Anthony Davis, LeBron James lead Lakers past Spurs 120-115 to open NBA Cup title defense

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Anthony Davis had 40 points and 12 rebounds, LeBron James had 15 points, 16 rebounds and 12 assists and the Los Angeles Lakers opened defense of their Emirates NBA Cup title with a 120-115 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night.

James had his career-high fourth straight triple-double.

Victor Wembanyama had 28 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and two blocks for San Antonio. On Wednesday night, he had a career-high 50 points in a 139-130 home victory over Washington.

Davis shot 14 for 26, making 2 of 4 3-pointers, in his highest-scoring game of the season. Austin Reaves added 19 points, Dalton Knecht had 14 and D'Angelo Russell 13.

San Antonio raced to an 11-0 lead, including an alley-oop dunk by Wembanyama from fellow 20-year-old Stephon Castle. Davis scored 16 points in the opening quarter as Los Angeles closed the period on a 21-8 run to take a 31-30 lead.

Castle had 22 points, and Devin Vassell added 15 for San Antonio.

Lakers: Davis had 30 points for the seventh time in 11 games this season. He is averaging a career-high 31.1 points.

Spurs: Chris Paul had 11 points and 11 assists, giving him 12,008 career assists. Paul joins John Stockton (15,806) and Jason Kidd (12,091) as the only players with 12,000 assists.

With the Lakers leading 116-115, Paul was called for an offensive foul after attempting to screen Davis following a handoff to Wembanyama for a 3-pointer. The turnover led to a layup by James that gave the Lakers a 118-115 lead with 25 seconds remaining.

The Lakers had a 15-6 advantage on second-chance points, including an 8-0 advantage in the first quarter.

The Lakers are at New Orleans on Saturday night to close out a back-to-back. The Spurs are at Dallas on Saturday night before returning for a three-game homestand.

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Los Angeles Lakers' Austin Reaves (15) tangles with San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama, right, and Chris Paul during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

Los Angeles Lakers head coach J.J. Redick, right, speaks with guard Austin Reaves during the first half of their Emirates NBA Cup basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

Los Angeles Lakers' Dalton Knecht (4) goes to the basket against San Antonio Spurs' Julian Champagnie during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

San Antonio Spurs' Devin Vassell (24) blocks a shot attempt by Los Angeles Lakers' Dalton Knecht during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

Los Angeles Lakers' Anthony Davis (3) dunks against San Antonio Spurs' Julian Champagnie during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James (23) goes to the basket against San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

San Antonio Spurs' Chris Paul, front, looks to pass as he is defended by Los Angeles Lakers' Anthony Davis during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama celebrates a basket during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James (23) drives against San Antonio Spurs' Stephon Castle (5) during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James (23) drives against San Antonio Spurs' Keldon Johnson during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

Los Angeles Lakers' Anthony Davis (3) gestures to teammates during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — A California man convicted of stabbing to death a gay University of Pennsylvania student in an act of hate was sentenced Friday to life without parole in prison.

Samuel Woodward, 27, was sentenced in a Southern California courtroom at the end of an all-day hearing for the murder of Blaze Bernstein nearly seven years ago. Woodward, who did did not appear in court Friday due to illness, was convicted this year of first-degree murder with an enhancement for a hate crime for killing Bernstein, a gay, Jewish college sophomore.

Dozens of Bernstein 's relatives and friends sat in the courtroom. Many wore T-shirts reading “Blaze it Forward," a slogan for a campaign to commit acts of kindness in his name following his death.

“Let’s be clear: This was a hate crime," Bernstein’s mother, Jeanne Pepper, told the court. “Samuel Woodward ended my son’s life because my son was Jewish and gay.”

She said she takes solace in Woodward never getting out of custody and that while he “rots in prison, we will be here on the outside, celebrating the life of Blaze.”

“Blaze’s memory and spirit will live on in every kind deed done in his honor,” she said.

There was no question about the sentence Woodward would receive because the jury’s verdict carried a life sentence without parole, said Kimberly Edds, a spokesperson for the Orange County District Attorney’s office.

Woodward's lawyer, Ken Morrison, asked the court to sentence his client to 28 years to life, saying the judge had some discretion in this regard and that the jurors were not permitted to see all the evidence in the case at trial. Morrison previously said he would appeal the verdict.

Bernstein, who was 19, disappeared in January 2018 after he went out at night with Woodward to a park in Lake Forest, about 45 miles (70 kilometers) southeast of Los Angeles. After Bernstein missed a dentist appointment the next day, his parents found his glasses, wallet and credit cards in his bedroom and tried to reach him, but he didn’t respond.

Authorities launched an exhaustive search and said Bernstein’s family scoured his social media and saw he had communicated with Woodward on Snapchat. Authorities said Woodward told the family that Bernstein had gone to meet a friend in the park that night and didn’t come back.

Days later Bernstein’s body was found in a shallow grave in the park. He had been repeatedly stabbed in the face and neck.

The question during Woodward's monthslong trial was not whether he killed Bernstein but why and the circumstances under which it happened. Prosecutors said Woodward was affiliated with the violent anti-gay, neo-Nazi extremist group Atomwaffen Division, while Morrison said his client didn't plan to kill anyone or hate Bernstein and faced challenging personal relationships due to a long-undiagnosed autism spectrum disorder.

The case took years to go to trial amid a series of delays and stoked public outcry in Southern California, where residents fanned out in 2018 to try to help authorities find Bernstein after he suddenly went missing.

Woodward testified during his trial and gave slow, delayed replies to lawyers' questions with his long hair partly covering his face.

Bernstein and Woodward attended the same high school, Orange County School of the Arts, and connected via a dating app in the months before the killing. Woodward said he picked up Bernstein, went to a nearby park and repeatedly stabbed Bernstein after trying to grab a cellphone he feared had been used to photograph him.

Morrison, the defense lawyer, said Woodward was confused about his sexuality after growing up in a politically conservative and devout Catholic family where his father openly criticized homosexuality.

But prosecutors told a different story. They said Woodward had repeatedly targeted gay men online by reaching out to them and abruptly breaking off contact, while keeping a hateful, profanity-laced journal of his actions.

Authorities said they also found a black Atomwaffen mask with traces of blood, a folding knife with a bloodied blade and a host of anti-gay, antisemitic and hate group materials in a search of his family's home in Newport Beach, California.

Gideon Bernstein and Jeanne Pepper Bernstein, parents of Blaze Bernstein, stand during a press conference after Samuel Woodward was sentenced to life without parole at Orange County Superior Court on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in Santa Ana, Calif., for the fatal stabbing of his former classmate, Blaze Bernstein, in Jan. 2018. (Jeff Gritchen/The Orange County Register via AP, Pool)

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer speaks during a press conference after Samuel Woodward was sentenced to life without parole at Orange County Superior Court on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in Santa Ana, Calif., for the fatal stabbing of his former classmate, Blaze Bernstein, in Jan. 2018. (Jeff Gritchen/The Orange County Register via AP, Pool)

Gideon Bernstein, father of Blaze Bernstein, left, speaks as he gives a victim impact statement in court in Santa Ana, Calif., Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, prior to sentencing of Samuel Woodward, who was convicted of a hate crime murder for the killing of former classmate Blaze Bernstein. Senior Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Walker stands at right. (Mark Rightmire/The Orange County Register via AP, Pool)

Gideon Bernstein and Jeanne Pepper Bernstein, parents of Blaze Bernstein, speak during a press conference after Samuel Woodward was sentenced to life without parole at Orange County Superior Court on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in Santa Ana, Calif., for the fatal stabbing of his former classmate, Blaze Bernstein, in Jan. 2018. (Jeff Gritchen/The Orange County Register via AP, Pool)

Jeanne Pepper, left, mother of Blaze Bernstein, wipes away tears as she gives a victim impact statement in court in Santa Ana, Calif., Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, prior to sentencing of Samuel Woodward, who was convicted of a hate crime murder for the killing of former classmate Blaze Bernstein. Senior Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Walker stands at right. (Mark Rightmire/The Orange County Register via AP, Pool)

FILE - Orange County Deputy Sheriffs escort Samuel Woodward into Orange County Superior Court for opening statements of his murder trial for the stabbing death of Blaze Bernstein, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Santa Ana, Calif. (Frederick M. Brown/Pool Photo via Orange County Register, via AP, File)

FILE - A 2017 photograph of Samuel Woodward is displayed during Assistant Public Defender Ken Morrison's closing arguments in Woodward's murder trial, at Orange County Superior Court in Santa Ana, Calif., Monday, July 1, 2024. (Leonard Ortiz/The Orange County Register via AP, Pool, File)

FILE - Samuel Woodward testifies in Orange County Superior Court, June 13, 2024, in Santa Ana, Calif. (Leonard Orti/The Orange County Register via AP, Pool, File)