Julian Champagnie did well against the Magic (Photo via X)
The San Antonio Spurs played well for the majority of the game but ultimately lost to the Orlando Magic by a final score of 116-105 at the Frost Bank Center. The loss dropped the Spurs to a record of 31-44.
Playing well early, the Spurs led after the end of the first quarter 34-29. After the Magic tied the game going into halftime, San Antonio led almost the entire third quarter. With the Spurs playing well on both ends, it looked possible that the good guys could pull out an upset victory.
The fourth quarter, though, wasn’t kind to the home team. Orlando thoroughly dominated the action and won the period 37-21 to coast to the victory.
All in all, though, a short-handed Spurs squad put up a good fight. There’s not much to be unhappy about. It was much better than the shellacking the Spurs suffered against the Warriors, that’s for sure.
Stats: Spurs vs. Magic
spurs magic grades
Spurs vs. Magic – Final Grades
Devin Vassell
Defensively, Vassell was actually pretty darn good. He competed and was very fundamentally sound on that end. Offensively, it felt like Vassell needed more shots. Then again, he missed most of the shots he attempted — including six of his seven three-point tries. While it’s commendable that he didn’t have a turnover, Vassell also failed to register an assist.
Grade: B-
Stephon Castle
In many ways, Castle was good. He shot well on his way to 16 points. When he passed the ball, he exhibited his expansive court vision. He also crashed the glass. Unfortunately, turnovers were Castle’s bugaboo on this night. He turned it over seven times officially and he was loose with the ball another handful of times. The rookie’s defense also left a bit to be desired, although I liked the toughness he demonstrated on that end. Add it all up and Castle’s turnovers were a big enough problem that he acted like a one main tanking machine versus Orlando.
Grade: C+
Chris Paul
Paul was aggressive looking for his own shots, which resulted in ten points on positive efficiency. His passing was really good; the way he manipulated the defense was a thing of beauty. Paul was actually effective on the defensive end, too. He scratched and clawed with all of his might and ended up being an asset on that end of the court.
Grade: B+
Harrison Barnes
Barnes’ scoring was a vital part of why the Spurs were able to hang around. He hit seven of his first eight shots from the field and his jumper was looking buttery smooth. Unfortunately, he was only 2-for-6 down the stretch when San Antonio was vying for the upset. While he was good offensively, Barnes was a liability on defense. He had no defensive rebounds and his movement on that end was more rickety than normal.
Grade: B
Bismack Biyombo
With Sochan out due to back spasms and Bassey out to rest his bothersome knee, Biyombo found himself back in the starting lineup. The 32-year-old played his role damn well. He was finishing in the paint with strength and athleticism. He set screens, moved well and stayed out of the way offensively. Defensively, Biyombo rebounded and protected the rim with vigor. The Spurs really couldn’t have asked for much more out of him — other than another made free throw or two.
Grade: A-
Julian Champagnie
Champagnie got it going against the Magic. He hit 5-of-9 three-pointers and also looked good moving without the ball. He ran the court with purpose and kept his head up. Defensively, he had some difficult challenges and was able to hang on decently well.
Grade: A-
Sandro Mamukelashvili
Yeah, no, this was a night to forget for Mamukelashvili. In 19 minutes of action, he was 1-for-6 from the field and didn’t grab a rebound. He missed wide open shots and his defensive play was poor. Mamu hustled but his tangible production was very minimal. Sadly, his poor play brought down the entire bench unit.
Grade: D-
Keldon Johnson
Johnson only played 18 minutes but he was rather productive while on the court. He had seven points, seven rebounds and four assists. He dealt with more than his share of sloppiness but he worked through it and ended up aiding the cause. His passing continues to look better and Johnson is even showing some growth on the defensive end.
Grade: B
Blake Wesley
Wesley was pretty okay. He had a nice reverse layup, a timely steal and a few smart passes. His defense was noticeably effective. On offense, his speed and agility gave Orlando issues at times. Wesley could have done more but this was a step in the right direction for him after some recent shaky performances.
Grade: B
Mitch Johnson
This was a mostly positive experience for the Spurs. Johnson coached well. I like that he put a lot on Castle’s back, even when the rookie was struggling with turnovers. Giving extra minutes to Champagnie was smart and the overall gameplan made sense.
Grade: B+