Lakers-Spurs

Lore & Background

The Lakers advanced to the 2025 NBA Cup knockout stage as the winner of West Group B, finishing the group stage undefeated at 4–0, but were eliminated by the eventual Cup runners-up San Antonio Spurs in the quarterfinals. On March 31, the Lakers clinched the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season and their second consecutive Pacific Division title. They won 50 games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2009–10 and 2010–11. On April 9, they improved on their 50–32 record from the previous season. For the second season in a row, the Lakers had home-court advantage in the first round. Luka Dončić sustained a left hamstring strain on April 2, sidelining him. The Lakers finished the regular season with a 53–29 record, ranking fourth in the Western Conference. They faced the Houston Rockets in the first round, a rematch of the 2020 Semifinals, and defeated Houston in six games. They were later swept by the top-seeded and defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Semifinals. This was the last season for public address announcer Lawrence Tanter, who retired but stayed on as an adviser. LeBron James announced he would return for the 2026-27 NBA season but with a different team. Mark Walter and the TWG Global sold the team in August 2026 to Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner.

In Their Own Story

The air inside the Staples Center was thick with popcorn and electric dread, but on the hardwood, a suffocating silence took hold. Kobe Bryant drove hard into the paint, eyes locked on the rim, only to run headfirst into Tim Duncan—a living stone wall anchored at the apex of the key. The crowd erupted as the ball left Bryant's fingertips, hanging in the stagnant air for an eternity before clanging violently off the iron. On the other end, Duncan secured the rebound with the effortless grace of a ballet dancer, pivoting once, then twice, and finishing softly over the desperate, outstretched arms of the Lakers' defense. It was a perfect microcosm of their entire history: the blinding flash of Hollywood against the unyielding foundation of Texas; the individual hero against the relentless machine.

Reader's Guide

The Lakers entered the draft with only one second-round selection. They traded their original first-round pick, along with a second-round pick acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers through separate transactions involving star players with the New Orleans Pelicans and Utah Jazz, respectively. The Lakers retained their own second-round pick.

Did You Know?

• The Lakers clinched the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season and their second consecutive Pacific Division title on March 31.
• They won 50 games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2009–10 and 2010–11.
• Luka Dončić sustained a left hamstring strain on April 2, sidelining him.
• This was the last season for public address announcer Lawrence Tanter, who retired but stayed on as an adviser.
• LeBron James announced he would return for the 2026-27 NBA season but with a different team.