Jeremy Sochan and the Spurs ran past the Sixers (Photo via X)
The San Antonio Spurs ended up on top in a back and forth affair against the Philadelphia 76ers. San Antonio’s 128-120 victory over an extremely short-handed Sixers squad improved the team’s record to 30-39 on the season.
The two teams played a tight first quarter before the Spurs took a 12-point lead into halftime. The good guys started off the second half looking strong but the Sixers came storming back to take the lead by the end of the third quarter.
With five and a half minutes remaining in regulation, Philadelphia held a six-point advantage. The Spurs then went on a 10-0 run to get out in front. With the Spurs up by one point with a minute remaining, Harrison Barnes hit a three-pointer to ice the game.
The Sixers were without almost all their top players but they competed with vigor. Relying on good ball-movement (36 assists) and good shooting (48.7% on threes), the Spurs were able to do enough to get the W.
Stats: Spurs vs. Sixers
spurs sixers grades
Spurs vs. Sixers – Final Grades
Devin Vassell
Vassell played well. While he was only 3-for-8 from two-point range, he hit half of his eight three-point attempts and both of his free throws. I liked his shot-selection and his passing was better than usual, as evidenced by his seven assists. Defensively, there were highs and lows but his three steals point an accurate picture of his activity level on that end. All in all, the Spurs needed Vassell to carry a heavy load on the offensive end and he was up for the challenge on this night.
Grade: B+
Stephon Castle
Castle was pretty damn outstanding against the Sixers. He came out of the gates handling the team’s playmaking duties and he never let go of the reins. His passing was excellent. The rookie finished with 14 assists, a shockingly high number considering he had never had more than eight assists in a game previously. Castle was seeing the floor and making the right pass at the right time. Defensively, he was really, really good. His tenacity on that end was palpable. Scoring-wise, Castle missed all three of his three-pointers and, frustratingly, a few wide open layups — but he still tallied 17 points in 35 minutes. That said, it was the rookie’s next level passing that stole the show and that was the team’s best attribute versus Philadelphia.
Grade: A
Jeremy Sochan
Sochan’s tough, physical play in the first half was vital to the team’s success. All of his shots in the first half were right around the rim and he went into halftime with 14 points and six rebounds on 7-for-10 shooting from the field. That interior focused play set the tone for what turned out to be a very good outing for San Antonio’s starting center. Sochan battled in the paint on both ends while simultaneously playing a clean brand of basketball.
Grade: A-
Chris Paul
It was a unique outing for Paul. With Castle handling the playmaking duties, Paul was playing off of the ball more than usual. He took advantage of that fact by hoisting seven three-pointers. By hitting six long balls, Paul was still very much helping the cause on the offensive end. Defense was an issue for the 39-year-old on this night, as Philadelphia’s aggressive perimeter players were able to have success against him.
Grade: B-
Harrison Barnes
The good: Barnes was 3-for-3 from two-point range. He hit the three-pointer that essentially won the game for the Spurs in the final minute. His passing was better than usual. The bad: Barnes was 1-for-6 from three-point land before the big shot late. He finished without a rebound in 31 minutes of action. He was also sloppier with the ball than normal.
Grade: B-
Keldon Johnson
Johnson put together yet another high quality performance. He has been highly impactful since the All-Star break. Against the Sixers, he put an efficient 18 points on the board by shooting well from all distances and going without a turnover in 26 minutes. Defensively, this was one of Johnson’s best outings of the season. He was reading the action well, making plays left and right, and remaining totally engaged.
Grade: A
Blake Wesley
Wesley turned heads by going 3-for-3 from three-point territory. If he ever becomes a legitimate shooter, he’ll have a long NBA career. I liked his passing and his energy on defense was contagious. Wesley’s touch was lacking and he got going too fast sometimes — but he’s bringing a consistent spark recently.
Grade: B
Julian Champagnie
In 17 minutes, Champagnie was 2-for-5 on three-pointers. He didn’t do much else offensively. On the other end, Champagnie’s defense was worse than usual. He looked slow and not totally engaged. Considering he has played pretty good defense this season, that was disappointing to see.
Grade: C-
Sandro Mamukelashvili
There was no encore for Mamukelashvili. A game after dropping 34 points on 13-for-14 shooting from the field and 7-for-7 shooting from deep, Mamu scored two points in 13 minutes and missed all three of his three-point attempts. He rebounded reasonably well but, playing as the team’s backup center, he was unable to bring forward any of the magic from his previous outing.
Grade: C
Mitch Johnson
Letting Castle run the show was great to see. The rookie was passing great right out of the gates and Johnson let him keep slinging. Sochan at center is an interesting look that I hope we see for the rest of the season. The rest of the rotation was fine and I liked the playcalling.
Grade: B+