The Spurs will head into the All-Star break with a loss. After a powerful begin, they merely forgot rating and could not do something to include the famous person duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, who mixed for 64 factors to guide Dallas to a straightforward 116-93 win.
It was the final recreation earlier than the All-Star break, so it wasn’t stunning to see the Mavericks missing focus to start out the sport. The Spurs, in the meantime, had been able to play and with Wembanyama hitting his jumpers pounced to get an early lead. Sochan was extraordinarily energetic on protection, giving Luka Doncic some points, which meant Dallas needed to depend on transition factors for some time. As Wemby checked out, Luka began to seek out his consolation zone on offense, utilizing his dimension to attain whereas additionally making a scary pick-and-roll duo with Derek Vigorous II. The younger large man additionally helped the house crew tighten issues up on protection and the Spurs’ second unit plus Devin Vassell lineup couldn’t get buckets simply until they got here after a well-timed Sochan lower. After one, San Antonio was up seven.
With Wembanyama again on the ground and Blake Wesley providing some good minutes off the bench, the Silver and Black appeared extra just like the crew that carved out a double-digit lead earlier. Sadly, Kyrie Irving was able to preserve his Mavs in it by hitting mid-range jumpers whereas Doncic rested. The Spurs didn’t have anybody who might create when their star large was on the bench, as Vassell and Keldon Johnson had been having chilly taking pictures nights. Dallas slowly however certainly took management of the sport after chipping away on the deficit when Victor was on the ground, with Doncic and Irving choosing aside San Antonio’s protection. Had the Spurs not constructed a buffer within the opening body, the sport might have gotten out of hand sooner than it did, as the house crew held them to only 19 factors within the second.
The primary three possessions for every crew foreshadowed what was to return. The Mavericks simply scored on all three and the Spurs badly missed on them. The lead that was simply 5 on the half rapidly reached 12. Issues would solely get more durable for San Antonio, as an adjustment Jason Kidd made labored effectively to defang the guests’ offense. P.J. Washington guarded Wembanyama whereas Daniel Gafford roamed as a assist defender. Wemby couldn’t work comfortably from the perimeter and when he tried to power his method inside, he might solely take powerful pictures. With Victor unable to be the engine of the offense and his teammates lacking even huge open pictures from exterior, it wasn’t lengthy earlier than Dallas, which had its two superstars dropping buckets and dimes, utterly ran away with the sport.
Sport notes
Wembanyama had 26 factors in 27 minutes regardless of not scoring in any respect within the third. He was improbable within the first half and even on nights the place it appears he might have executed extra, he ends with stat traces that almost all gamers within the league might by no means get. When requested about Wemby’s second half by a reporter, Pop stated “You might be kind of treating him like I handled David (Robinson). ‘David, you gotta — come on!’ He had 27 factors, he had 9 rebounds and three blocks, and also you’re bitching at him.” It does really feel like all of us deal with Wemby like that generally, nevertheless it’s laborious to keep away from it contemplating his great expertise.
Jeremy Sochan was nice within the first half, bothering Doncic and making good cuts, however he couldn’t do a lot within the second half. One of many greatest issues with Sochan is that opponents don’t respect his exterior shot, it doesn’t matter what the proportion reads, so opponents can gameplan with that in thoughts, as Kidd did by placing Gafford on Sochan. The identical goes for Tre Jones, whom opponents simply depart open routinely and who missed his 4 exterior pictures on Wednesday. These two should be sharp in all different areas, together with protection, to be web positives and that was simply not possible for them to do in opposition to Irving and Doncic.
Video games like this one make it simple to justify tanking this yr. Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson usually don’t seem like the gamers who can assist Wembanyama lead San Antonio again to rivalry. The Spurs had 28 assists in 23 subject targets, which seems to be good but in addition reveals they don’t have guys who can create for themselves. Vassell received a couple of assists and steals, so his chilly taking pictures evening might be forgiven to a level. There was nothing good about Johnson’s efficiency, as he was horrible on each ends. These two have one thing to show after the All-Star recreation.
Blake Wesley had some nice minutes, which is changing into much less stunning by the sport. His enchancment over a brief time period has been great. Earlier within the season he appeared like he was a yr away, at the least, from being a contributor, however now he doesn’t look misplaced as a backup. He nonetheless has a protracted strategy to go, however his improvement has been a pleasing shock.
Has Branham improved? His stat line says he had an environment friendly taking pictures evening in a recreation by which nobody else had it going. The fact is most of his factors got here when the Spurs had been down by over 20 and he didn’t do rather more than rating. Branham additionally has one thing to show after the break.
Zach Collins tries laborious and contributes on the boards, along with his playmaking and submit scoring, however he’s not an outdoor shooter or a rim protector, which is what the Spurs want. The teaching employees wants to seek out methods to make use of him that spotlight his strengths as an alternative of his weaknesses as a result of asking him to be one thing he’s not won’t work.
Play of the sport
Wesley will not be scared to attempt to dunk, even when a shot-blocker is round.
Subsequent recreation: Thursday, Feb. 22 at Sacramento Kings
The Spurs will kick off the second leg of the Rodeo Street Journey by visiting the Kings in Sacramento after the All-Star break.
