Spurs vs. Lakers: Score, Highlights, Reaction from 2016 Regular Season

Last year, the San Antonio Spurs were nearly unbeatable at home. This season, that trend has translated to games away from AT&T Center.   

At least, that's what the first few weeks of the 2016-17 campaign have taught us. 

With a perfect 6-0 record on the road entering Friday night's tilt against the Los Angeles Lakers (7-6), the Spurs snagged a 116-107 victory at Staples Center to move to 10-3 on the season and remain undefeated in hostile environments. 

The win also represented a major milestone for head coach Gregg Popovich, as the NBA's official Twitter account noted: 

The Spurs weren't always at their sharpest in the win, but balance ruled the day against a Lakers team that came into Friday's clash ranked 18th in defensive efficiency, according to Basketball-Reference.com. 

LaMarcus Aldridge posted 23 points and six rebounds in the triumph, while former Laker Pau Gasol notched 16 points on a night when seven Spurs players finished in double figures. 

Speaking of which, Kawhi Leonard tallied at least 10 points for the 47th straight game, according to the team's official Twitter account. All told, Leonard tallied 23 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists. He also played some strong third-quarter defense that helped spark a pivotal 12-0 Spurs run, as the Spurs showed on Twitter: 

Danny Green and Tony Parker added 10 and 16 points, respectively, and Patty Mills chipped in 11 points off the pine.  

The Spurs shot 55.3 percent from the field, 5-of-11 from three and assisted on 17 of 21 made baskets in the first half, but they entered halftime tied at 52 due to a nasty concoction of turnovers and defensive lapses. 

But even though they were the more efficient team from a shooting standpoint throughout the first 24 minutes, the Spurs committed nine first-half turnovers that led to 12 Purple and Gold points. Conversely, the Lakers had just five turnovers as a team during that same span. 

And while the Lakers were without point guard D'Angelo Russell due to left knee soreness, they had the shooters necessary to pick up the slack for a couple of quarters. 

Nick Young filled it up to the tune of 14 first-half points, and he was in vintage form as the second quarter drew to a close, via NBA.co: 

Luol Deng supplemented Young's offerings with 10 points in the first half, and that number was significant. It may not have looked like much at first glance, but Deng hitting double figures was big considering he topped 10 points in four of the Lakers' first 12 games. 

Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus put Deng's early offerings in perspective: 

The wheels came off for the Lakers in the third quarter when the Spurs caught fire and stretched their lead to 15 points. At that point, things became rather one-sided during a frame that saw San Antonio score a season-high 39 points, according to the Associated Press' Greg Beacham: 

However, the Lakers didn't have anything to be ashamed of. 

Young (22 points), Jordan Clarkson (20 points) and Lou Williams (24 points) were all in fine form, and the their ability to push the Spurs down the stretch after falling behind big was admirable considering how much of an edge San Antonio had in terms of experience, polish and overall chemistry. 

And while it would have been fair to cast the Lakers aside Friday since their last three wins came over the Sacramento Kings, New Orleans Pelicans and Brooklyn Nets, they gave the Spurs all they could handle in a game that exemplified how nicely the team has evolved under new head coach Luke Walton. 

Unfortunately for the Lakers, the road ahead could be littered with more losses if they're not careful.

Four of the team's next seven games will feature the Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors, with the other three showdowns slated to come against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Atlanta Hawks and New Orleans Pelicans. 

But if the Lakers can weather that stretch and churn out at least three quality wins, it will speak volumes about the way Walton has been able to get his guys to buy in. 

The Spurs, meanwhile, will attempt to rip off a sixth straight win Monday night when they host the Dallas Mavericks. If Popovich's squad can come out on top there, it will try to stay hot when a three-game road trip featuring games against the Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets and Washington Wizards rolls around. 

Postgame Reaction

Following the win, Popovich heaped praise on Walton, according to ESPN.com's Michael C. Wright: 

"

I thought we played well for the first 10 minutes, and then we went to sleep like they were going to give us the game. Luke's done a great job of making them believe and playing aggressively, and you can really see it. They came back and stuck it to us. So in the second half, we had a good third quarter like we wanted to win the game. We got after it, and executed. But I am just so impressed of what [Luke Walton] has done with this group.

"

Parker echoed that sentiment. 

"They're talented," he said, according to Beacham. "They play hard for Luke. They have a lot of good pieces. Now it's all about getting chemistry."

When asked what Popovich told him after the game, Walton disclosed that the Spurs boss said he was doing "a good job," per Pincus. 

"I was proud of the way that we fought … but it wasn’t consistent enough … you have to be hitting on all cylinders to beat (Spurs)," Walton said, according to Mike Trudell of the Lakers' official website. 

"The most important thing to take away is how we come back from this and how we approach practice tomorrow," Walton added, per the Los Angeles Daily News' Mark Medina.