Spurs Defeat Lakers 132-119 in NBA Cup Quarterfinals

The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 132-119 on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena, advancing to the NBA Cup semifinals while eliminating the Lakers from the tournament. In a standout return from injury, Lakers guard Marcus Smart scored a season-high 26 points, including eight three-pointers on 14 attempts, highlighting his impact despite the loss.

The Spurs, finishing 3-1 in group play, overcame the absence of star center Victor Wembanyama, who remained sidelined with a calf injury. Guards Stephon Castle and DeAaron Fox combined for 50 points, powering San Antonio to 50 percent shooting from the field and 45 percent from three-point range. The Spurs, now 16-7 and fifth in the Western Conference, will face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the semifinals starting Saturday.

For the Lakers, who entered the quarterfinals with a perfect 4-0 group stage record, the defeat dropped them out of a tie for second place in the West. Luka Doncic led Los Angeles with 35 points, eight assists and five rebounds, while LeBron James nearly recorded a triple-double, finishing with 19 points, 15 rebounds, eight assists and three blocks. The bench provided minimal support beyond Smart,...