Ingram sends Lakers past Spurs

LOS ANGELES (AP):

Halfway through another mostly miserable season, the young Los Angeles Lakers have put together their longest winning streak of the year.

Coach Luke Walton is eager to see whether they can maintain the momentum that's making their future look slightly less bleak.

Brandon Ingram scored 26 points, Lonzo Ball added 18 and the Lakers held off the short-handed San Antonio Spurs 93-81 on Thursday night for their third straight victory.

Larry Nance Jr had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Lakers

(14-27), who blew an early 19-point lead before running away in the fourth quarter with a poise they've shown only fleetingly this season. Los Angeles had lost nine straight before its current surge.

"We responded like a team that's failed a lot and kind of got sick of it," Walton said. "We're seen that point many times this year where we're playing well, we have a lead, the other team goes on a run and then we stall out in the second half. I thought our players did a great job of coming together."

AGGRESSIVE OFFENSIVE GAME

Ingram had an aggressive offensive game, and Ball contributed 10 rebounds, six assists and four 3-pointers as Los Angeles also snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Spurs at Staples Center since April 2013.

The Lakers (14-27) appear to be midway through their fifth consecutive non-playoff season, but their entertaining style occasionally produces great moments, such as the dunk thrown down by Nance on a less-than-ideal pass from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

LaMarcus Aldridge scored 15 of his 20 points in the first half for the Spurs, who committed 21 turnovers while playing without injured starters Kawhi Leonard, Tony Parker and Danny Green.

Thursday's games: Boston 114 Philadelphia 103; Toronto 133 Cleveland 99; LA Clippers 121 Sacramento 115; L.A. Lakers 93 San Antonio 81.