De’Aaron Fox and the Spurs took care of business (Photo via X)
The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Utah Jazz by a final score of 123-110 to improve to a record of 30-13. The Spurs grabbed control of the game in the third quarter by winning the period 35-23. In the final stanza, the good guys were able to keep the Jazz at bay as they waltzed to the victory.
Stats: Spurs vs. Jazz
spurs jazz grades
Spurs vs. Jazz – Final Grades
Victor Wembanyama
Wembanyama took down the Jazz from the perimeter. The Frenchman was 7-for-12 from three-point range on his way to 33 points in 26 minutes. He also hit all six of his free throws and turned it over only once. Wembanyama’s three-point shot looks super smooth right now and his decision-making is pristine. Defensively, he was also very active and made life difficult for Utah.
Grade: A-
De’Aaron Fox
Fox had a strong two-way performance. Defensively, he had four steals and was attentive on that end of the court. Offensively, Fox shot well on his way to 14 points. More impressively, he passed the ball really well — particularly in transition. He rarely made a mistake on either end.
Grade: A-
Stephon Castle
The good: Castle was 4-for-5 from two-point range and shot ten free throws. He was ultra aggressive attacking the rim and threw his body around. The bad: Castle was 1-for-4 from three-point range and turned the ball over four times. His defensive intensity was also turned to a lower volume than usual.
Grade: C+
Julian Champagnie
Champagnie played a clean basketball game. He shot well from the field and had a few contested rebounds. Defensively, he was above average. In his 28 minutes of action, he rarely made a mistake.
Grade: B
Harrison Barnes
Barnes was fine. He had a couple of his better passes on the season. He hit a three-pointer. He made all three of his two-point attempts. Defensively, Barnes wasn’t anything special and he had only one rebound — but, considering everything, this was a step in the right direction for the veteran.
Grade: B
Dylan Harper
Now this is the Harper we love to see. It’s the Harper who looked like a phenom early in the season. The rookie finished with 15 points on 6-for-7 shooting. He was confident and made smart decisions. Harper’s passing was also a plus, as evidenced by his five assists. Defensively, he was unafraid and flying all over the court. Well done.
Grade: A
Keldon Johnson
This was an oddly quiet outing for Johnson. In 24 minutes, he had only two points, three rebounds and two assists. He simply wasn’t very involved on offense and he didn’t rebound like usual. That said, I’ll give credit to Johnson for remaining diligent about his defensive duties even though his touches were minimal.
Grade: C+
Luke Kornet
Kornet had an active night at the office. In only 22 minutes, the seven-footer had seven points, seven rebounds, four assists and three blocks. Offensively, he was active as a smart hub while also finishing plays at the rim. Defensively, Kornet was rebounding and guarding the rim with ferocity.
Grade: A-
Carter Bryant
It was great to see Bryant look like a professional basketball player. He converted on a pair of dunks and hit a three-pointer on his way to a career-high 11 points. Bryant added three rebounds, a steal and a pair of blocks. Defensively, the rookie looks like a potential difference-maker. His length and athleticism jump off the screen.
Grade: A-
Kelly Olynyk
Olynyk didn’t do much in his six and a half minutes other than miss a pair of free throws.
Grade: C
Lindy Waters III
Waters missed all three of his three-point attempts. For him to retain value, he needs to knock down longballs.
Grade: C
Mitch Johnson
The Spurs didn’t play especially well but Johnson did a good job of keeping his troops on task and comfortably in the lead. The schemes made sense and the rotation was fine.
Grade: B-