The Spurs returned home and secured their second win by over 20 points this season. A dominant second half that featured great performances by the young core led to a 119-94 victory that allowed Mitch Johnson to keep the regulars’ minutes low, a godsend considering the matchup against the Hawks on Friday. Victor Wembanyama once again came off the bench and finished with 15 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and four blocks in 17 minutes of play.
Coming off the loss in the championship game of the Emirates
NBA Cup, the Spurs showed no signs of slowing down, playing with a lot of energy to start the night. Unfortunately, that energy wasn’t always properly channeled in what would be a sloppy first half. Still, San Antonio looked like the better squad and controlled the game thanks to their offense, which featured a lot of ball movement and balanced scoring. Even when the second unit checked in, they kept pressuring the rim against an opponent that couldn’t find answers in man or zone coverage. The problem was that the home team was also struggling to keep drivers out of the paint, especially off the pick-and-roll, even with a small, switchy unit that bought Victor Wembanyama some more time to rest. After one, the Silver and Black were up seven.
Sometimes, even when there’s a disparity in talent, the way the lesser team plays can dictate how the game goes, which happened pronouncedly in the second quarter. Sloppiness can be contagious and the Spurs often matched the Wizards’ often helter-skelter, fast offense to poor results. Wembanyama checked in with around nine minutes to go and did a good job at finding teammates when the doubles came and protecting the paint, but as a team, San Antonio couldn’t get enough good possessions in a row to carve up a sizable lead. Alex Sarr was a problem, and the Washington ball handlers did a good job of finding shots on the pick-and-roll, but neither team was clicking on offense. Devin Vassell stepped up for the Spurs, getting some buckets, but the bench didn’t bring the scoring punch it had earlier. At the half, the lead had dwindled to four after a low-scoring, poorly played quarter.
Normally, leading for the entire half would be considered a good enough performance, but the low quality of the opponent and the looming second game of a back-to-back against the Hawks on Friday made the small lead worrisome. Things got scarier as a bad start to the third quarter allowed the Wizards to even things out. Fortunately, the Spurs avoided what could have been a trap game. De’Aaron Fox and Vassell hit a couple of shots, but what really made the talent disparity too much for Washington to handle was Wembanyama checking in early. Wemby was fantastic, showcasing his entire offensive repertoire and dominating on defense. His presence demanded attention, which freed up his teammates who hit the outside shots required to grow the lead. It was exactly the urgency and sense of the moment that has been rare by San Antonio this season, leading to few blowouts.
Despite being down 16 to start the final period, the Wizards surprisingly kept fighting. Their resistance only wavered once the young Spurs guards did what they do best: get to the paint and make things happen. Castle and Harper never relented in their mission of driving with intention, and after a thunderous dunk by the rookie to get San Antonio up 25, Mitch Johnson emptied his bench.
Game notes:
- Dylan Harper logged a career-high 24 points, and the way he did it was both fun to watch and extremely encouraging. The rookie not only got to the rim at will, showing both his touch and power, but also hit three three-pointers. He showed he could hit the long ball in the Cup games and it’s great to see that he’s gaining some consistency. The drives are already top-tier level, and the defense is better than anticipated. If the shot comes along in his first year in the league, Harper’s timeline towards stardom gets shorter.
- Harper’s scoring was extra valuable because Harrison Barnes remains in a slump (0-for-6 from the floor) and De’Aaron Fox only logged six points in eight shots. It was a good game for the veterans to struggle in, since the opponent wasn’t great. Hopefully, they’ll be sharper against the Hawks and going forward.
- Wembanyama made some absurd plays that only he can pull off but more importantly, he did it in under 18 minutes. He should be good to go against on the SEGABABA, which is significant to him in his quest to reach the 65 games required to be considered for awards.
- A lot of players just did their job. Castle and Vassell combined for 35 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. Luke Kornet defended with physicality and was a target for lobs. Keldon Johnson and Julian Champagnie brought scoring and rebounding off the bench. The Spurs are still experimenting a little but appear to have found a solid, consistent rotation. As long as enough players contribute what’s expected of them nightly and continue to develop synergy, lopsided wins against bad opponents should become more common.
- Speaking of the rotation, Jeremy Sochan found his way back into it, at least for one night. In the first half, he had a stint at center in a small lineup, and in the second half, he got to play next to Wembanyama. The defense and hustle were on full display. So were the offensive limitations, but he was a net positive in the aggregate in a shade under 16 minutes. It’s a luxury to have someone who can contribute if needed as your 10th man.
Play of the game:
There were a lot of highlights on this one, but Wemby’s two-way dominance, combined with Luke Kornet’s celebration, gets this one the top spot.
Next game: at Atlanta Hawks on Friday
The Spurs go back on the road to face the Hawks, who will also be in the second game of a back-to-back after losing to the Hornets in Charlotte on Thursday.
