World Series champion Dodgers honored during Lakers 118-116 victory over Spurs

The echoes of October glory were still alive inside Crypto.com Arena Wednesday night — only this time, the stage belonged to the Los Angeles Lakers.

At the end of the first quarter, the house lights dimmed, and the spotlight found the newly crowned 2025 World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, who walked proudly to halfcourt with the Commissioner’s Trophy in hand. 

Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Alex Call, Evan Phillips, Will Smith, Teoscar Hernandez, and Mookie Betts smiled beneath the championship glint as the sold-out crowd rose in unison, showering them with thunderous applause. The Dodgers — who just days ago engineered a comeback for the ages in Game 7 — were back in Los Angeles, basking in championship afterglow.

Little did anyone know, that same comeback spirit was about to spill onto the hardwood.

Because down by 12 points early in the fourth quarter, Luka Doncic did what the Dodgers did — he refused to fold.

Doncic, the maestro of late-game chaos, orchestrated a rally that felt as cinematic as it was ruthless. He finished with 35 points, 13 assists, nine rebounds, and five steals, flirting with yet another triple-double while carrying the Lakers to their fifth straight victory, a 118-116 triumph over the San Antonio Spurs that left the crowd breathless.

The Lakers ended the game on a 21-10 run, fueled by defense, hustle, and the kind of resolve that championship teams draw upon when the clock is against them. Deandre Ayton chipped in 22 points and 10 rebounds, while Rui Hachimura made the game’s quietest — yet loudest — play, drawing Victor Wembanyama’s sixth foul with 1:39 to go.

Wembanyama had been a menace most of the night — 19 points, eight rebounds, and a handful of jaw-dropping sequences that reminded everyone why the league’s future belongs to him. But when he fouled out, momentum shifted for good.

Doncic seized the moment. With just over two minutes left, he pulled up from deep — one of those audacious step-back threes that freezes time — and buried it to give the Lakers a 113-112 lead. The crowd erupted, and from that point forward, Los Angeles played with the confidence of a team that believed the basketball gods were smiling their way.

Still, nothing came easy. After Kelly Olynyk’s putback with 1.2 seconds left brought the Spurs within two, a chaotic final sequence gave San Antonio one last gasp. Justin Champagnie was fouled on a tip attempt and went to the line for two free throws — but missed the first. His second rimmed out, and as the buzzer sounded, purple and gold confetti fell from the rafters.

It wasn’t the World Series, but it sure felt like October magic lingered in the air.

For the Lakers, it was a win that carried layers — resilience, camaraderie, and the emerging symphony between Doncic and his new teammates. With Austin Reaves sidelined and Harrison Barnes fouling out, Los Angeles found new ways to win, grinding through mistakes and foul trouble to protect home court.

The Lakers improved to 7-2, their best start in recent memory. And as the final horn echoed, Doncic raised his arms toward the crowd, the same way Freddie Freeman did days earlier at the Rogers Centre. 

Two teams. One city. One shared heartbeat.

The Dodgers may have brought their trophy across town, but on this night, the Lakers earned their own moment of glory — forged from the same fire that makes champions immortal.

Next Up:

Spurs: Host the Houston Rockets on Friday.

Lakers: Travel to Atlanta to face the Hawks on Saturday.

Source: NBC Los Angeles