LeBron James, Lakers Fall to Spurs as LaMarcus Aldridge Shines with 28 Points

The San Antonio Spurs may be finding their footing.

San Antonio defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 118-109 in Thursday's Western Conference showdown at Staples Center. LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan led the way for the victors, who are 4-4 on the season and have won two straight following a four-game losing streak.

Los Angeles is still 6-3 on the campaign but saw its four-game winning streak come to an end despite a solid showing from LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

Notable Player Stats

• LaMarcus Aldridge, F, SA: 28 PTS, 5 REB, 3 AST
• DeMar DeRozan, F, SA: 19 PTS, 8 AST, 4 REB, 2 STL
• Dejounte Murray, G, SA: 18 PTS, 8 REB, 2 AST
• Rudy Gay, F, SA: 15 PTS, 6 REB
• LeBron James, F, LAL: 27 PTS, 12 AST, 6 REB
• Anthony Davis, F, LAL: 23 PTS, 10 REB, 3 AST, 3 BLK, 1 STL

LaMarcus Aldridge Impresses in Spurs' Win

It is early in the season, but it was fair to worry about the Spurs during their four-game losing streak.

After all, they missed the playoffs last season for the first time since the 1996-97 campaign and appeared to be transitioning between eras of competitiveness with a mix of veterans and young talent. However, one of those veterans made sure the losing streak came to an end during Tuesday's win over the L.A. Clippers when Patty Mills poured in a team-high 27 points.

It was the veterans again who kept that momentum rolling in the early going against the Lakers, as Aldridge and DeRozan each scored 12 points in the opening quarter.

The tandem extended their games beyond the three-point line, showed off soft touch in the lane and helped set the tone for the visitors even in a matchup with the defending champions. Throw in a quick burst from Lonnie Walker IV, and San Antonio took a nine-point lead into the halftime locker room.

Aldridge continued to dominate as the Spurs extended their leads to double digits in the third quarter in a throwback performance for the seven-time All-Star.

Los Angeles had no answers for him in half-court sets, and the extra attention he drew opened up lanes for DeRozan, Dejounte Murray, Walker and others to attack. It was by far the best performance of the season for Aldridge, who has largely been inconsistent at best.

Speaking of turning back the clock, Rudy Gay made multiple threes and took over the scoring in the fourth quarter as the Spurs kept the Lakers at bay and earned their most impressive win of the campaign.

LeBron, AD Not Enough for Lakers

The Lakers have plenty of leeway coming off a championship and following a hot start to the season, but how their offense responded in Thursday's game was of particular note after their last outing.

While Los Angeles defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 94-92 on Tuesday, it was the first time all season it failed to score more than 100 points. The team appeared to be going through the motions at times just for James and Davis to bail it out in crunch time.

It was another lethargic start for the Purple and Gold against the Spurs, although the issue was more on the defensive side as Aldridge and DeRozan started off on fire.

As he so often does, James made sure his team was well within striking distance even after the slow start by hitting multiple three-pointers, attacking the lane and facilitating when the Spurs collapsed on his penetration. It was clear by halftime he was well on his way to a double-double as he helped set up Davis and Kyle Kuzma, while Talen Horton-Tucker and Montrezl Harrell provided a spark off the bench.

By the second half, the only thing keeping the Lakers close was the James-Davis duo.

The King caught fire from deep, powered his way to the rim and drew a number of fouls, while Davis worked in space and on the blocks. Kuzma was the only other Los Angeles starter to score more than six as much of the onus fell on the two stars.

Most of the time, that pair is more than up to the task of carrying the rest of the team if needed. However, James and Davis didn't have enough help in this one as the Lakers' winning streak came to an end.

What's Next? 

The Lakers host the Chicago Bulls on Friday, while the Spurs are at the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday.