NBA preview: Spurs at Lakers

The San Antonio Spurs will travel to Los Angeles on Wednesday for a high-stakes Western Conference matchup with the Lakers.

Strong start for the Spurs

After a 5-0 start, the Spurs come into the matchup on the heels of their first defeat of the season. San Antonio fell to the Phoenix Suns on Sunday, in a matchup where an underwhelming performance from star center Victor Wembanyama saw the Spurs fall 130-118.

Outside of the game against the Suns, Wembanyama has been a star. The third-year center has put himself squarely in the conversation for several major awards with his strong two-way play through the early parts of the season.

The Frenchman holds a major lead in the defensive player of the year race, as his odds currently stand at -250 per FanDuel. The next closest player is Chet Holmgren, but his +800 odds give Wembanyama the inside track to taking the award home.

He also holds the second-best odds to win the NBA MVP, trailing just Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

The Spurs have been well-rounded, however, as several other players have begun their campaigns on the right foot.

Reigning rookie of the year Stephon Castle has been strong in his sophomore season, averaging 20.0 points, 5.3 assists and 1.8 steals per game, each ranking either first or second on the team.

Rookie guard Dylan Harper has been another bright spot for San Antonio, but he’ll be sidelined for multiple weeks with a calf strain. He’ll join De’Aaron Fox on the injury report, though Fox should be making his season debut in the near future.

The Spurs’ 5-0 start was the best in team history, and they should continue to be strong despite the injuries to Fox and Harper.

Luka’s Lakers

It’s been an interesting start to the season for the Lakers.

All-time great LeBron James has yet to step on the court for Los Angeles, though they’ve managed to grind their way to a 6-2 record while spreading the scoring wealth.

Luka Dončić was set to fill in as the Lakers’ first option with James out, though the Slovenian guard also found himself on the injury report in the first few games. Dončić missed three games due to a finger sprain and leg contusion, but has been outstanding in the games that he’s appeared in. Through four games, Dončić is averaging 41.3 points, 11.5 rebounds and 8.5 assists per game.

In his absence, Austin Reaves filled in as the Lakers’ leading scorer and took advantage of the opportunity. He scored 51 and 41 points in his first two games leading the Lakers, before capping a 28-point night with a game-winning floater on October 30th.

Reaves’ 31.1 points and 9.3 assists per game each rank fourth in the league.

Forwards Rui Hachimura and DeAndre Ayton have each added 16.9 points per game, filling the frontcourt that Anthony Davis vacated last season.

When fully healthy, the Lakers will be feared as one of the West’s top squads.

The Matchup

On paper, this should be a good one. Wembanyama and Dončiċ are two of the league’s biggest stars, and their high-scoring nature should make for fireworks on Wednesday night.

Both squads are looking like playoff teams to start the year, and it wouldn’t be all that surprising if this matchup is rekindled when the postseason comes around.

ESPN’s matchup predictor gives Los Angeles a 54.6% chance to defeat San Antonio and improve to 7-2 on the year.

Both teams have outstanding offenses, but Wembanyama’s defense will give the Spurs the edge in this one. If James were healthy, it might be a different story, but San Antonio will take this game by a score of 122-117.

Elliott Inscho is a first-year student majoring in digital and print journalism. To contact him, email eli5026@psu.edu