Devin Vassell and the Spurs got the win (Photo via X)
The San Antonio Spurs snapped their two-game losing streak by defeating the Houston Rockets by a final score of 121-110. The win improved San Antonio to 6-2, while the Rockets dropped to 5-3.
While this was a sloppy game for both teams, the Spurs and Rockets played really hard. San Antonio got going offensively right before halftime and the offensive momentum carried over into the second half — and that turned out to be the difference.
Stats: Spurs vs. Rockets
spurs rockets grades
Spurs vs. Rockets – Final Grades
Victor Wembanyama
After two straight disappointing outings, Wembanyama got off to another slow start against the Rockets. In the first half, he almost had as many turnovers (3) as points (4). Houston’s physical, trapping defense was giving him trouble. Thankfully, Wembanyama found his footing in the second half and broke out of his slump. His 18 points in the final two quarters spearheaded San Antonio’s 70-point second half. By making the simple pass, being more patient on his drives and remaining under control, the Frenchman found ways to flourish. As the game went on, Wembanyama improved defensively. He was uncharacteristically pedestrian to start the game but was his typical monstrous self by the fourth quarter. The big news, though, is that he seemed to figure out what to do against the defensive strategy that gave him a headache for 10 straight quarters.
Grade: B+
Stephon Castle
The good: Castle did great work as the team’s primary playmaker. His passes were to the right person and almost always on target, which resulted in 13 assists. Castle’s drives to the hoop were fruitful and his physicality was at an even higher level than usual. Defensively, I thought he was really darn good. He pressured out on the perimeter, fought around screens and never gave an inch. The bad: Turnovers continue to be a bugaboo for Castle. He had five against the Rockets, many of which came when San Antonio was attempting to put the game to bed. Castle also missed all four of his three-point attempts.
Grade: B+
Devin Vassell
It was a herky-jerky performance for Vassell. He missed some ill-advised shots but he also made huge shots. He missed open teammates sometimes but he also had a few high-quality passes. Vassell had more than his share of defensive mistakes but his hustle on defense resulted in four steals. All in all, he could have played a cleaner game but was a source of good all things considered.
Grade: B
Harrison Barnes
I was very impressed with Barnes’ play tonight. In fact, this might have been his best defensive performance in a Spurs uniform. He was engaged, aggressive and physical while moving his feet quickly. Typically, you don’t get any of that at a notable level from Barnes on the defensive end. Then offensively, the veteran was a flamethrower. He hit 6-of-9 three-pointers and led the way with 24 points. Barnes’ ability to efficiently spread the court was vital to victory.
Grade: A
Julian Champagnie
San Antonio’s gameplan to get Wembanyama going was for the shooters to be more aggressive. Champagnie clearly got the message. He came out firing and he found success, as he nailed 6-of-13 three-pointers and ended up scoring 22 points in 31 minutes. When the Spurs needed a big shot, Champagnie seemed to always deliver. Defensively, he was also really good. He was locked in on the perimeter, rebounded well and was a defensive playmaker (four steals and a block). If teams are going to swarm Wembanyama, this is the version of Champagnie the Spurs need.
Great: A-
Keldon Johnson
While a lot of different Spurs players did well, Johnson was arguably the MVP. His numbers don’t jump off the stat sheet but he was fantastic. On the offensive boards, Johnson gave every inch of his being and was even more impactful than his five offensive rebounds suggest. When he got the ball in his hands, Johnson was either a threat to finish strongly at the rim or find a teammate with a crafty pass. Yes, Johnson got blocked at the rim a few times but I loved his vivacity and his enthusiasm was a difference-maker.
Grade: A
Jeremy Sochan
In his return from injury, Sochan couldn’t miss. In his second game, Sochan couldn’t make a shot. He was 0-for-5 from the field. To make matters worse, he turned the ball over three times and his defense was ineffective. Also, Sochan is going to have to rebound better if he wants to stay in the rotation.
Grade: D+
Jordan McLaughlin
McLaughlin had his moments. He hit a three, had a couple scores at the rim and finished with nine points in nine minutes. Unfortunately, he gave a lot of that back on the defensive end. Going up against a gigantic Rockets squad, McLaughlin’s lack of size stood out.
Grade: B-
Lindy Waters III
Waters hit a three-pointer in his six minutes of play.
Grade: Inc.
Kelly Olynyk
Olynyk also got six minutes. He made a tough layup in his cameo.
Grade: Inc.
Mitch Johnson
Good stuff by Johnson. He kept the rotation simple and didn’t go away from any hot hands. The playcalling was better and helped Wembanyama break out of his slump. The coaching staff obviously adjusted the gameplan on both ends of the court coming into this game and the changes paid immediate dividends.
Grade: B+