The Spurs went back on offense.
With Wemby, their biggest weapon, off the floor, the Lakers could send all their defenders out to challenge them.
That left the Spurs no chance to shoot threes. And when they drove to the basket, Dauding was guarding the paint with his long arms and legs, while Aiton could get back on defense in time.
In the end, the Spurs couldn't score and had no choice but to force up a shot. The result was a badly missed attempt.
The Lakers seized the opportunity to launch a fast break.
Wang Yi might have been forty, but when it came to fast breaks, he could still charge to the front of the pack.
Danny quickly moved to the right corner, ready to receive a pass from Wang Yi.
After charging up front, Wang Yi tried to go up for a layup, but Vassell, the Small Forward, and Randle, the Shooting Guard, came after him from either side.
Whether Wang Yi shot from the left or the right, he was bound to get blocked.
So Wang Yi never took the shot. With the ball tucked in his arms, he flew past the baseline, then flicked his right wrist and sent the ball toward the right corner.
Danny was already waiting there. He caught the ball cleanly, rose, and fired a three.
For Danny, a three like that should have been a sure thing, especially from the right corner, his sweet spot.
This season, Danny had shot 48.3 percent from three in the right corner.
But for some reason, his shot wouldn't fall tonight.
Fortunately, Dauding came up behind him and grabbed the rebound, then followed through with a putback.
That was one of the benefits of getting Wemby off the floor.
With Wemby benched, the Lakers