The San Antonio Spurs beat the Los Angeles Lakers 107–91 in a physical Western Conference matchup that never fully cooled, even after the final horn, with Jeremy Sochan and Jarred Vanderbilt at the center of a heated postgame moment. The Lakers played without LeBron James, and frustration showed. Under the lights at Frost Bank Center, tension followed both teams to the tunnel.
After the final buzzer, words were exchanged as players exited the floor. Vanderbilt poked Sochan in the face. Spurs forward Julian Champagnie stepped in with a shove. The moment lingered as both the Lakers and Spurs disappeared down the tunnel. Later, Sochan addressed the exchange.
"We just had a polite exchange and, I was, I think, very joyful and, you know, the other person wasn't. He wasn't stable in that moment. So, something he has to work on."
Jeremy Sochan says Jarred Vanderbilt told him to come see him after Spurs-Lakers 😳
(via @mikefinger) https://t.co/GpzL5tWH8r
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 8, 2026
“We just had a polite exchange and, I was, I think, very joyful and, you know, the other person wasn’t. He wasn’t stable in that moment. So, something he has to work on.” Sochan also said Jarred Vanderbilt told him to come see him after the heated clash between the Spurs and Lakers.
A Spurs win with edge and a message that sticks
On the scoreboard, the Spurs controlled the night. From the opening minutes, they defended with purpose. Meanwhile, through crisp movement, they shared the ball. Against a shorthanded opponent, they consistently punished every mistake. As a result, the 107–91 finish snapped the Lakers’ three-game win streak and felt decisive for the Spurs. Still, beyond the numbers, the postgame moment gave the win an extra layer. This was not chirping for clicks. Instead, it was blunt. Personal. And delivered calmly.
In that moment, Jeremy Sochan’s tone mattered. There was no shouting. No dodging. Just words, chosen carefully, and said once. Earlier, crowd had already roared. Now, the response was quieter. Sharper. In turn, it framed the exchange without inflaming it. For a young Spurs group learning how to handle heat, that restraint counts.
Over time, rivalries grow in flashes like this. Eventually, the schedule will bring another meeting. When it does, will the edge sharpen—or does it spill over again when Spurs and Lakers cross paths next time?
