Los Angeles, Dec. 24 (BUS): Keita Bates Diop scored 30 career points while making 11 of his shots, and the San Antonio Spurs beat the struggling Los Angeles Lakers 138-110 Thursday night in the final. At Staples Center under the original name of the 22-year-old arena.
Derek White had 23 points and Lonely Walker added 21 points in the third win in a four-game wild ride for Spurs, who scored 18 three-pointers while finishing a two-game sweep of the two NBA tenants in downtown Los Angeles, the AP reports.
The building changes its name to the Crypto.com Arena at Christmas under what is believed to be the richest naming rights agreement in sports history. The cryptocurrency and exchange platform has been paying more than $700 million over 20 years to put its name on a scene that has hosted countless major sporting and entertainment events since it opened in 1999.
The final night under the old name was probably owned by Bates Diop, the fourth-year NBA player averaging 3.8 points per game this season with the previous season’s highest at 10. He scored 20 points in the second half and hit five three-pointers. During his perfect match from the field while he frequently guarded LeBron James on the other end.
“I was playing the game, reading the defense, moving on,” Bates Diop said. “I don’t think I dribble too much. My teammates just found me. … (James) is a great player, but you have to guard him and the stars don’t crash into him.”
James scored 36 points and nine rebounds, and Russell Westbrook scored 30 points with Los Angeles, who lost four consecutive points for the first time this season amid the chaos of the Covid-19 list. The Lakers are playing without coach Frank Vogel and five players under NBA health and safety protocols, and they are 0-4 since Anthony Davis injured his left knee in Minnesota last week.
“We don’t have any chemistry with any lineup from the fact that we haven’t scored any minutes,” James said. “All of our defensive men are in health and safety protocols. … We don’t need a full list. We just need some of our guys back.”
San Antonio took an early double-digit lead over the Lakers and comfortably won consecutive games for the first time since December 4 despite a subpar game from leading scorer Dejaunt Murray, who advanced 3 for 16. The Lakers reserve 69-20.
“Kita was ridiculous,” said Tottenham manager Gregg Popovich. “I did a good job on both ends of the court. We could barely protect LeBron, but he did his best. It really was a team effort, because I thought some of the players (bench) outdid the starters.”
Hints
Tottenham: They also played in the Lakers’ final game at the Forum on May 23, 1999. Tim Duncan scored 33 points and then completed a four-game sweep of San Antonio over Los Angeles in the second round of the post-season. Popovic was in his third year as a coach. … Keldon Johnson scored 16 points.
Lakers: Interim coach David Wiesdel ran off the bench for the second game in a row. He said that Vogel sends him a list of notes between halftime while he’s watching it on TV. Wiesdal and assistant coach Phil Handy received technical errors due to arguing with officials. …watched Davis off the bench in a blue tracksuit as he missed his third game. The heavily injured star won’t be re-evaluated until late next month.
staple remover
Signs, billboards, and the countless little details in the plaza have been altered to erase the name Staples Center, which has an illogical—but undeniable—emotional meaning to Los Angeles sports fans who have equated the name of the office-retail chain with the center into the basketball world for more than two decades.
The Lakers recognized the facility and honored the name change with an introductory video highlighting the team’s greatest moments on the field. The fans were given a souvenir ticket and a gold jersey repeating the first jersey the team made in this arena during the 2000 qualifiers.
At the halftime ceremony, former Lakers stars Robert Hurry, Metta Sandiford-Artist, Luke Walton, Byron Scott and Gary Payton stood around the Staples Stadium crest with their six championship cups in this building.
LAKERS’ LUMPS
Los Angeles (16-17) is back under 0.500 for the first time since November 26. Dwight Howard went out of protocols and played 22 minutes as a center back in Los Angeles, but the Lakers were still without Avery Bradley, Kent Bazimore, Monk owner, Austin Reeves, and Trevor Ariza, who went into protocols earlier in the day.
“There’s nothing you can do but find out,” Westbrook said. “Finding ways. Getting fit. We have a bunch of guys in that locker room who don’t give up and don’t give in. We have to turn the page and find a way to win a game of ball.”
next one
Tottenham: Host Detroit on Sunday.
Lakers: Host Brooklyn FC on Saturday.