Julian Champagnie popped off against the Raptors (Photo via X)
The San Antonio Spurs won a third consecutive game by defeating the Toronto Raptors on Sunday night by a final score of 123-89. The victory improves San Antonio’s record on the season to 31-39.
The Spurs came out of the gates cooking on both ends of the court. Heading into the second period, the good guys had a 36-16 lead. From then on, the game was never competitive and the Spurs were able to stroll to the blowout win.
While the Raptors are clearly in tank mode, it was still a dominant road win for the Silver and Black. Offensively and defensively, the Spurs played extremely well.
Stats: Spurs at Raptors
spurs raptors grades
Spurs at Raptors – Final Grades
Devin Vassell
It was great seeing Vassell shoot so well. Playing like a certified go-to scorer, he was 3-for-6 from three-point range and a perfect 8-for-8 inside of the arc. Vassell also made the right passes, limited his mistakes and played with a palpable amount of confidence. I was also impressed by how he played on the defensive end. His defense since the All-Star break has been a step or two in the right direction.
Grade: A
Stephon Castle
The good: Castle’s ability to get to the free throw line might be his most exciting talent. In only 20 minutes, he got to the line ten times in Toronto on his way to an efficient 15 points. The rookie’s effort on the glass and on defense was commendable. The bad: Castle turned it over four times. His playmaking was muted; a game after totaling 14 assists, his encore was a one-assist outing.
Grade: B+
Chris Paul
After going 10-for-14 from three-point land in his last three games, Paul missed all three long balls tonight. However, he made up for his lack of shooting by playing better than usual defense and handing out six assists without a turnover.
Grade: B
Harrison Barnes
Barnes gave some actual effort on the boards, which was noteworthy. He shot it reasonably well and played a mistake-free brand of basketball. I also liked the focus he brought to the defensive end.
Grade: B
Bismack Biyombo
Biyombo was back in the starting lineup and he did fine. His nine rebounds led the team and his passing was legitimately good. He also finished well on his way to scoring eight points in 23 minutes. Defensively, he was relentlessly active.
Grade: B
Blake Wesley
Wesley is playing like a difference-maker lately. Against the Raptors, his defensive pressure caused panic. Offensively, his speed was a weapon — both when creating his own looks and when opening space for teammates. Wesley made more than his share of mistakes tonight but the miscues were forgivable due to how hard he was playing.
Grade: B+
Julian Champagnie
Champagnie hasn’t been shooting well in the month of March so his performance against the Raptors had to feel refreshing. In 23 minutes, the bench sniper poured in 20 points. He was 4-for-6 from three-point territory, 2-for-3 on two-pointers and 4-for-5 at the line. With his shot going in, Champagnie was extra motivated on the defensive end. All told, this was clearly his best game in quite a while.
Grade: A
Jeremy Sochan
Sochan did well. Coming off the bench, he made an unmistakable impact. He was aggressive offensively, physical defensively and ran the court with purpose. Sochan dealt with some sloppiness but he was making plays on both ends of the court.
Grade: B
Keldon Johnson
Johnson had an uncharacteristic poor shooting night. Since the All-Star break, he’s been streaking but he hit more rim than usual tonight. He was 1-for-6 from three and only 2-for-10 overall. He salvaged some of his value by passing the ball well and limiting mistakes — but his defense was also an issue tonight.
Grade: C
Sandro Mamukelashvili
Well, it wasn’t 34 points in 19 minutes but Mamukelashvili still produced at a high level in Toronto. In only 16 minutes, the big man notched 13 points and seven rebounds. He hustled, he was in constant motion and he even exhibited more athleticism than normal. When Mamu plays with this much effort, the results are almost always positive.
Grade: B
Malaki Branham
Branham played ten minutes of garbage time in the fourth quarter. He was aggressive when the ball was in his hands, which we’ve come to expect from him.
Grade: Inc.
Jordan McLaughlin
McLaughlin also got ten minutes of garbage time. He played unselfishly on offense and showed some smarts on the defensive end.
Grade: Inc.
Mitch Johnson
I don’t understand why Biyombo was reinserted into the starting lineup. I prefer Sochan starting. Biyombo playing more minutes than Sochan at this stage of the season is almost criminal — even in a blowout.
Grade: C+