The San Antonio Spurs had been with out Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Fortress, and nonetheless managed the sport within the 112-101 win over the Portland Path Blazers. They received contributions up and down the roster to fill in for 2 of their stars. The Spurs’ bench outscored Portland’s 48-10.
Keldon Johnson and Carter Bryant had been good off the bench within the win and earned among the high participant grades for the Spurs. As a fast reminder, these grades are primarily based on every participant’s on-court efficiency, going past simply the stat sheet. A “B” grade represents the typical efficiency for a person. If a participant logs fewer than 5 minutes or performs solely in rubbish time, their grade might be incomplete.
34 minutes, 25 factors, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals, 4 turnovers, 3 fouls, 10-for-20 capturing, 3-for-6 threes, -3
Fox kicked issues off and closed them out for the Spurs. He scored 10 of his 25 factors within the first 4 minutes of the sport. He was a pest on the perimeter and scored straightforward buckets in transition to maintain the Spurs within the sport in opposition to Portland early. When it regarded just like the Blazers would possibly make a comeback within the fourth quarter, Fox hit a clutch three to increase the result in 9. The group by no means regarded again from there.
That is the kind of efficiency Fox has given all season when Wembanyama sits. He takes over the offense in stretches and is the group’s steadying hand late within the sport. Some tough turnovers maintain this again from being an A-performance, nevertheless it was simply the pick-me-up Fox wanted earlier than heading into the playoffs.
33 minutes, 13 factors, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 4 turnovers, 2 fouls, 6-for-14 capturing, 1-for-2 threes, +6
This will likely have been Harper’s most impactful defensive sport this season. He was everywhere in the court docket, walling off drives, grabbing steals, and blocking a few photographs. He contested with the Blazers’ guards all evening and made it powerful for them to get into an actual rhythm. It was the type of sport you’d count on extra from Stephon Fortress, who missed the sport with a knee harm.
Harper continued to play effectively offensively by getting two ft into the paint, though he didn’t end as typically in opposition to Portland. He did, nevertheless, make one of many extra spectacular step-back threes I’ve seen from him this yr.
27 minutes, 2 factors, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks, 1 foul, 1-for-6 capturing, 0-for-3 threes, +6
What Champagnie didn’t do offensively, he made up for defensively. It was a chilly capturing evening for Champagnie, whose solely basket got here on a fast-break dunk. He was impactful defensively, although. Champagnie was simply strong on that finish in opposition to the Blazers’ powerful wings. His field rating gained’t make anybody look twice, nevertheless it felt just like the Spurs performed higher when he was on the ground.
26 minutes, 10 factors, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 1 foul, 5-for-6 capturing, +5
It’s honest to say that Kornet owns the Path Blazers. After scoring 20+ in his final sport in opposition to them, he was an enormous distinction maker on Wednesday. His paint protection was among the many better of the season, as he broke up lobs and contested drivers on the rim. He could have solely gotten 5 rebounds, however he impacted the boards by tipping the ball again to the perimeter for his teammates to save lots of the possession.
It wasn’t a Wembanyama-level defensive efficiency, however there isn’t any means the Spurs win this sport with out Cool Hand Luke holding it down inside.
31 minutes, 14 factors, 8 rebounds, 1 help, 2 steals, 1 turnover, 2 fouls, 5-for-13 capturing, 2-for-7 threes, +/- 0
It wasn’t fairly the offensive explosion that we’ve got gotten accustomed to in video games with out Wembanyama, however Vassell was strong in opposition to Portland. He hit some tough photographs, together with a troublesome mid-range jumper excessive of Donovan Clingan. Defensively, he chipped in with a couple of steals.
27 minutes, 9 factors, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 3 turnovers, 2 fouls, 2-for-4 capturing, 0-for-2 threes, +13
Barnes has been quiet just lately. He was part of the Spurs’ small-ball lineup that crushed the Blazers, which is why his +/- numbers look so good (extra on that later). San Antonio wants him to hit photographs within the playoffs if he’s going to play main minutes.
29 minutes, 20 factors, 8 rebounds, 1 help, 2 steals, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 1 foul, 8-for-15 capturing, 0-for-3 threes, +13
Johnson was EVERYWHERE on Wednesday. In what may have been his greatest efficiency of the yr, KJ received to the basket at will, dove after unfastened balls, and saved possessions alive with offensive rebounding. It was an ideal reminder of why he’s at the moment the betting favourite (-900) to win Sixth Man of the 12 months on FanDuel.
I assumed it was humorous that Johnson appeared to go particularly at his former teammates, Sidy Cissoko and Blake Wesley. After they had been guarding him, KJ received straight to the rim and scored.
25 minutes, 17 factors, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 foul, 6-for-9 capturing, 5-for-6 threes, 1 turnover, 3 fouls, +6
Bryant scored a career-high 17 factors in his greatest sport of the season. He was assured on each ends, hitting threes and holding his place in opposition to larger offensive gamers on protection. You possibly can see one thing click on with him across the second quarter of this sport. He began to be extra bodily on screens and within the paint, and he took wide-open photographs with out hesitation. If this can be a glimpse into who Bryant may be for years to come back, the Spurs could have gotten a steal with the 14th general choose.
9 minutes, 2 factors, 2 rebounds, 0-for-1 capturing, +9
McLaughlin is simply strong. He got here in and did his job for 9 minutes, enjoying pesky perimeter protection, taking good care of the ball, and enjoying inside the move of the offense. He’s about all of the Spurs may ask for in a fourth guard.
Monday’s Inactives: Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Fortress, Harrison Ingram, David Jones-Garcia, Emanuel Miller
