Grades: San Antonio Spurs at Washington Wizards – Game #51
Victor Wembanyama powered the Spurs to a victory (Photo via X)
The San Antonio Spurs really needed a win after losing two games in a row by one point. Against the Washington Wizards, the good guys got just that. San Antonio’s 131-121 victory improved their record to 23-28, while Washington fell to a league-worst 9-44.
The Spurs seemingly grabbed control of the game in the first quarter when they went on a 22-0 run. Unfortunately, that momentum was short-lived. The Wizards climbed out of the 18-point hole with ease and tied the game in the opening stages of the second quarter.
Late in the third quarter, the Spurs were able to open up a lead. While the Wizards were able to keep the Spurs from pulling away, San Antonio slowly but surely grabbed control and strolled to the victory.
I wouldn’t classify this as an impressive win but it was a needed win that featured a number of positive storylines.
Stats: Spurs at Wizards
Spurs at Wizards – Final Grades
Victor Wembanyama
This was a rock solid outing for Wembanyama. It’s difficult to find any holes in his performance. Wembanyama was 5-for-8 from three-point land and efficient inside of the arc. He passed it well and limited his mistakes. Wembanyama crashed the boards well and was active on the defensive end. All in all, it was great to see the young big man start out strong and keep his level of play up for the duration of the game.
Grade: A
De’Aaron Fox
With Wembanyama bombing away from the outside, Fox was free to cause chaos on the interior. And chaos he did cause. By driving to the hoop relentlessly, Fox got to the free throw line for 18 attempts. He also hit big shots at key moments and continues to pass the ball better than advertised. I was impressed by Fox’s defense and his low-mistake brand of basketball on both ends. Overall, his speed, aggression and confidence has been a clean fit on this squad.
Grade: A
Devin Vassell
Vassell is going to have to figure out how to fit in when he’s not the second option — and this was definitely a learning experience for him. Against the Wizards, Vassell was basically a spot-up three-point shooter. Preferably, though, he needs to be more than that. He took too much a backseat in Washington. He did too little playmaking and played too bored on defense. Hopefully Vassell can find some sort of happy medium going forward.
Grade: C-
Chris Paul
Paul remains in the starting lineup and he is making the most of his touches. He led the team in assists with nine. While he had a few uncharacteristic errors while orchestrating the offense, he still made a lot of magic happen. I liked Paul’s aggression shooting from three-point range and he was an asset on the defensive end.
Grade: B
Harrison Barnes
Barnes stuck to the basics and ended up aiding the cause. On offense, he was either shooting threes or using his size in the paint. He didn’t turn the ball over or make rash decisions. Barnes gave good effort on the boards but his defensive play could have been a notch or two tougher.
Grade: B
Jeremy Sochan
Sochan did a great job off the bench. He was 6-for-7 from the field, including hitting his only three-point attempt. His power in the paint was an asset, he exhibited a deft left hand, and he also kept his head up and made the right reads. Defensively, Sochan was active and knew his duties. On both ends of the court, he seems to be in a really good place right now.
Grade: A-
Stephon Castle
Sochan was dynamite in his 20 minutes. He poured in 16 points while hitting 7-of-9 from the field and 2-of-3 from deep. He also swiped three steals and blocked a shot while turning it over only once. Why did Castle only play 20 minutes? That’s a question for the coaching staff but his decision-making on both ends wasn’t as crisp as usual. Smarter, more under control play may have won him more minutes.
Grade: B+
Julian Champagnie
The twin brothers were a combined 7-for-9 from the field. San Antonio’s Champagnie was 2-for-3 to score six efficient points in 16 minutes. His defensive play was also better than normal and his shot-selection was wise.
Grade: B
Keldon Johnson
Johnson had a game to forget. Three turnovers in 11 minutes while hitting 2-of-8 from the floor? Yeah, no, not good. Johnson was missing easy shots while making poor decisions left and right. His defense was also lacking.
Grade: D–
Sandro Mamukelashvili
Mamukelashvili had his hustle knob cranked all the way up to full volume. While he was flying all around the court, he didn’t really end up moving the needle a whole lot. Mamu hit a three, made a couple good passes and played okay-ish defense.
Grade: B-
Mitch Johnson
Good stuff from Johnson. His usage of Wembanyama and Fox was nearly flawless. I liked his playcalling, particularly in the fourth quarter. The rotation made sense for the most part. Castle probably should have played more but I understand wanting vets out there to secure the much-needed win.
Grade: B+