Despite losing standout guard Stephon Castle in the first half to a hip injury, San Antonio rode a hot-shooting start to claim a lead that it would hold for the remainder of the game in a 123-110 home
victory. After consecutive losses to Golden State and a calf injury to its superstar Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs won the type of weird and uneven game it likely would have squandered in any of the last several seasons with a closing 18-9 run featuring former Kings De’Aaron Fox and Harrison Barnes. In doing so, San Antonio (9-4) extended the Kings’ (3-11) miserable losing streak to six.
San Antonio, in Wembanyama’s absence, received a balanced effort throughout its rotation along with multiple double-double performances. De’Aaron Fox (28 points and 11 assists) initiated a solid start for the hosts, while Devin Vassell (16 points and 7 assists) and Barnes (20 points and 2 steals) shined mightily in crunch time. Luke Kornet (13 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks) subbed in admirably for Wembanyama with a double-double. Keldon Johnson (14 points and 12 rebounds) paced the reserves, while Jeremy Sochan (11 points and 5 rebounds) continued to work his way back into the rotation. Kelly Olynyk (5 points, 8 assists, and 6 rebounds) made the most of his 18 minutes.
Sacramento was led by veterans DeMar DeRozan (27 points and 4 rebounds) and Domantas Sabonis (17 points and 13 rebounds), but third star Zach LaVine (8 points and 3 assists) was mostly kept out of the scorebook. Russell Westbrook (18 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assist), Denis Schroder (22 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 rebounds) and Malik Monk (16 points) staged several impressive comeback attempts but the Kings were unable to catch San Antonio.
The teams combined for 29 points over the first four minutes. DeRozan hit three mid-range specials to keep Sacramento at San Antonio’s heels. Former Kings Harrison Barnes and Fox helped their current team start 5-for-7 from distance to grab the early lead. The Spurs’ maintained their lead over a handful of unproductive minutes for both teams, and Kelly Olynyk helped start an ending 13-6 run with excellent playmaking to supply San Antonio with a comfortable 36-24 advantage aided by an 8-for-17 start from three.
DeRozan was the only King who found any consistent success in the second, while Sabonis unashamedly sought out a whistle on nearly every paint foray. San Antonio lost its way for a part of the quarter, but still kept the lead in double-digits. Johnson, Fox, and Vassell explored the paint with no real rim protection in the way. Sochan smoothly hit two threes, but Castle surprisingly could not find his shooting touch. Sacramento closed within eight at the half.
Kornet planted himself right at the rim and was the recipient of several feeds for some needed secondary offense to start hte third quarter for San Antonio. Johnson, Champagnie, and Sochan did enough to offset the Kings’ production and preserve the Spurs’ advantage. Rookie Carter Bryant was a pest on defense and got up enough shots confidently to stay on the court. Sacramento continued to threaten over and over again behind its stable of guards. However, a Fox floater put the Spurs up ten after three quarters.
Observations
- At the tip, Sean Elliott declared “I trust in Luke (Kornet).” #idotoo
- Fox looks noticeably thicker – especially standing next to Keon Ellis (6’4” 175 lb.).
- The Kings backup wings – Westbrook and Schroder…. I’m not sure how Malik Monk is playing fewer minutes than these guys.
- Coyote Charades – a solid ‘8’ out of 10.
- Keldon’s Kitchen: Instead of trying to draw a foul on three of his first four baskets, he simply overpowered his defender on the way to banking in his shots.
- Devin’s Deeds: The catch-and-escape-dribble-to-baseline move will be needed later in the season. He took a pass from the wing to the left baseline for a swish midway through the opening frame.
- Sequence of the Game #1: After a Champagnie miss late in the first quarter, Sochan wrestled away the loose ball from three Kings and kicked it out to Champagnie for a straightaway make.
- Sequence of the Game #2: The Spurs closed out the first with a pretty sequence where Fox fed Olynyk deep in the paint, who launched it out to the wing for a Sochan three.
- Sequence of the Game #3: In the opening moments of the second, Champagnie spoiled a LaVine fast break opportunity, and Olynyk found Sochan right at the rim, and the big converted a 3-point play over Schroder.
- Sequence of the Game #4: After a Westbrook turnover, Castle floated upcourt and fired a missile to Johnson for a soaring slam.
- Sequence of the Game #5: Vassell deked Nique Clifford and threw down a vicious facial on Sabonis late in the first half.
Game Rundown
After the teams exchanged turnovers, LaVine and DeRozan opened the Kings’ scoring, while Fox, Castle, and Barnes answered. Fox followed a catch-and-shoot three with a stepback three, and Barnes’ contested lay-up made it 20-13. Monk hit a lay-up then followed it with an airball from behind the arc. The pace slowed down to a crawl in the ensuing minutes, and Sacramento shaved their deficit to five. A pair of threes from Champagnie and Kelly Olynyk (an underrated tough name to spell) widened the distance separating the teams. After assisting on a Johnson bankshot, Olynyk lumbered to the basket for a lay-up. San Antonio left the first up a dozen.
With the starters sitting at the start of the second, San Antonio’s bench more than held their own and, despite DeRozan’s flurry of points, managed to grow the lead to 16. Fox appeared to bang knees with a King on a drive, which brought Castle and Vassell in for ballhandling. Despite the numerous highlight plays by the Spurs, DeRozan’s serial bucket-getting saved the Kings, and Westbrook’s three sliced the deficit to eight. Schroder and Westbrook drove deep towards the rim every chance they could get, but San Antonio continued to share the ball decently and it proved just enough to get them to the half up 67-59.
Unfortunately, Castle exited the game before the third with a hip injury. Champagnie’s pull-up three in transition put San Antonio up 13. Sabonis was whistled for his second offensive foul shortly after. Kornet scored a trio of baskets from a total of maybe 5.5 feet. Champagnie’s second triple of the quarter put the Spurs up 18. Johnson’s second transition double-pump slam helped fend off a potential Sacramento run. Despite DeRozan’s heroics, LaVine continued his game-long struggle to score, and the lead remained in the mid-to-high teens.. Olynyk’s layup was illegally blocked by Drew Eubanks, and to add insult to injury, was given a technical for arguing what should have been a goaltending call. Monk’s corner three and free throws brought the Kings within single digits again. The Spurs went to the fourth up 95-85.
For the Kings fan’s perspective, please visit The Kings Herald.
San Antonio has a home tilt with Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies at 9:00 PM CDT Tuesday night.
