Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs over the Rockets (Photo via X)
The San Antonio Spurs notched one of their most impressive road wins of the season in Houston against the Rockets. The Spurs climbed out of an early hole and then played stifling defense in the fourth quarter to get a 111-99 victory. Houston scored only 13 points in the final stanza as San Antonio improved their record to 32-15.
Stats: Spurs at Rockets
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Spurs at Rockets – Final Grades
Victor Wembanyama
Wembanyama dominated his 29 minutes. He was 8-for-12 from two-point range and 12-for-15 at the charity stripe. He also grabbed 16 rebounds and blocked five shots. As those numbers suggest, Wembanyama was forceful near the basket. His hustle and effort level were fantastic. Yes, he was 0-for-3 from deep and turned it over four times — but his relentlessness and toughness were the team’s best attributes.
Grade: A-
De’Aaron Fox
Fox turned it over a team-high five times but otherwise he was good. He was 2-for-5 from three, 4-for-6 from two and hit all four of his freebies. His eight assists were a team-high, as his passing — particularly on the move — was much better than usual. Fox also did quality work on the defensive end.
Grade: B+
Stephon Castle
This was Castle’s best defensive game of the season. He guarded all five positions and he was dominant in doing so. A point guard who can guard all five positions? Yeah, that’s valuable. Besides his stellar defense, Castle was also really good on the offensive end. He took smart shots, played with aggression, made plays for himself and others, and played a clean brand of basketball. All in all, San Antonio couldn’t have asked for much more than they got from Castle.
Grade: A+
Julian Champagnie
This was a quiet night at the office for Champagnie. He missed all three of his three-pointers, didn’t do especially good work on the glass and was only average defensively. Champagnie wasn’t hurting the team but the Spurs could have used more from him.
Grade: C
Harrison Barnes
I mean, I guess this counts as a step in the right direction for Barnes. He hit one of his two three-point tries but chipped in with a trio of two-pointers. He also didn’t register a turnover while playing above average defense. That said, the Spurs could use more perimeter shooting from Barnes and his rebounding continues to be especially anemic.
Grade: B-
Keldon Johnson
Johnson was very productive on this evening. He totaled 17 points, seven rebounds and five assists off the bench in less than 27 minutes. Johnson’s passing and playmaking were helpful attributes. I also liked his defensive play and his decision-making on both ends. Johnson continues to be one of the league’s best bench players.
Grade: A-
Devin Vassell
In his second game back from injury, Vassell wasn’t amazing but there were some good moments. He hit a three-pointer, played a few possessions of very good defense and his effort can’t be questioned. Vassell clearly needs to continue to shake off the rust though.
Grade: C
Dylan Harper
Harper was outstanding in his 22 minutes. He was 8-for-9 from two-point range on his way to 16 points. He also had three assists while playing impressive defense. Harper’s finishing ability near the rim was fantastic. When he got it rolling, the Rockets were powerless to stop the rookie. Let’s hope he can get hot once again.
Grade: A
Luke Kornet
It wasn’t an especially flashy game for Kornet but he was sturdy. He didn’t score but he was good on the glass, made smart passes, set heady screens and limited his miscues. Defensively, Kornet was as solid as a rock.
Grade: B
Mitch Johnson
Good stuff from Johnson and the coaching staff. How Castle was utilized on defense was genius. Leaning on Harper in money time paid dividends. The gameplans on both sides of the court were smart. The rotation was another plus.
Grade: A-