Coming off two very irritating losses — a pathetic displaying in Houston and heartbreaker in Sacramento — you’ll have been forgiven for not being thrilled about taking in a recreation in Golden State with out Victor Wembanyama (ankle) and Devin Vassell (hip), however for those who missed it, you missed a present. Whereas the Warriors have been additionally lacking Steph Curry, they nonetheless had much more to play for (specifically, play-in event positioning), however the Spurs used a full workforce effort get forward early and keep there, responding to each conceivable factor the Warriors might throw out them.
With out their high two gamers, the Spurs have been going to have to search out factors from different sources. Early, it was Jeremy Sochan, who hit his first two threes and had 8 factors because the Spurs led 12-9 halfway by means of the primary quarter. For essentially the most half, it regarded like a recreation the place each groups have been lacking their finest participant(s) with a gradual tempo and a few sloppy play, however the Spurs have been extra environment friendly, taking pictures 12-22 and main 32-27 on the finish of the quarter regardless of a Klay Thompson buzzer. The Warriors additionally didn’t assist themselves by hitting simply 6-11 of their free throws.
After hitting 4-7 threes within the first quarter, the Spurs obtained two extra from Malaki Branham and Keldon Johnson to open the second, and with Thompson sitting with foul hassle, the Spurs methodically constructed their lead regardless of who was on the courtroom, ending the half up 62-43. They made positive to maintain attacking the paint as a result of Warriors lack of dimension whereas taking pictures a scorching 10-16 from three and remaining disciplined on protection.
Determined for scoring, Steve Kerr moved Thompson to the beginning lineup for the second half. It initially labored, because the Warriors opened on a 13-4 run largely due to the defensive changes the Spurs needed to make, forcing a Gregg Popovich timeout with what had been a 21-point lead after the opening possession minimize to 12. One other three from Thompson obtained the lead right down to 9, however that may be as shut as they’d get the remainder of the sport. The Spurs regrouped and responded with an 8-0 run themselves, and regardless of struggling to maintain the Warriors off the road, they at all times had a solution on the opposite finish, with Johnson and Julian Champagnie hitting enormous threes within the ultimate two minutes, and a Dominick Barlow putback gave them a 96-79 lead heading into the ultimate body.
The fourth quarter was extra of the identical chaos because the third, with the Spurs responding to each punch the Warriors threw at them with considered one of their very own. One factor the Warriors did lastly notice (too late) is with Wemby out, they might assault the paint, and Jonathan Kuminga torched the Spurs protection with 19 of his 26 factors within the quarter. The Spurs managed to get the lead again to twenty factors earlier than the Warriors went on a 7-0 run with 4 minutes left. There was at all times concern of another massive Warriors run, however Kerr made the shocking resolution to not convey Thompson, who had 27 factors on the night time, or Chris Paul again in, so it by no means occurred, and the Spurs comfortably ran out the clock for a 126-113 win.
Recreation Notes
It’s no exaggeration to say this was a full workforce effort. Everybody who touched the ground had a optimistic influence. Three gamers scored 20 or extra factors, led by 22 from Johnson (who continued to rediscover his three-point stroke hitting 4-9), and 20 apiece from Branham (his third straight) and Sochan (regardless of battling foul hassle a lot of the night time). In addition they obtained season highs from Champagnie with 17 factors (5-8 from three) and 14 from Barlow. The ball stored transferring on offense with 34 assists on their 44 made discipline objectives, and general, they hit 17-33 from three.
With Cedi Osman additionally out with a sore ankle, we lastly obtained some minutes from Devonte’ Graham. Whereas it was “solely” 11 minutes, he completed with 8 factors on 3-4 taking pictures (2-2 from three), however extra importantly, he was at all times hustling and was a part of one of many larger sequences of the sport. With the Warriors on considered one of their third quarter runs and inside 11 factors with simply over 4 minutes left, he dove to avoid wasting a turnover, leading to a Johnson bucket, then on the subsequent possession hit three transition three off a steal to push the lead again to 16. That’s a minimum of a five-point swing. It was a kind of reassuring moments that the Spurs weren’t going to blow this one, they usually continued to comply with go well with the remainder of the sport.
Regardless of being one of many smaller groups within the league, the Warriors are additionally among the finest rebounding groups, however even with out Wemby, that didn’t cease the Spurs from killing them on the glass. The Spurs gained rebound battle 49-39, together with 12 offensive rebounds for 17 second-chance factors.
Play of the Recreation
There weren’t a complete lot of spotlight actual performs on this recreation, simply loads of stable offense and made threes, so we’ll give it to Graham and his transition three simply because we don’t get to see him sufficient.
Up subsequent: Monday vs. Warriors
The Spurs will head again house to finish the miniseries and start an eight-game homestand (though two of these video games will likely be in Austin), they usually reportedly plan on having Wemby again. Hopefully the identical will likely be true for Vassell.
