11 of 20, 3 of 7 from three, 6 of 9 at the line); Harper added 16, Vassell 15. The hinge was Q2, 27-20: a lead of 2 became 9, and the lead reached 15. Kornet was the night's best plus/minus at +17.
12/05 @ CLE 117-130 — SAS notes
SAS lost 117-130. SAS shot 45% (42 of 93) to CLE's 58%, 15 of 43 from three. The glass went 38-48 against them. Vassell led with 28 (8 of 16, 7 of 13 from three, 5 of 6 at the line); Fox added 25, Johnson 14. Q1 was theirs, 35-30, but the other 3 periods went 100-82 against them. They led by as many as 10. Champagnie's -22 in 35 minutes was the worst on the floor.
12/08 @ NOP 135-132 — SAS notes
SAS won 135-132. SAS shot 50% (49 of 98) to NOP's 58%, 17 of 36 from three. The glass went 43-33 for them. Barnes led with 24 (9 of 15, 4 of 7 from three); Harper added 22, Castle 18. The hinge was Q1, 35-25: from level to 10 ahead, and the lead reached 25.
12/10 @ LAL 132-119 — SAS notes
SAS won 132-119. SAS shot 50% (43 of 86) to LAL's 49%, 17 of 38 from three, and went to the line 36 times to LAL's 23 — 29 points from the stripe to their 17. Castle led with 30 (10 of 14, 3 of 6 from three, 7 of 9 at the line); Fox added 20, Johnson 17. The hinge was Q1, 39-30: from level to 9 ahead, and the lead reached 24. Fox was the night's best plus/minus at +21.
12/13 @ OKC — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
OKC comes in 5-0 over its last five, scoring 130 a night and allowing 106, shooting 56 percent and 46 from three, 23 free throws a game; Gilgeous-Alexander at 31 and Holmgren at 21 a game. That is 5 straight wins. Without Hartenstein (6 straight), Joe (3 straight). 2 days' rest. San Antonio comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 125 a night and allowing 122, shooting 47 percent and 41 from three, 28 free throws a game; Fox at 24 and Barnes at 18 a game. Without Wembanyama (12 straight). 2 days' rest.
So: OKC wins, and the game turns on the defense, OKC allowing 106 a night to San Antonio's 122 and the arc, OKC at 46 percent from three to San Antonio's 41. Call it OKC 124, San Antonio 113, OKC by 11.
12/18 vs WAS — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
San Antonio comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 125 a night and allowing 122, shooting 47 percent and 41 from three, 28 free throws a game; Fox at 24 and Barnes at 18 a game. Without Wembanyama (12 straight). 4 days' rest. Washington comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 111 a night and allowing 123, shooting 45 percent and 35 from three, 27 free throws a game; McCollum at 21 and Carrington at 14 a game. Without Sarr (6 straight), Coulibaly (4 straight), Middleton (3 straight). 3 days' rest.
So: San Antonio wins, and the game turns on the arc, San Antonio at 41 percent from three to Washington's 35 and the turnovers, Washington giving it away 16 times a game to San Antonio's 12. Call it San Antonio 125, Washington 114, San Antonio by 11.
12/19 @ ATL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Atlanta comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 125 a night and allowing 128, shooting 49 percent and 38 from three, 21 free throws a game; Johnson at 25 and Alexander-Walker at 22 a game. It has won the glass by 4 a night. Without Porziņģis (4 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. San Antonio comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 123 a night and allowing 117, shooting 48 percent and 39 from three, 26 free throws a game; Castle at 22 and Fox at 19 a game. That is 3 straight wins. Second night of a back-to-back.
So: San Antonio wins, on the road, and the game turns on the defense, San Antonio allowing 117 a night to Atlanta's 128 and the line, where San Antonio takes 26 free throws a game to Atlanta's 21. Call it San Antonio 121, Atlanta 120, Atlanta keeping it close.
12/21 @ WAS — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Washington comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 118, shooting 47 percent and 36 from three, 23 free throws a game; McCollum at 22 and Carrington at 16 a game. Without Kispert (9 straight), Cooper (8 straight), Whitmore (5 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. San Antonio comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 126 a night and allowing 115, shooting 50 percent and 39 from three, 25 free throws a game; Castle at 20 and Vassell at 15 a game. That is 4 straight wins. It has won the glass by 5 a night. One day's rest.
So: San Antonio wins, on the road, and the game turns on the glass, where San Antonio has been plus-5 a night and Washington minus-1. Call it San Antonio 122, Washington 115.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
LALAR A. Reaves
AT A. Thiero
DA D. Ayton
DK D. Knecht
DO Doncic
GV G. Vincent
JH J. Hayes
JL J. LaRavia
LD L. Dončić
LJ L. James
MS M. Smart
RH R. Hachimura
SASDF D. Fox
DH D. Harper
DV D. Vassell
HB H. Barnes
JC J. Champagnie
KJ K. Johnson
KO K. Olynyk
LK L. Kornet
LW L. Waters III
SC S. Castle
LAL/SAS the team itself, not a player
-- the feed named nobody
What
What happened
the codes in the Events column
M2 / M3 made 2 / made 3
X2 / X3 missed 2 / missed 3
FT / X1 free throw made / missed
AST assist
OR / DR offensive / defensive rebound
STL steal
BLK block
TO turnover
FL foul
OF offensive foul — ends the possession
VIOL violation
JUMP jump ball
TM timeout
IR instant replay
HE heave at the buzzer, filed to the team
END the clock ran out, ball in hand
Where
Where a shot came from
the middle field of M3.LW.25
RM at the rim inside 4 ft
RC right corner
RW right wing
SO straight on
LW left wing
LC left corner
M3.LW.25 made 3, left wing, 25 ft
X2.RM.01 missed 2, at the rim, 1 ft
When
When it happened
the Offset column
one number per event, in the Events order:
whole seconds from the start of the
possession to that event
Events FL X3.RC.23 OR M2.RM.01
Offset 0 18 22 24
the foul opens the possession at 0s;
the putback ends it at 24s, which is
the possession's own Dur
Stephon Castle scores 30 to lead Spurs into NBA Cup semifinals with 132-119 win over Lakers
LOS ANGELES -- — Stephon Castle scored 21 of his 30 points in the second half, and De'Aaron Fox added 20 points in the San Antonio Spurs ' 132-119 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night in an NBA Cup quarterfinal.
Keldon Johnson had 17 points and eight rebounds as the Spurs maintained a healthy double-digit lead for most of the final three quarters to claim the last Cup semifinal spot in Las Vegas, where they will face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday.
Luka Doncic scored 35 points and LeBron James had 19 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists for the Lakers, who lost for only the third time in 12 games. Los Angeles trimmed its deficit to eight points late in the fourth quarter, but couldn't get closer.
Marcus Smart scored a season-high 26 points with eight 3-pointers for the Lakers, and Austin Reaves had 15 points.
San Antonio has won nine of 12 overall after steadily controlling this meeting of two Western Conference teams hoping to challenge the defending champion Thunder, both this week and in the postseason.
Castle was outstanding in his second game back from a 10-game absence with a hip injury, adding 10 rebounds and six assists. Eight Spurs scored at least eight points, and their bench outscored Los Angeles' reserves 48-31.
The Lakers won the inaugural NBA Cup in 2023, and they went unbeaten through group play this fall before running into the Spurs.
San Antonio made a 17-2 run and jumped to an 18-point lead in the second quarter, with Castle and Harrison Barnes exploiting Los Angeles' season-long struggles in perimeter shooting defense.
Victor Wembanyama missed his 12th straight game with a calf injury, but he traveled with the Spurs.
Up next Spurs: Face Oklahoma City in the NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas on Saturday.