De’Aaron Fox returned against the Pelicans (Photo via X)
The San Antonio Spurs won their second straight game to improve to a record of 7-2 on the season. The Spurs got up big on the New Orleans Pelicans in the second quarter but the Pelicans were able to rally back and hang around. The Spurs were never able to put them away but San Antonio was able to escape with a 126-119 victory.
Stats: Spurs vs. Pelicans
Spurs vs. Pelicans – Final Grades
Victor Wembanyama
The good: It was another strong defensive performance by Wembanyama. While his activity level was only mediocre, he protected the rim well, dominated the defensive glass and remained attentive. Offensively, he was 7-for-10 from two-point range and had a number of successful forays to the rim. The bad: Defensively, Wembanyama was slow to rotate a couple of times — which is rare to see. Offensively, he was only 2-for-9 from three-point range. To make matters worse, he didn’t get to the free throw line. Although his whistle could have been better, Wembanyama wasn’t physical enough and his lack of decisiveness led directly to his team-high five turnovers. Overall: There were some positive glimpses but this outing should be classified as a step backwards for the young superstar.
Grade: C-
De’Aaron Fox
After being sidelined for what felt like forever, Fox was back in action for the good guys. The production was impressive, especially because it seemed like he didn’t break a sweat. Fox led the way with 24 points and he shot well from all ranges. While he didn’t do a ton of playmaking, he kept his mistakes to a minimum and his shot-selection was wise. Defensively, Fox was good. He pressured with vigor and he read passing lanes well. All in all, Fox’s abilities to score with ease, come up big when needed most and make the squad even faster are very valuable.
Grade: A-
Stephon Castle
Interestingly, Castle was still the team’s primary perimeter playmaker even with Fox back in the lineup. He made the coaches look like geniuses by totaling 14 assists, which tied a career-high. Over his last two games, Castle tallied 27 assists. Against the Pelicans, Castle turned it over only twice, as he clearly took advantage of most of the attention going to Wembanyama and Fox. He was 5-for-7 from two-point territory and hit all four of his free throws. Offensively, he was driving with determination, throwing alleyoops left and right, and finding open shooters with pinpoint passes. Defensively, Castle had his effort level dialed all the way up. There were some negatives, though. The 20-year-old missed all six of his three-pointers and sometimes dribbled too much instead of giving the ball up. But, yeah, seeing this level of involvement with Fox back in the mix was great to see.
Grade: A-
Devin Vassell
Vassell stayed within his role well, which is always a line he has struggled to tiptoe. He shot well from the field, including hitting half of his eight three-point attempts. He had one or two questionable shots but otherwise he selected his launches well. Defensively, he remained focused and he limited his miscues on both ends of the court.
Grade: B+
Harrison Barnes
Barnes remains red-hot from the field. Over his last six games, he’s averaging 15.7 points on 65.2% shooting from the field and 59.5% shooting from three-point land. His perimeter stroke looks especially clean right now and he’s also adding in acrobatic finishes in the lane. After a great defensive game against the Rockets, Barnes didn’t have the same fire going against the Pelicans. He was still decent-ish on that side but he could have been quicker on the perimeter and burlier in the paint.
Grade: B+
Julian Champagnie
With Fox back, it was Champagnie who got moved to the bench. He did well in his new role. In 26 minutes, he poured in 14 points on quality shooting across the board. He hit a pair of three-pointers and looked more coordinated than usual when attacking the rim. Defensively, he was rather successful and he ran the court with purpose. If Champagnie can keep performing like this from off the bench, he’s going to keep getting minutes.
Grade: A-
Jeremy Sochan
The good: Sochan was 5-for-6 from the field; the only shot he missed was an easy dunk attempt. He also had a pair of fantastic passes in transition. Sochan’s awareness and smarts on offense were plain to see. The bad: I wasn’t super impressed with Sochan’s defense. He was active but his positioning from possession to possession left a lot to be desired. The effort is there but he has a lot to clean up. Rebounding-wise, I continue to be underwhelmed by what I’m seeing from Sochan.
Grade: B
Keldon Johnson
Johnson continues to thrive. The coaches aren’t playing him a ton of minutes but his impact is impossible to miss. He’s a beast on the boards, he’s finishing with toughness and his passing has been better than ever. Defensively, he has been aggressive and he’s been avoiding the mental mistakes that have historically plagued him.
Grade: A-
Lindy Waters III
Waters was rock solid. He spaces the floor with his shot, he passes better than advertised and he’s not a pushover on the defensive end. While there’s not a whole lot of depth to his game, Waters is proving to be a useful depth piece.
Grade: B+
Carter Bryant
Bryant played five and a half minutes and brought a palpable amount of energy. He got lost a couple times on defense and had a couple questionable decisions on offense … but he’s out there competing and being unafraid to fail. The rookie continues to pass the eye test with flying colors.
Grade: B
Mitch Johnson
Johnson needs to be quicker on the trigger when it comes to challenges, particularly late in games. To be specific, allowing Castle to foul out on a bad call was a poor decision. I also wasn’t thrilled with where Wembanyama was getting his touches. That said, the rotation was fine and Johnson continues to push the right buttons when it comes to stifling runs when the other team gets hot.
Grade: B-