Devin Vassell played well again, this time against the Cavs (Photo via X)
The San Antonio Spurs gave the best team in the Eastern Conference a run for their money but the good guys ultimately came up short. The win improved the Cleveland Cavaliers to 59-14, while the Spurs dropped to a record of 31-41.
San Antonio played a herky-jerky first half but got it going well enough to head into halftime down only five points, 54-49. The Spurs took the lead in the third quarter and kept playing well into the final period. In the closing minutes, the Cavs hit enough big shots to avoid the upset.
If there’s such a thing as a moral victory, this should count in San Antonio’s column. The Spurs played very solid basketball on both ends of the court to keep things close. Cleveland pulled out the win at the end but the Silver and Black should be proud of their effort.
Stats: Spurs at Cavaliers
spurs cavaliers grades
Spurs at Cavaliers – Final Grades
Devin Vassell
I was pleased with how Vassell played. He put up 22 efficient points while handing out four assists. His shot-selection was wise and he rarely tried to do too much. Defensively, Vassell was locked in. There were a few ill-advised fouls but otherwise he did quality work on both sides of the ball.
Grade: A-
Stephon Castle
No one can fault the kid’s effort. In 32 minutes, Castle tallied 22 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists while leaving his heart on the floor. He didn’t shoot the straightest (he missed a lot of shots in the lane that he’d like to have back), flubbed his free throws and had some untimely errors but the Spurs wouldn’t have even been in the game without the rookie’s all-around performance. He was really good on defense, he made plays on offense, he crashed the offensive glass and he ran the court hard both ways. Castle wasn’t perfect but he was damn good in Cleveland.
Grade: A-
Chris Paul
Paul played 33 minutes, the most minutes he’s been on the court in more than a month. While his veteran wisdom and calmness helped keep the Spurs afloat, the 39-year-old point guard was only 2-for-10 from the floor and his assist rate was lower than usual. I actually liked Paul’s defense but more tangible production would have helped the cause.
Grade: C+
Harrison Barnes
The Cavs were running Barnes off the three-point line but he still found ways to chip in. He shot well enough on his way to ten points, while his clean brand of basketball resulted in no turnovers or fouls. Barnes’ lack of quickness hurt a bit on defense, although his energy level on that end was higher than normal. All in all, Barnes could have played better but he held his own against the Cavs.
Grade: B-
Bismack Biyombo
Biyombo only played 15 minutes but he definitely made his presence felt. His rim protection was great, his rebounding was very good and his hustle was relentless. Offensively, he was routinely in the right positions and was able to post eight points on 4-for-5 shooting. The Spurs couldn’t have expected much more out of their starting center on this night.
Grade: A-
Keldon Johnson
The good: Johnson posted a double-double of 17 points and ten rebounds in 27 minutes off the bench. He attacked the rim with gusto and the touch on his finishes was deft. Defensively, he competed and was able to make a few plays on that end. The bad: Johnson’s perimeter shooting was off. Of the nine shots he attempted at least five feet from the basket, he only made two. He also missed a couple open teammates when driving the ball.
Grade: B
Julian Champagnie
It was an adventurous evening for Champagnie. The recipient of a pair of flagrant fouls, he battled through the physicality reasonably well. While he could have shot better from the field, he hit all five of his freebies and also corralled seven rebounds. Additionally Champagnie’s defense was more positive than it was negative.
Grade: B-
Jeremy Sochan
Like the rest of the bench unit, shooting efficiency wasn’t Sochan’s friend tonight. He had four misses right at the rim and his passing left quite a bit to be desired. Rebounding is another area Sochan could have been better. Defensively, he was pretty good out on the perimeter but wasn’t sturdy enough on the interior.
Grade: C
Blake Wesley
Wesley had a couple positive moments but mostly struggled against the Cavs. Defensively, he routinely tried to do too much. Offensively, Cleveland wasn’t paying too much attention to him and Wesley didn’t take advantage. Overall, his energy wasn’t as high as we’ve become accustomed to as of late.
Grade: C-
Sandro Mamukelashvili
Mamukelashvili stuffed the stat sheet considering he only played seven minutes. In that time, he found a way to miss three three-pointers, hand out three assists, grab two offensive boards and swipe a steal. Mamu’s defense was an issue, which likely led to his lack of minutes.
Grade: C+
Mitch Johnson
I didn’t have too many problems with Johnson’s rotation. Paul probably played a few too many minutes but the rest was fine. Playcalling-wise, I liked that he kept the ball in Castle’s hand so much. Cleveland’s size really hurt the Spurs in the fourth quarter and Johnson didn’t seem too interested in adjusting to that fact. All things considered, there were a lot of learning opportunities in this game — so that alone should make this a successful outing in the eyes of the coaching staff.
Grade: B+