In a tale of two (positive) San Antonio (9-2) halves, Victor Wembanyama put his dominant stamp on a 61-46 first half, and second-year guard Dylan Harper shined brightly in a 32-22 third period to inflate a 15-point halftime cushion to more than 30 in the 122-96 win. Instead of doing it over the second and third periods as it did in previous games, the Spurs put up 30+ point quarters through the first three quarters to build and hold its sizable advantage and moved to 3-0 on the road trip.
Wembanyama
(40 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 blocks) asserted himself from the tip to put Phoenix back on their heels early on. Harper (17 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists) impressed with his smooth stroke and increasing confidence as San Antonio put the game out of reach in the third quarter. De’Aaron Fox (15 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists) did the bulk of his damage in the first half. Other double digit scorers included Julian Champagnie (11 points) and Harrison Barnes (11 points), and all Spurs that saw the court tonight again scored.
Devin Booker’s otherworldly mid-range shooting (32 points and 4 assists) prevented the Suns from being eclipsed fully in the first half. However, no other Suns joined him in double digits until Khaman Malauch (11 points) did well after the outcome was decided.
Perennial star Booker (nine) was the entirety of Phoenix’s offense over the first 5+ minutes. Though they didn’t shoot particularly well, the Spurs secured and maintained a slight lead by more conventional means as their outside shots were not finding their mark. Champagnie, in particular, had to find his seeing eye in the paint before knocking down a triple. A seven-point burst by Wembanyama enabled the Spurs to leave the quarter up six.
Wembanyama figured into nearly every part of an opening 10-2 run to start the second period. The lobbing problems – willingness and competency – that plagued prior Spurs squads seemed long gone as the superstar center put up a nearly perfect shooting line from the field (6-6) and line (5-6) only 15 game minutes in. After a couple of free throws, Booker (19 of 38) still had half of his team’s output. San Antonio got its lead as high as 20, and more importantly – did not relinquish much of it – as it went to the break up 61-46.
Phoenix found more sure footing on offense to start he third, but the unfazed Spurs executed well in the halfcourt. Harper, in particular, showcased a pair of stepback jumpers, and topped those with a sublime floater on the left baseline to help extend the San Antonio lead to 19. After Harper’s fourth and fifth buckets of the quarter, Jacob Tobey noted he “is just in his bag right now.” His sixth basket evoked shakes of Michael Jordan’s post game. Wemby’s 16-foot finger roll capped a dominant third quarter clapback by San Antonio and they went to the fourth ahead by 25.
Observations
- Fans of the three guard line-up will find a healthy amount of validation in Michael Pina’s article today for The Ringer.
- Carter Bryant entered action later in the first half and encouragingly willed home a transition three. His second three in the fourth quarter splashed home.
- Collin Gillespie’s Tough Sequence: In the opening minute of the fourth, Gillespie tried the Steve Nash move on Wembanyama and had his turnaround swatted away, and then his follow-up jumper was deflected, as well. To add insult to injury, the Suns guard was dunked on by Wembanyama at the other end.
- Dylan Harper Sequence of the Game: The only thing that prevented him from doing more damage in a 14 point third quarter blitz was twisting his ankle on a Suns foot in transition. All of his field goals in the frame came from different spots on the court, which is very hard to do.
- Keldon’s Kitchen: That moustache has staying power.
- Sequence of the Game #1: In what is a very viable after timeout play late in the first quarter, Fox slithered through the paint and delivered a feathery lob to Wembanyama. On the next possession, Keldon Johnson looked like he left a floater several feet short until Wembanyama took the errant orb and re-directed it through the rim. #greatpass
- Sequence of the Game #2: Minutes into the second quarter, Wembanyama appeared to be fooled by a pocket pass from a Brooks pass to Igodaro – only to meet the Phoenix center at the rim to prevent a sure two points, and when Brooks tried to sneak a floater in after an offensive rebound, he, too, was turned away.
- Sequence of the Game #3: It only took one possession in the second half for the Spurs to generate another highlight play – this time, Wembanyama found Fox at the dunker spot, and the guard whipped a behind the back pass to the left baseline to Champagnie for a corner three. It’s worth watching possibly a dozen times.
- Area 51 Sequence of the Game: Wembanyama and Castle orchestrated a beautiful two-man game late in the half that culminated in a Castle one-handed slamma jamma.
- Tarris Reed, Jr. (lithe AND bruising big man) playing time: The big man (4 points, 1 rebound, 1 block, and 3 fouls) was an active presence in his eight minutes of playing time.
Game Rundown
Fox and Harper scored San Antonio’s first two buckets no more than three combined feet from the rim. Castle sand Champagnie put up goose-eggs over the first 5+ minutes, but Wembanyama, Fox, and Harper picked up the slack. Before the viewing audience could blink, Booker had put up 12 of the Suns’ 14 points. An Igodaro baseline dunk provided some relief from the Booker scoring barrage. After successive bricks, Champagnie banked home a jumper in the paint to secure his first points. Tshe other Suns started contributing offensively and Khaman Malauch’s surprising corner three tied the game. Wembanyama paired two lobs with an encouraging catch-and-shoot three to help San Antonio go up 31-25.
An opening 8-2 burst to start the second put San Antonio up a dozen. Wembanyama’s fifth straight bucket – the prettiest to that point – was a baseline fade that Hakeem Olajuwon would have been proud of. After Johnson found Wembanyama for yet another lob, Sean Elliott exclaimed “What a change! Our guys have really figured out that lob!” Wembanyama then turned away Phoenix’s lob attempt at the other end. Even after his first miss, Wembanyama snared the rebound and threw down a thunderous two-hand jam. Booker’s next field goal caused Mitch Johnson to call a Pop-like timeout. Champagnie and Luke Kornet found each other on consecutive possessions to keep the lead near 20. Phoenix took advantage of the Spurs’ hyper-aggressive perimeter defense to get cheap offense at the charity stripe. Booker took a shot to the nether regions on a Johnson bankshot that could be felt several states over. San Antonio ended its well-played half up 15.
A pair of triples from Champagnie and Fox prevented a tough third quarter start for San Antonio. Booker hit the 30 point mark 3 1/2 minutes in, and yet, the Spurs added to their lead. During one possession, Fox, Castle, and Harper occupied the left side (with Champagnie deep in the right corner), which allowed Wembanyama to go back door for a reverse lob from Harper. Johnson smartly fouled a runaway Igodaro and prevented a dunk while the Sun hit 1-of-2 from the line. Harper’s flurry of baskets from different spots in and around the paint were what took away my breath this evening. San Antonio’s run spanning the third and fourth quarters made it a no-doubt road win.
For the Suns fan’s perspective, please visit Bright Side of the Sun.
San Antonio’s road trip concludes in Chicago Wednesday night against Caleb Wilson and the Bulls 7:00 PM CDT.
