Grades: San Antonio Spurs vs. Brooklyn Nets – Game #68
Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs to a win in Austin (Photo via Twitter)
The San Antonio Spurs got a thrilling 122-115 victory over the Brooklyn Nets in Austin at the Moody Center. Playing the second of two games in Austin, the Spurs improved to 15-53 on the season. The Nets fell to 26-42.
It was a back and forth contest for the first three quarters. Neither team was able to muster much momentum and the Nets held an 83-80 lead heading into the fourth period. Midway through the fourth, things looked dire for the good guys. However, that all changed with Victor Wembanyama checked back in.
Back-to-back three-pointers by Devin Vassell and Wembanyama got the Spurs on track. A few minutes later, Wembanyama tied the game with a ferocious dunk. A Keldon Johnson three-pointer gave the Spurs the lead on the next possession but then Dennis Schroder tied the game with a three of his own — and led to the game going into overtime.
In overtime, a Wembanyama layup brought the Spurs within a point and then the rookie finished off an alleyoop to give San Antonio a lead they would never relinquish.
Overall, it was a very satisfying victory. A lot of players performed well and the youngsters executed when it mattered most.
Stats: Spurs vs. Nets
Spurs vs. Nets – Final Grades
Victor Wembanyama
Wembanyama had another ridiculously productive outing. While he hit only 1-of-7 threes, he was 13-for-19 from two-point range on his way to 33 points. Add in 15 rebounds, seven assists and seven blocks and it was another performance for the record books. Not only were Wembanyama’s stats impressive, his impact on the game was equally as awe-inspiring. Defensively, he was great at protecting the rim and got even better at it during key moments. Offensively, the rookie stepped up in key situations. Wembanyama flashed his near limitless potential on both ends against the Nets and was without question the main reason why the Spurs won this game.
Grade: A+
Devin Vassell
Vassell is back. Even though he too connected on only 1-of-7 three-pointers, he was still really good on the offensive end. He was 10-for-14 from two-point range, which included a number of athletic drives to the hoop. Vassell also passed the ball extremely well. His two-man game with Wembanyama looked unstoppable at times. Vassell’s decision-making down the stretch was also really good. Defensively, he was active and making the right rotations.
Grade: A
Jeremy Sochan
It wasn’t the most aesthetically-pleasing performance for Sochan. He was only 1-for-8 from the field, including a few ugly misses. He was sloppy with the ball and his decision-making was inconsistent. That said, Sochan did have some positive attributes against Brooklyn. He rebounded with gusto on both ends, he had a few really good passes and his effort on defense was very high. Sochan had some issues in transition but otherwise he was very impactful on defense. His hustle, specifically, was palpable.
Grade: C+
Tre Jones
Jones’ numbers don’t jump off the page but he did okay. I really liked how he operated in transition. He didn’t hesitate to push the pace himself or pass the ball up the court for an easy look. Jones had a few hard-headed drives to the basket to keep the Nets honest. Defensively, he was being super physical, which helped him survive size disadvantages.
Grade: B-
Julian Champagnie
I didn’t like how Champagnie played. Once again, he was too one-dimensional. To make matters worse, he forced one of his threes even though Wembanyama was calling for the ball in the low block. Champagnie needs to shoot threes but the shots need to be within the flow of the offense. It’d also be nice if he played defense or moved without the ball.
Grade: D
Keldon Johnson
In the first half, Johnson was 4-for-4 from three-point land. That level of marksmanship was especially important on Sunday night because his teammates were 1-for-16 from deep in the opening two quarters. Johnson added a fifth three at a key moment in the fourth quarter. Beyond his shooting from downtown, Johnson also authored burly drives to the hoop and pulled down a couple big-time rebounds. Defensively, he did better than normal and simply seemed locked in on both ends.
Grade: A
Zach Collins
Collins successfully held down the fort versus the Nets. While he only had one made field goal, San Antonio’s backup center helped out in other ways. First, he was 4-for-4 from the line. Second, he was much stronger than usual on the glass. Third, he had a couple of San Antonio’s best passes on the night. Fourth, Collins was more physical than normal. Truth be told, he could have done a better job of avoiding fouls while being more patient on offense — but Collins certainly did enough.
Grade: B
Malaki Branham
Eh, I wouldn’t quite call this a step in the right direction for Branham. He’s now 0-for-13 from three-point land in his last four games. Against the Nets, he played a frazzled brand of basketball. Pop put him at point guard for a spell and it was a disaster. Defensively, he was a liability. Branham had a few positive possessions but he spent most of his 16 minutes outwardly struggling.
Grade: D
Cedi Osman
After missing time with an ankle injury, Osman was back and I liked how he played. He was super electric coming out of the gates and helped get San Antonio going. While it doesn’t show up in the stats, he did a really good job of forcing the ball into Wembanyama to help him get going. Osman’s movement in the halfcourt sets was helpful and he finished plays with purpose. Defensively, he was rugged and helped out on the boards.
Grade: B+
Blake Wesley
Wesley played like he was thinking too much. Too often, he passed when he should have shot and shot when he should have passed. He was playing with speed but wasn’t able to turn advantages into tangible production. Defensively, Wesley applied pressure but he didn’t have much to show for it.
Grade: C-
Pop
Pop did a lot of good. His playcalling was very good, especially in clutch situations. He made sure to help get Wembanyama going and Pop also made sure Vassell had plenty of touches. Rotations-wise, it was okay. The minutes with Branham at point guard were a bad idea and it turned out worse than I thought. But other than that, adding Osman back into the rotation worked and everything else was fine.
Grade: B