Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs got another win (Photo via X)
The San Antonio Spurs improved to 43-16 and won an 11th straight game by taking care of business against a lowly Brooklyn Nets ballclub. The Spurs led 36-22 at the end of the first quarter and they were able to coast from there despite limited production from some of the team’s key components.
Stats: Spurs at Nets
Spurs at Nets – Final Grades
Victor Wembanyama
Clearly, Wembanyama wasn’t operating at 100%. Fatigue was the most likely culprit. As a result, Wembanyama scored only 12 points and pulled down just eight rebounds. He missed all four of his three-point attempts and committed five fouls. That said, the Frenchman still found ways to add value. He was 6-for-6 at the line, 3-for-5 from two-point range, committed only one turnover and handed out five assists. Wembanyama’s overall defense was also a plus, as evidenced by his four stocks. Hopefully the franchise can rediscover his energy soon but, in the meantime, he’s still helping the good guys succeed.
Grade: C-
De’Aaron Fox
Fox was mostly subdued as he picked his spots with caution against the Nets. All told, though, the speedy point guard dominated with efficiency. Fox finished 6-for-8 from the field, including 2-for-3 from deep. He also tallied six assists without turning the ball over. His defense was fine. Like Wembanyama, Fox didn’t play with his usual amount of energy — but he found ways to aid the cause.
Grade: B+
Stephon Castle
The good: Castle hit half of his eight two-point attempts and totaled five assists to only one turnover. Most impressively, the second-year guard was 10-for-12 on the free throw line. Defensively, Castle played hard and once again left his mark on that end of the court. The bad: Castle was 0-for-4 from three-point territory. His touch was lacking this game and he was sometimes too rushed in his decision making.
Grade: B-
Devin Vassell
Vassell had another good shooting guard. He was 4-for-7 from downtown and he’s now 16-for-24 (66.7%) from three-point land in his last three outings. Against the Nets, he passed the ball much better than usual on his way to five assists. He also corralled seven rebounds while playing above average defense. Vassell has it rolling right now, let’s hope he keeps it flowing in the right direction.
Grade: B+
Julian Champagnie
Champagnie made sure that there wasn’t going to be an upset on this night. He led the Spurs with 26 points in only 24 minutes. He was 6-for-9 from three-point land and 4-for-5 from inside of the arc. Offensively, he was playing with extra aggression, a strategy that paid immediate dividends. He also finished without a turnover. Defensively, Champagnie was excellent. He had three steals, two blocks and was moving a step quicker than usual.
Grade: A
Dylan Harper
Harper struggled in garbage time but he was productive during his real minutes. All in all, he had 12 points, seven assists and three rebounds in a team-high 29 minutes. His efficiency wasn’t great but, again, a lot of that damage was done after the game was over.
Grade: B-
Luke Kornet
Kornet held down the fort when Wembanyama was on the bench. He hit all four of his free throws on his way to six points in 19 minutes. He rebounded well, passed the ball well and defended well. The backup center continues to earn every penny of his contract.
Grade: B
Keldon Johnson
Johnson quietly had a really good outing. In only 18 minutes, the sixth man had 13 points on 6-for-7 shooting from the field, including 1-for-1 from deep. He grabbed four rebounds and played with energy, which was especially needed due to the decaffeinated nature of Wembanyama and Fox.
Grade: B+
Harrison Barnes
Barnes continues to slump. He was 1-for-5 from the field on his way to three points in 16 minutes. He just can’t find any sort of rhythm these days. He’s also not doing much elsewhere. His rebounding was especially invisible in Brooklyn.
Grade: D+
Carter Bryant
After some recent hot shooting, Bryant came crashing down to earth. He was 0-for-6 from the field and missed all four of his longballs. I liked his aggression, though. The rookie also passed better than usual and still competed on the defensive end despite his scoring struggles.
Grade: C-
Mitch Johnson
Coach Mitch limited minutes while helping the Spurs rack up another win. This game didn’t take a notable amount of strategy but the coaching staff deserves credit for keeping the team’s alertness high enough to still notch an easy victory.
Grade: B+