Grades: San Antonio Spurs vs. Detroit Pistons – Game #54
De’Aaron Fox played well against the Pistons (Photo via X)
Playing their second game since learning that Victor Wembanyama would miss the rest of the season due to a blood clot in his shoulder, the San Antonio Spurs were thoroughly defeated by the Detroit Pistons, 125-110. The Spurs dropped to a record of 24-30, while the Pistons improved to 30-26.
San Antonio came out of the gates painfully slow. At the end of the first quarter, the Pistons held a 36-27 advantage. The Spurs showed signs of life in the second quarter and were actually able to get out in front for a few minutes.
Unfortunately, things fell apart early in the third quarter for the Spurs. The Pistons completed a 19-0 run less than four minutes into the second half and the Spurs were never able to threaten again.
Stats: Spurs vs. Pistons
Spurs vs. Pistons – Final Grades
De’Aaron Fox
It’s difficult to find any issues with how Fox played against the Pistons. Defensively, he was very active, physical and swiped a team-high four steals. Offensively, Fox efficiently put 27 points on the board. He shot well from the field and looked extra quick in the open court. The main area where Fox could have done better was passing. There were a handful of times where he failed to make the right pass at the right time, which resulted in team-wide droughts.
Grade: A-
Devin Vassell
With Wembanyama out, Vassell needs to step into a bigger offensive role. That didn’t happen on Friday night — to put it gently. He shot poorly, he picked his spots unwisely and he failed to tally an assist in 23 minutes. Vassell needs to snap out of his offensive funk, especially because his defense is also really inconsistent. Versus Detroit, his D was even worse than usual.
Grade: D+
Chris Paul
This has to have been Paul’s most unproductive game of the season. Three points and two assists in 22 minutes? Yeah, no, that won’t get it done. He was also a liability on defense. It’ll be interesting to see if the 39-year-old can finish the season on a high note or if he’ll fade down the stretch.
Grade: D-
Harrison Barnes
Barnes, like Paul, did very little. The fellow veteran was scoreless in 21 minutes and the feisty Pistons made him look old at times. Barnes made a few good passes and limited his mistakes on offense but his defense was underwhelming and his energy was minimal.
Grade: D
Bismack Biyombo
Biyombo looked rock solid in his first start for the Spurs. The Pistons game was Biyombo’s second start and things didn’t go nearly as well. Although he was only credited with two turnovers, he could typically be found fumbling or bumbling on the offensive end. Defensively, he might have been even worse. Biyombo can be a useful player but he wasn’t that versus Detroit.
Grade: D
Keldon Johnson
Johnson’s play was the silver lining for the Silver and Black. Offensively, he was pretty darn good. When he got going toward the rim, he was nearly impossible to stop. His touch in the lane was outstanding and his decision-making was impeccable. The Spurs looked their best on this night when they had Johnson playing as the team’s go-to player. He can be a talented offensive player; let’s hope we see that down the stretch, especially with Wembanyama sidelined.
Grade: A
Jeremy Sochan
It was a bit of a strange outing for Sochan. Five of his seven field goal attempts were from beyond the three-point arc. His rebounding was lethargic, his playmaking was muted and his defensive intensity was missing in action. Sochan had moments here and there of solid play but he needs to play with more enthusiasm and electricity to be a valuable cog.
Grade: C-
Sandro Mamukelashvili
Mamukelashvili got a chance to play real minutes and did a lot of good. Offensively, his movement away from the ball, passing acumen and hustle all stood out as positive traits. Mamu has had a strong scoring season and that was again the case against the Pistons. Defensively, he helped out by rebounding and by flying around the court.
Grade: B+
Julian Champagnie
Champagnie didn’t hit a shot during his 14 minutes on the court. For the month of February, his three-point shooting is down to 31% and his scoring rate is also down. For Champagnie to provide value, he’s going to have to figure out how to be a flamethrower even when he’s coming off the bench.
Grade: C-
Stephon Castle
Castle only played 13 minutes. In that time, he didn’t lack aggression. He shot nine times from the field and attempted five free throws. While he might have called his own number a little too often, I can’t complain about that level of confidence. The rookie backs down from no one — and that’s why his ceiling is so high. Castle had a few mistakes on both ends but it wasn’t for a lack of effort or self-assuredness.
Grade: B-
Charles Bassey
Bassey was back in the lineup after missing more than two weeks with a sprained MCL. He looked solid. He hit all three of his shots from the field, battled on the boards and made the right passes. Bassey looked a little slower on defense, which played a part in him picking up three fouls in 11 minutes.
Grade: B
Mitch Johnson
Playing Castle for only 13 minutes is pretty insane … I’m not going to lie. That number has to go up. The rest of the rotation was decent enough. I liked KJ being a focal point, particularly after he got going. Fox was also put in positions to succeed.
Grade: C