The buzz inside Crypto.com Arena for the Lakers and San Antonio Spurs game was created because generational talents Luka Doncic and Victor Wembanyana were performing. It was a show that even several members of the World Series champion Dodgers were on hand to watch.

But what they saw was a lot of fouls being called that made the game unsightly. Doncic picked up his fifth in the fourth quarter, and Wembanyama eventually fouled out.

In the end, Doncic produced 35 points, 13 assists, nine rebounds, five steals and two blocked shots in helping the Lakers escape with a 118-116 victory over the Spurs on Wednesday night.

There were 66 fouls called, which led to three of the Spurs fouling out, and 84 free throws attempted. The game took two hours and 54 minutes to be played.

“There were just a lot of touch-fouls tonight,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said after his team won its fifth straight game. “It kind of disrupted the flow for both teams.”

But the game was almost lost by the Lakers, when, after the Spurs’ Kelly Olynyk scored on a put-back with 1.2 seconds left to pull San Antonio within two, Marcus Smart was called for a line violation trying to inbound the basketball, turning it over to the Spurs for one last opportunity.

Smart had already been called for a technical foul and flagrant foul in the game, but his last miscue hurt the most.

“It’s kind of crazy, but as a 12-year vet, I can’t make that mistake,” he said. “Can’t even put the call and the ball in (the referees) hands to have that call called against us. I take full ownership of it. My teammates understand. They are going to joke with me. They are going to let me hear about it. But it will never happen again.”

On the ensuing play, Jake LaRavia fouled Julian Champagnie with 0.4 seconds left. But he missed his first free throw and missed the second intentionally.

It meant that Wembanyama (19 points, eight rebounds) and his team had lost two straight games.

He got his fifth foul with 10 minutes and 31 seconds left in the fourth quarter, putting him on the bench until there was 6:38 left in the game.

Doncic picked up his fifth foul with 7:58, but stayed in the game.

Wenbanyama drove to the basket and was called for an offensive foul for running over Rui Hachimura with 1:39 left, his sixth and final foul. The Spurs challenged the call, but it was not successful.

How to contain Wembanyama and his immense talents on offense and defense was the most talked about subject pregame.

It was talked about more than Austin Reaves missing his second straight game with right groin soreness. He was seen at the Lakers’ shoot-around earlier in the day working out with one of the assistant coaches.

But later in the day, the Lakers listed Reaves as out.

The Lakers start a five-game trip Saturday night in Atlanta, leaving Coach JJ Redick to say “TBD” (to be determined) when asked if Reaves would return against the Hawks.

The plan is for the Lakers to practice Friday in Atlanta and play the next night, which would give Reaves five days to heal since his injury occurred Sunday against the Miami Heat.

“He’s got some soreness in that right groin,” Redick said.

Redick added this about Reaves:

“Those injuries, or a further injury on that, is hard,” Redick said. “I’ve had ‘em. I’ve had surgery. We’re just trying to be safe with him. And, hopefully that is Friday, but we’re not going to put him at risk.”

The Lakers got a big lift out of their center, and that played a role in them beating the Spurs.

Deandre Ayon had 22 points, 10 rebounds and two blocked shots.

“I ain’t going to lie. Seeing the Dodgers champions walking in here, they put a little pressure on me,” Ayton said, laughing. “I was nervous. I was like, ‘Damn.’ Actually, seeing them in person, I’ve been watching them through a glass the whole season. But it was definitely some pressure and the crowd got into it so it was definitely something to put on for the fans and leave them happy.”