OffRtg: 118.0 (7) DefRtg: 113.8 (14) NetRtg: +4.2 (8) Tempo: 100.9 (16)
The Spurs went 9-3 throughout Victor Wembanyama’s absence, however they’re within the Emirates NBA Cup ultimate as a result of he was again in uniform on Saturday and serving to them put an finish to the Thunder’s 16-game profitable streak.
Three takeaways
1. The win on Saturday was the Spurs’ worst offensive sport of the season (111 factors on 106 possessions), but it surely was additionally the Thunder’s worst (109 on 107). Oklahoma Metropolis scored simply 40 factors on 48 possessions (taking pictures 4-for-13 within the paint) in Wembanyama’s 21 minutes on the ground. The Spurs have now allowed 110.7 per 100 within the 13 video games he’s performed and simply 104.3 per 100 in his 437 minutes on the ground.
2. The Lakers lead the league in free-throw differential, however the Spurs handed them their worst differential (29-17) of the season on Wednesday. San Antonio has seen the league’s third largest soar in free throw price from final season, with Wembanyama (from 22.1 to 41.4 makes an attempt per 100 photographs from the sphere) and Stephon Fort (from 34.8 to 52.0 per 100) having seen the third and seventh largest jumps amongst 120 gamers with at the very least 200 discipline purpose makes an attempt in every of the final two seasons.
3. Their three video games final week had been the primary three video games during which the Spurs had Fort, De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper all in uniform. They haven’t had all three on the ground collectively, however every participant has had their moments. Harper (on the ground as an alternative of Fort) had the game-winning bucket in New Orleans, Fort scored an environment friendly 30 factors (whereas additionally guarding Luka Dončić) in L.A., and Fox had the primary six factors on the vital, 13-0 run to shut the primary half in opposition to the Thunder.
Arising: The Cup ultimate will come in opposition to a good higher offense than that of the Thunder, and the Knicks are extra of a jump-shooting staff than Oklahoma Metropolis. However Wembanyama’s presence within the paint ought to assist the Spurs defend the 3-point line higher, with the corners being significantly essential on Tuesday. The Knicks’ 5 nook 3s per sport can be essentially the most for any staff within the 47-year historical past of the 3-point line, and so they had been 8-for-15 from the corners of their Christmas win over the Spurs (the final sport Wembanyama performed vs. New York) final yr.
