Spurs ride strong first half to easy win against the Raptors

SB Nation

The Spurs still have a perfect record in the 2025/26 season. After beating the Nets on Sunday, the Silver and Black took care of the Raptors with ease on Monday, defeating the visitors 121-103 thanks to a strong

first half and some timely buckets in the fourth quarter.

In the battle between two teams playing the second game of a back-to-back, the hosting Spurs seemed fresher than their opponent early on. The Raptors were playing up on defense but not really pressuring with any physicality, like they normally do. It was easy for San Antonio to find some quick buckets inside, and the extreme levels of attention Toronto was paying to Victor Wembanyama in the half-court resulted in some open shots for his teammates. Once Wemby got into the action, the offense became a buzz saw. On the other end, the Silver and Black were rock solid against a timid opponent that only found a reliable way to score once the second units checked in, as Bismack Biyombo struggled to contain the pick and roll. After one, the home team was up by 12.

The Raptors looked more like themselves on defense to start the second quarter, playing with an edge and loading up on Victor Wembanyama to keep him uninvolved. As a result, they fouled a lot initially and left some guys open, but they didn’t pay too big a price for it. The problem was at the other end, where Wemby’s mere presence affected their offense, as they settled for jumpers instead of attacking. The Spurs didn’t look all that sharp themselves when it came to creating good scoring opportunities and were, at times, bothered by the defensive intensity of their opponent. Luckily, a few threes fell when Wembanyama was resting, and the team found enough success on drives to extend their lead to 19 heading to the locker room.

It’s unclear if fatigue or complacency was the reason, but the Spurs looked sloppy and lackadaisical to start the second half. They didn’t even attempt a field goal in their first six trips, turning the ball over in completely avoidable situations. The Raptors deserve plenty of credit for maintaining their defensive pressure and getting Wembanyama out of rhythm by sending extra bodies his way early on, but the Silver and Black were their own worst enemy. Solid defense prevented what looked like an inevitable third-quarter collapse. Toronto had a second opportunity to get back into the game when Biyombo checked in, but couldn’t get the deficit under double digits before Wembanyama returned. Heading into the final quarter, San Antonio was up by 17.

After struggling in the Biyombo minutes, the coaching staff decided to experiment with a centerless lineup, with mixed results. Turnovers were an issue again, even once the starters returned, and a few minutes into the fourth, Toronto cut the lead to eight. It was an impressive effort that combined aggressive defense with going away from Jakob Poeltl and using shooting bigs to get Wemby out of the paint. Fortunately, the Spurs reacted in time to prevent another easy win from becoming a tightly contested one. Harrison Barnes hit huge back-to-back three-pointers, Wembanyama found success on both ends, and the lead ballooned once again. The Raptors threw in the towel, and the last two minutes were garbage time, as the Silver and Black cruised to their fourth win in as many games.

Game notes:

Wembanyama, who was recently crowned Western Conference Player of the Week, had another great game. Despite logging just one block, his presence had a profound effect on how the Raptors played on offense. Toronto also based its entire defensive scheme on denying him touches and shots, but he still managed to drop 24 points on eight field goals despite not taking a single three. He looked tired for stretches, which is understandable, but he answered the call in the fourth to close the game.
Stephon Castle continued to show he can get to the line at will, but struggled with decision-making at times on offense, turning the ball over five times. Devin Vassell had a good stat line, but he faded in the second half. They both had good performances and have been great to start the season, but Sunday provided a reminder that the Spurs need De’Aaron Fox to ease the pressure on guys who shouldn’t be asked to be stars.
Dylan Harper was solid. He forced some shots and made some defensive mistakes, but also dished out six assists, hit a three, and generally looked like the tremendous talent he is.
The forwards all contributed in different ways. Harrison Barnes helped with the playmaking in the first half before hitting some huge threes. Julian Champagnie’s shot was off, but he pulled down nine boards. Keldon Johnson brought scoring off the bench and grabbed some offensive boards. Even rookie Carter Bryant had some good moments to make up for some rookie mistakes.
San Antonio needs Luke Kornet back. Bismack Biyombo was unplayable. The Spurs were outscored by 14 points when he was on the floor and had to resort to a centerless lineup. It’s not Biyombo’s fault that he’s having to step up with Kornet and Kelly Olynyk both out, but the Wemby-less minutes were a mess.