Lakers-Spurs Preview

By SCOTT GARBARINI

(AP) -- D'Angelo Russell impressed Kobe Bryant in his first chance at the role his mentor perfected during his waning career.

The rookie will undergo another trial by fire Friday night, when his Los Angeles Lakers take on a San Antonio Spurs team that sports the league's stingiest defense and is unbeaten at home this season.

Though it didn't stop the Lakers' losing ways, Wednesday's 123-122 overtime defeat at Minnesota marked another step in the transition process during Bryant's final season. The legendary guard voluntarily spent the entire fourth quarter and overtime on the bench as Russell and second-year forward Julius Randle rallied Los Angeles from a six-point deficit with 2:17 left to force extra time.

"They were playing with good energy and great momentum," Bryant said. "Just let 'em go."

Russell scored 11 of his season-high 23 points in the final four minutes of regulation. The 2015 No. 2 overall pick hit a game-tying jumper with 2.2 seconds remaining but couldn't get a go-ahead shot to fall in the closing stages of overtime.

"I mean, that's an honor for him to say something like that knowing that he could have easily told Coach (Byron Scott) he wants that shot just to add to his collection," Russell said of Bryant. "He probably would have made it."

Randle added 20 points and 12 rebounds, his sixth double-double in seven games, and the Lakers shot a season-high 51.6 percent with Bryant on the court for just 25 minutes.

Los Angeles (3-19) still ranks among the league's worst shooting teams at 41.3 percent and will be surely challenged by the Spurs, who have held opponents to 42.1 percent while yielding an NBA-low 88.7 points per game.

San Antonio (18-5) isn't coming off one of its finer defensive efforts, though, as Toronto shot 57.8 percent in halting the Spurs' four-game win streak with Wednesday's 97-94 victory.

The Spurs, who trailed by 11 early on and never led, hadn't allowed an opponent to shoot better than 48.8 percent previously.

"In the first half nothing was easy," guard Manu Ginobili said. "They played very aggressively, we couldn't figure it out."

Having Kawhi Leonard not at full strength likely contributed to San Antonio's struggles. The 2015 NBA Defensive Player of the Year had a season-low nine points after sitting out Monday's 119-68 rout of Philadelphia with a stomach virus.

"I thought towards the end of the game he started to look fairly normal again, but he obviously wasn't himself," coach Gregg Popovich said.

A return to the AT&T Center, where the Spurs have won 20 straight regular-season games, should also help them bounce back. San Antonio is allowing just 85.6 points per game in winning all 11 home matchups by an average of 14.3 points.

The Lakers have two wins in their past three visits to San Antonio, including a 112-110 overtime decision Dec. 12, 2014. Bryant had 22 points and nine assists and Nick Young capped a 29-point night with a go-ahead 3 with 7.4 seconds left.

San Antonio held Los Angeles to 39.8 percent shooting in a 99-85 home win Jan. 23.