Jeremy Sochan returned against the Lakers (Photo via X)
In a game that seemingly lasted forever and featured a countless amount of fouls, the San Antonio Spurs fell short against the Los Angeles Lakers, 116-114. The Spurs were up in the fourth quarter but the good guys couldn’t come up with enough big plays in money time. San Antonio scratched and clawed until the final buzzer but ultimately came up short to drop to a record of 5-2 on the season.
Stats: Spurs at Lakers
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Spurs at Lakers – Final Grades
Victor Wembanyama
The good: Wembanyama was a behemoth on the defensive end. He erased space in the middle and his alertness was always pristine. Offensively, he earned 11 free throw attempts and gave good effort. The bad: To be blunt, this was the second consecutive disappointing performance by Wembanyama. The Lakers sent a lot of help his way and the Frenchman wasn’t able to make them pay. He shot poorly, didn’t pass particularly well and turned the ball over five times. Part of his issues on this night was persistent foul trouble which eventually led to him fouling out in the fourth quarter. Overall, though, Wembanyama needs to learn how to handle pressure better offensively. These past two games, it hasn’t been pretty to watch. But, to be fair, this is part of the process of becoming a certified superstar so no one should be too upset with Wembanyama as he figures out how to attack the pressure.
Grade: D+
Stephon Castle
The good: Castle played with an ample amount of competitiveness and ruggedness. No matter what happened, he kept fighting. Defensively, he did good work against Doncic by relentlessly making life difficult for him. Offensively, Castle made plays with the ball, unselfishly hit open teammates and got to the charity stripe for 11 attempts. The bad: Castle turned the ball over six more times — including a few untimely miscues. He was only 1-for-5 from three-point range and he too struggled with foul trouble. When the Lakers packed the paint on him, Castle didn’t always have the wherewithal to figure out what to do. Overall, he had a very similar game to Wembanyama. Castle is stepping into a bigger role and there will be lessons he has to learn along the way.
Grade: C+
Devin Vassell
A handful of times, Vassell didn’t select the best of shots — to put it gently. He needs to learn that fadeaways over double-teams are no longer necessary for these Spurs. To make matters worse, Vassell missed open three-point attempts that could have really helped the cause. But it wasn’t all bad, as Vassell played adequately well on defense, didn’t turn the ball over and authored a few heady passes. There were a couple mistakes in defensive rotations but his all-around game was satisfactory. But, yeah, that shot-selection has to get better.
Grade: C
Harrison Barnes
Barnes fouled out in only 28 minutes of play, which is uncharacteristic for him. The Spurs could have used him on the court for more minutes because he was shooting it well, keeping his mistakes to a minimum and making the right passes. Defensively and rebounding-wise, Barnes was above his usual level. It’s good to see that his shooting is coming around after a cold preseason and start to the regular season.
Grade: B+
Julian Champagnie
Champagnie got off to a fast start but then he had a depressing end. He missed a free throw in the final second that could have sent the game to overtime. His finishing at the basket was iffy, he turned the ball over four times and missed too many open shots. Champagnie’s rebounding and defense were fine but he’s going to remember this outing for that missed free throw.
Grade: C-
Keldon Johnson
Johnson was a force for good against the Lakers. He made all four of his shots from the field, he nailed all four of his freebies and played some of his most aggressive defense of the season. Johnson dealt with foul trouble and sometimes played too hard but his overall effort was commendable. He’s providing the bench unit with valuable physicality and toughness on a nightly basis.
Grade: B+
Jeremy Sochan
After missing all of the preseason and the first six games of the regular season due to injury, Sochan was back in the rotation. Considering the time off and the expected rustiness, I thought Sochan did really well. He was 6-for-7 from the field, hit a three-pointer, got to the free throw line and operated with confidence. Defensively, he looked quick out on the perimeter and didn’t hesitate to get his hands dirty. It’s not super clear how he fits in the rotation once everyone is healthy but Sochan proved his worth against the Lakers. He didn’t rebound well and played smaller than usual in the paint but he’s a competitive, live body who gives it everything he has.
Grade: A-
Lindy Waters III
Making his season debut, Waters gave a positive glimpse of what he could contribute. He’s a gritty defender who battles even though he’s not notable big or athletic. Offensively, he hit both of his three-point attempts and he wasn’t bashful about running the offense. Waters’ positioning was a work in progress on both ends but it looks like he’ll be able to provide adequate bench depth.
Grade: B+
Kelly Olynyk
Like Sochan and Waters, Olynyk was making his season debut in Los Angeles. It’s obvious he’s a smart player who knows where to be and where to pass the ball. He rebounded reasonably well and he was actually pretty good defensively out on the perimeter. Olynyk’s interior defense was nonexistent, which is why Luke Kornet will retain the backup center spot in the rotation once he eventually returns. That said, Olynyk is clearly an upgrade over Bismack Biyombo.
Grade: B-
Jordan McLaughlin
McLaughlin lost his spot in the rotation to Waters and then proceeded to turn the ball over twice in three minutes to further cement his spot at the end of the bench.
Grade: Inc.
Mitch Johnson
Johnson could have put Wembanyama in better spots offensively. But other than that, I thought he coached a good game. The coaching staff’s strategies against Doncic made sense. Even though his team was in a constant state of foul trouble, I liked his rotation. At the end, the Spurs basically just ran out of competent playmakers.
Grade: B+