Luke Kornet got the winning block (Photo via X)
The San Antonio Spurs notched another very impressive victory, this time a 114-112 win over the Orlando Magic. The Spurs were playing on the second night of a back-to-back after arriving late in Orlando but they dug deep to secure the W.
San Antonio grabbed the lead in the second quarter. The Magic made a late push but Luke Kornet blocked a layup attempt at the buzzer to put an exclamation mark on the victory that lifted the Spurs to a record of 15-6.
Stats: Spurs at Magic
spurs magic grades
Spurs at Magic – Final Grades
De’Aaron Fox
This was yet another game in which Fox led a shorthanded Spurs squad to an improbable victory. He had 31 points in 29 minutes while shooting efficiently from the field. He had a number of big moments in the fourth quarter, including the game-winning free throws with less than two seconds remaining. All that said, it wasn’t exactly an easy outing. Fox turned the ball over seven times and struggled dribbling and passing. Free throws also weren’t free and his defense was sometimes discombobulated. To Fox’s credit, he came through when it mattered most and didn’t let his miscues linger.
Grade: B
Devin Vassell
The good: Vassell was 3-for-7 from three-point range, rebounded well and gave commendable effort on defense. His shot-selection was mostly fine and he limited his mistakes on both ends. The bad: Vassell was only 3-for-7 from inside of the arc and, to make matters worse, he didn’t get to the free throw line. Scoring 15 points on 14 shots isn’t the type of efficiency the Spurs want from Vassell.
Grade: B-
Harrison Barnes
Coming out of the gates, Barnes hit a three-pointer and then followed that up with a midrange shot. Unfortunately, it was all downhill from there. Barnes hit only two of his final ten shots from the floor. He efforted on defense but his impact on that end was unremarkable.
Grade: C+
Julian Champagnie
Champagnie played an important role in this win. His deadeye shooting from deep (4-for-7) helped spread the defense as the game progressed. Champagnie is shooting with confidence and doesn’t look out of place at all as a starter. Defensively against the Magic, he was active and never gave an inch.
Grade: B+
Luke Kornet
Kornet’s evening will be remembered for his game-saving block. It was his third block of the game and it exhibited his advanced wherewithal when it comes to protecting the rim. Beyond that memorable highlight, Kornet also passed it well and rebounded decently enough. He had a couple miscues on offense but rightfully earned hero status on this night.
Grade: A-
Keldon Johnson
Johnson provided a spark off the bench once again. While he was 0-for-3 from three-point territory, he was 5-for-5 from two-point range and got to the free throw line for four shots. When he gets to the paint, he’s virtually automatic these days. Johnson is also bringing consistent energy to rebounding the basketball. Overall, his bench contributions continue to key the Spurs.
Grade: B+
Dylan Harper
Harper was in the middle of the action during his 22 minutes on the court. While there were ups and downs, the rookie’s play should be applauded. He hit big shots, including a three-pointer, and did a good job of keeping the pedal to the metal. The Magic have strong defensive guards and forced Harper into five turnovers. He also missed a few shots due to stout defense. But Harper kept competing on both ends. He had a couple highlight defensive plays to go with his scoring and playmaking on offense. Overall, this was another positive outing for the teenager.
Grade: A-
Jeremy Sochan
I’m not really sure why Sochan played 20 minutes. He wasn’t shooting from the perimeter, he struggled to finish at the rim and his two missed free throws almost cost the Spurs the game. Defensively, I wasn’t especially impressed. His play in the paint was mediocre and he wasn’t too effective on the perimeter. Sochan has talent but he hasn’t been able to translate it to winning basketball lately.
Grade: D+
Carter Bryant
Carter is looking more and more comfortable. He hit a three-pointer and was super active on the boards. His defense is already very impactful and he understands what he’s out there to accomplish. Bryant might be ready for a permanent bump up in minutes.
Grade: B+
Lindy Waters III
Waters had an active six minutes. Regrettably, he missed all three of his three-point attempts to push his percentage on the season down to 31.6%. He played solid defense in Orlando and stayed within the offense.
Grade: C+
David Jones Garcia
In five minutes, Jones Garcia turned the ball over twice and missed his only shot. As the numbers would suggest, he was loose with the basketball. He did record a steal and an assist, though, so it wasn’t all bad.
Grade: C-
Mitch Johnson
Getting this win in a back-to-back was very impressive. Johnson had a tired team that was missing two key players — but the good guys were still able to grind out a victory. Johnson did a fantastic job of spreading the minutes in order to give his troops the ability to have a final push. His only questionable move on the night was giving Sochan 20 minutes.
Grade: A-