The San Antonio Spurs can breathe a little easier.
Behind 36 points from Devin Vassell, the team defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 129-115 on Friday to snap a franchise-record 18-game losing streak and improve their record to 4-20. San Antonio's last win had been on Nov. 2.
It was a career high in points for Vassell, who shot 12-of-19 from the field (5-of-10 from 3-point range) with six rebounds and three assists. Victor Wembanyama chipped in 13 points, 15 rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks.
The Spurs jumped out to a double-digit lead early in the first quarter against the Lakers, who were missing Anthony Davis (groin), D'Angelo Russell (migraine) and Cam Reddish (knee). The lead peaked at 25 points in the second quarter, but the Lakers battled back to cut it as close as four points before halftime. San Antonio reasserted control with another run early in the third quarter.
Even against a shorthanded Lakers team, the Spurs will take a win after coming so close against the same team two days earlier. The Spurs fell 122-119 to the Lakers, who had Davis but not LeBron James, on Wednesday, nearly erasing a 20-point fourth quarter lead.
Meanwhile, the NBA's longest losing streak remained intact Friday. The Detroit Pistons were blown out 124-92 to bump their run of losses to 22, six short of the NBA record set by the Sixers in 2015.
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