The sequence sparked a roar from the Crypto.com Arena crowd and had the potential to intimidate the unproven Spurs, who were playing in this do-or-die NBA Cup quarterfinal without injured franchise star Victor Wembanyama.

The Lakers believed they were built for another deep NBA Cup run, but they walked out looking like a team still searching for answers. Los Angeles had Luka Doncic throwing haymakers all evening and LeBron James delivering a decent performance,

The Spurs are too fast for the Lakers, who fail to reach the semifinals of the NBA Cup with a quarterfinal loss.

With a 132-119 loss to the San Antonio Spurs, LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers have fallen to 17-6 on the season. Although the team remains in a strong position, it appears that James isn’t prepared to bank on the team’s early success.

The 2025-26 campaign has turned into a showcase for some of the league’s sharpest playmakers. From superstar engines to fast-rising facilitators, this year’s assist leaders are controlling tempo, reading defenses,