Lakers at Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs still have the Western Conference-leading Golden State Warriors in sight and look to move a bit closer when they host the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday. San Antonio trails the Warriors by 3 1/2 games with five contests remaining and can possibly cut into the deficit by defeating the Lakers for the ninth consecutive time.
The Spurs won eight of their past nine games and Tuesday's 95-89 overtime win over the Memphis Grizzlies allowed them to reach 60 victories for the second straight season and seventh time in franchise history. "Anytime you have to make plays down the stretch and you are behind and to execute, it's good for the team and good for your confidence," All-Star small forward Kawhi Leonard told reporters after the latest victory. Los Angeles won for just the third time in the past 21 games when it posted a 108-103 victory over Memphis on Sunday. Power forward Larry Nance Jr. played one of his better games by scoring 12 points and matching his career best of 14 rebounds while posting his eighth career double-double.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, Spectrum SportsNet (Los Angeles), FSN Southwest (San Antonio)
ABOUT THE LAKERS (22-55): Second-year guard D'Angelo Russell continues to experience consistency issues and he tallied 28 points against Memphis one night after scoring two points on 1-of-9 shooting against the Los Angeles Clippers. Russell has topped 20 points in four of the past 10 games - including a 40-point outing against the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 19 - but also has scored five or fewer points twice during the stretch. "It's been gradual but it's not just D'Angelo, but most young players," Los Angeles coach Luke Walton told reporters. "Forwards, backwards, you think you have it and you realize we're not there yet. As a whole it's been gradual increase from where I'm sitting throughout the year."
ABOUT THE SPURS (60-17): Only the Boston Celtics with 13 and the Lakers (Minneapolis/Los Angeles) with 11 have recorded more 60-win seasons than the Spurs and only Phil Jackson and Pat Riley (seven apiece) have more 60-win seasons as a coach than San Antonio's Gregg Popovich (six). Leonard produced 32 points and 12 rebounds against the Grizzlies but his NBA MVP candidacy is running slightly below headliners James Harden of Houston and Russell Westbrook of Oklahoma City despite his stellar season. Veteran shooting guard Manu Ginobili suffered a quadriceps injury against Memphis and figures to be held out in the second tilt of a back-to-back.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Spurs won this season's first three meetings by an average of 23.3 points, including a 134-94 victory on Jan. 12.
2. San Antonio PF LaMarcus Aldridge (thumb) scored 15 points against the Grizzlies after missing the previous contest.
3. Los Angeles C Tarik Black (knee) is questionable after sitting out the Memphis game.