Victor Wembanyama needed to play one more game to qualify for end-of-season awards. After a rib injury, many people suggested he could do 20 minutes of cardio to meet the minimum requirements. Doing the minimum is not in Wembanyama’s nature. He exploded for 40 points in 26 minutes as the Spurs handled the Dallas Mavericks 139-120.
Wembanyama will lead the player grades for the second-to-last regular-season game. As a quick reminder, these grades are based on each player’s on-court performance, going
beyond just the stat sheet. A “B” grade represents the average performance for an individual. If a player logs fewer than 5 minutes or plays only in garbage time, their grade will be incomplete.
Victor Wembanyama
26 minutes, 40 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, 14-for-23 shooting, 2-for-7 threes, +10
It wasn’t just the stats Wembanyama put up, but the way he achieved them. He looked smooth on the perimeter, handling the ball and knocking down two three-pointers. He took bumps inside and still finished over the top of opposing defenders. It didn’t look like the rib injury was holding him back at all.
With 65 games in the can, Wembanyama is a lock to take home multiple awards. The Spurs’ big man is -20000 to win Defensive Player of the Year on FanDuel.
Grade: A
De’Aaron Fox
28 minutes, 18 points, 1 rebound, 1o assists, 2 turnovers, 1 foul, 7-for-14 shooting, 2-for-4 threes, +11
San Antonio needed a 40-28 third-quarter run to pull away from Dallas. That effort was led mostly by Fox, who had 14 of his 18 points in the third frame. Fox was a maestro with the rock while having an efficient shooting night. He also had some of the most explosive dunks we’ve seen from him in his time with the Spurs. It was a fun performance to watch, and without him, the Spurs may not have come away with the win.
Grade: A-
Dylan Harper
26 minutes, 13 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 3 fouls, 4-for-9 shooting, 0-for-1 threes, +15
Harper got exposed by Cooper Flagg a bit. Flagg went to work whenever Harper was guarding him on the perimeter. The rookie didn’t let it get to him. He fought back on the other end by getting to the basket, scoring at an efficient rate. This was one of Harper’s better passing games with six assists.
Grade: B
Julian Champagnie
27 minutes, 14 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 2 fouls, 5-for-8 shooting, 1-for-3 threes, +15
I’ve been loving Champagnie’s attacking mentality lately. As teams close out hard on him, respecting his jump shot, he’s been going right around them to get to the basket. His finishing around the basket has improved greatly from last season. He’s a real threat to score at the rim now. He’s been playing some solid off-ball defense lately, too, which will be important for the Spurs as teams try to find ways to score around Wembanyama in the playoffs.
Grade: B+
Luke Kornet
18 minutes, 2 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 2 fouls, 1-for-2 shooting, +10
Kornet went from dominating the Trail Blazers to playing a more subdued role against Dallas. He was still solid defensively in 18 minutes, walling up in the paint and breaking up passes near the rim. Seven boards in just 18 minutes is nothing to sniff at, either. Kornet’s performance against the Mavs was pretty typical: solid.
Grade: B
Devin Vassell
27 minutes, 5 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 2-for-7 shooting, 1-for-4 threes, +3
Vassell didn’t make much of an impact in his 27 minutes. He was cold when shooting the ball from deep, missing some open shots. He didn’t actively hurt the Spurs either. His defense remains solid, as he’s been able to accumulate some steals on the wing. He and Champagnie have been getting better and better at taking advantage of the defensive opportunities presented to them as teams look to avoid Wembanyama.
Grade: B-
Harrison Barnes
28 minutes, 15 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 fouls, 6-for-9 shooting, 2-for-4 threes, +13
Unc was cooking on Friday! Barnes had 15 points, giving the Spurs an edge off the bench. Now Barnes needs to score 17 points or more in his final game of the season to give the Spurs their eighth player averaging double-digit points.
Grade: B+
Keldon Johnson
24 minutes, 17 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 foul, 6-for-13 shooting, 1-for-5 threes, +8
Johnson did what he does best against Dallas, getting to the rim and fighting on the boards. KJ grabbed 2 offensive boards on Friday. His impact on all aspects of the game has made him the leading candidate for Sixth Man of the Year.
Grade: B
Carter Bryant
25 minutes, 12 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 3 fouls, 4-for-5 shooting, 3-for-3 threes, +14
Bryant continues to play great down the stretch. He’s been a sharpshooter from three in the last two games, as he’s starting to shoot them with a lot of confidence. On the other end, he continues to compete. He had an awesome block on Flagg that showed why so many believe he can develop into a real defensive stopper on the wing.
Grade: B+
Jordan McLaughlin
6 minutes, 3 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, 1-for-2 shooting, 1-for-1 threes, -2
J-Mac played in garbage time, knocking down a three and grabbing a steal.
Grade: B
Harrison Ingram
6 minutes, 0 points, -2
Ingram got his cardio in on Friday. He played six minutes without logging a single stat.
Grade: B
Inactives: Stephon Castle, David Jones-Garcia, Emanuel Miller
