Grades: San Antonio Spurs at Denver Nuggets – Game #34
The Spurs got a big win on the road over the Nuggets (Photo via X)
The San Antonio Spurs notched one of their most impressive wins of the season on Friday night by defeating the Denver Nuggets by a final score of 113-110. Playing on the road, the Spurs closed strong to improve their record to 18-16. The loss dropped the Nuggets to 19-14.
Coming out of the gates, the Spurs looked strong. San Antonio led for a vast majority of the first half. The Nuggets battled back in the third quarter and then the two teams fought in the fourth period. The Spurs could have folded a few times but they kept executing and ended up getting enough stops at the end to eke out the victory.
The good guys have to be very pleased with how they played — particularly in crunch time. Being able to win these types of close games is the difference between being a playoff team and a lottery team.
Stats: Spurs at Nuggets
Spurs at Nuggets – Final Grades
Victor Wembanyama
It was another great game by Wembanyama. His shot-selection was smart, which resulted in a stunningly efficient night from the field. He picked his spots well, bullied mismatches and knocked in some big time three-pointers. Wembanyama simply looked like a certified monster when it came to shooting the ball. While he also passed it well, his offensive performance was marred by his eight turnovers. Those miscues were mostly a matter of carelessness. Defensively, Wembanyama was pretty damn good. He rebounded like a man possessed and seemed to get better and better as the night progressed. The Frenchman dealt with foul trouble but he was able to stay in the game late and spearhead a handful of key stops. All in all, while Wembanyama was far from flawless, it was an epic effort that exhibited exciting growth in his game.
Grade: A-
Devin Vassell
The good: Vassell hit half of his 12 two-point attempts. He authored more than his share of quality passes. He hit timely shots and played an important role in timely stops. I liked how much moxie he played with on both ends of the court. The bad: Vassell’s shot-selection was iffy at times. And even though he had six assists, he missed three or four passes he needed to make. Vassell missing three of his first four free throws wasn’t a good look. Overall, he needs to keep concentrating on playing a team-first brand of basketball.
Grade: B-
Chris Paul
While Paul had some issues dealing with Denver’s length and athleticism on the perimeter, he played an important role in this impressive win. Offensively, while he only hit three shots, each of those three makes were timely. When it came to running the show and making the right pass, Paul was virtually flawless. On defense, Paul competed and he helped the cause by grabbing eight boards. The 39-year-old continues to teach this young squad how to stay composed and thrive in money time.
Grade: B+
Harrison Barnes
This was an unusual outing for Barnes. He missed all three of his longballs but still managed to have a solid affair. He made shots going to the rim, he passed the ball better than normal and his defense was more lively than usual. Additionally, Barnes finished the game without a turnover or a foul. Net-net, it was good to see him have a positive impact on the game without relying on three-point shooting.
Grade: B
Stephon Castle
Castle’s shooting looked ugly but I liked that he kept firing attempts. He needs to hit at a higher percentage to reach his potential but the rookie at least isn’t timid. Castle did enough to keep the Nuggets locked in on him — both scoring-wise and passing-wise. I liked his defense and he avoided costly errors on both sides of the ball.
Grade: B-
Keldon Johnson
The Spurs outscored the Nuggets 28-22 in the second quarter in large part due to Johnson’s play. He had 13 points in the second on 5-for-7 shooting from the field, including a trio of triples. When Johnson is shooting well and driving with adrenaline, he’s difficult to stop. Unfortunately, his outside shot has been off this season. Outside of the second quarter, Johnson didn’t do much of anything until an old fashioned three-point play in the final stanza. To his credit, though, I thought his defense was surprisingly stout for much of the evening.
Grade: B
Julian Champagnie
Like Johnson, Champagnie got hot enough to carry the squad. Champagnie’s time to shine came in the first period when he scored nine points in six minutes. That boost helped San Antonio keep things humming. Champagnie would later go on to knock down two more three-pointers later in the game. His ability to space the court and be a go-to perimeter assassin is very valuable to this team.
Grade: B+
Tre Jones
Yep, another Tre Jones-esque game from Tre Jones. Not much scoring but he’s pushing the pace well, making the right pass and hustling on defense. Jones isn’t playing flashy at all right now but he’s remaining a positive impact player by stacking up correct decisions.
Grade: B-
Zach Collins
Like Wembanyama, Collins had to survive foul trouble for the majority of the game. Despite that bothersome subplot, the backup center did okay. He rebounded, he defended reasonably well, and kept scratching and clawing even when the circumstances got tough. The team missed Wembanyama when the superstar sophomore was on the bench but Collins held up adequately well.
Grade: B
Mitch Johnson
A lot of smart coaching from Johnson. He got the ball to Wembanyama at advantageous spots. I liked the rotation for the most part. He also avoided panicking that could have been caused by foul trouble. Johnson’s coaching down the stretch of the game was particularly impressive. He pushed the right buttons at the right times to help San Antonio capture this W.
Grade: A-