Dylan Harper played great in San Antonio’s win (Photo via X)
The San Antonio Spurs did enough to defeat the Indiana Pacers and improve to 25-9 on the season. The Pacers, on the other hand, dropped to an NBA worst record of 6-29.
This game was far from beautiful. The Spurs trailed at the end of the first quarter, 31-30. San Antonio turned things around and grabbed control of the game by winning the second quarter by a count of 41-27. The Spurs had chances to pull away in the second half but they couldn’t hit three-pointers at a high rate or stack defensive stops. That said, they were never truly threatened on their way to their 123-113 victory.
Stats: Spurs at Pacers
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Spurs at Pacers – Final Grades
De’Aaron Fox
This was simply another winning performance by Fox. Without Wembanyama or Vassell, the star guard picked up the slack and expertly guided the Spurs to the win. Offensively, while his three-point shot was off, he was dynamite in the paint and in the midrange. Fox was also unselfish and did well both on the ball and away from the ball. Defensively, he was locked in. When he wasn’t pressuring the ball, he was rotating correctly and pulling down rebounds.
Grade: A-
Stephon Castle
The good: It’s tough to complain about 19 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in 33 minutes. Castle got to the line for seven attempts, swiped a pair of steals and was more careful with the ball than usual. He also knocked down a three-pointer. The bad: Castle was just 6-for-17 from the field — that is obviously unacceptable efficiency. He could have still tightened up his dribble and his decision-making. Defensively, Castle wasn’t as amped up as usual.
Grade: B
Julian Champagnie
Coming off of a franchise-record 11 made three-pointers, Champagnie unfortunately came crashing back down to earth. He was 2-for-13 from the field, including 2-for-11 from three-point range. His shot-selection was too ambitious — which was understandable given his most recent performance. Honestly, though, I didn’t mind him being aggressive looking for his shot. Champagnie is most useful when he’s letting it fly. Moreover, he was defending and grabbing boards … and that made his missed threes more forgivable.
Grade: C
Harrison Barnes
Barnes is apparently still in his slump. He’s just not providing a reliable shooting outlet right now — and that’s unusual for him. In 21 minutes, Barnes was just 1-for-7 from the field, including 1-for-6 from three-point territory. He also was poor on the defensive end, missed a few open teammates with passes and seemed to be pressing too much in an effort to aid the cause. Hopefully Barnes will settle down soon and get back to being someone the Spurs can bank on.
Grade: D-
Luke Kornet
Kornet isn’t Wembanyama but he’s proving to be a legitimate starting center in the league. He does all the small things while not worrying about his own numbers or accomplishments. Against the Pacers, he battled in the paint, passed the ball well and was efficient when looking to score. He had a big dunk on an alleyoop that showed off his underrated athletic ability. Kornet’s defense could have been a bit better but he was a plus on that end as well.
Grade: B+
Dylan Harper
The rookie was coming off one of the worst games of his first campaign but Harper was able to bounce back in a big way. In 29 minutes, he poured in 22 points and shot well from every distance. Harper’s moves going to the basket were as fierce and dynamic as ever. While his playmaking didn’t make an appearance, his scoring was so deadly that the Pacers had to account for him at all times. I also liked his defensive effort and the fact that he kept his miscues to a minimum.
Grade: A-
Keldon Johnson
Spurs players not named Keldon Wilder Johnson were 10-for-43 (23.3%) on three-pointers. Johnson, meanwhile, was 3-for-3 from deep. Beyond his much-needed perimeter marksmanship, Johnson brought interior scoring, toughness on the boards and stout defense. Though he left the game for a bit after a hard fall, San Antonio’s sixth man came back and didn’t skip a beat. He’s having a very good season and tonight was just the latest example.
Grade: A-
Kelly Olynyk
With Kornet elevated to the starting lineup, Olynyk got the backup center minutes. That decision paid immediate dividends. He’s not great at any one category but he’s a pretty darn impressive all-around basketball player. In Indiana, Olynyk showed off his three-point shot, post moves and innate ability to pass the ball. Defensively, he held up well and made plays with his physicality and guile. Olynyk even had a dunk that demonstrated that he has more athleticism left in the tank than most would assume.
Grade: A-
Lindy Waters III
This was one of Waters’ better outings of the season. He hit a pair of three-pointers that looked silky smooth. He authored a couple heady passes, defended with smarts and did good work pushing the tempo. Waters is proving to be a valuable deep bench option.
Grade: A-
Carter Bryant
The good: Bryant had his first high level pass of his career. He also had a strong finish and played a handful of really impactful defensive possessions. The bad: Bryant missed all four of his three-pointers, with his first two attempts from downtown missing the rim completely. The rookie also continues to look uncoordinated in open court situations.
Grade: C+
Mitch Johnson
Johnson made a lot of wise decisions. He pulled back on Barnes’ minutes while giving Harper more PT. Giving Waters time ended up being a winning move. With the Spurs playing a back-to-back, Johnson also did well to not play anyone unneeded minutes. Specifically, Fox only playing 32 minutes should be helpful tomorrow.
Grade: A-