In Victor Wembanyama’s 99th NBA game, San Antonio benefitted from his 21 point first half along with offensive balance throughout the rotation to get themselves a lead that they, unlike Los Angeles’ comeback win on November 4, would not squander tonight in a 122-86 runaway.
The Spurs capitalized on a Clippers squad that was challenged right to the buzzer last night in New Orleans by pressuring them in transition and moving their young superstar to different spots in the halfcourt to move their perimeter players around and draw center Ivica Zubac into foul trouble. The Clippers’ James Harden (17 points and 3 rebounds) put up 13 of his team’s first 17 points in the first half, but did not receive much help.
With the victory, the Spurs ran their home record up to 12-7. Wembanyama (27 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 blocks) made his excellent output look so easy, along with his teammates, who combined to shoot 39-for-58 on twos (the only pockmark was their 9-for-40 from three). Stephon Castle (15 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists) had a bounceback game after a tough road trip, while Keldon Johnson (17 points and 6 assists) looked comfortable in his playmaking role off the bench.
Norman Powell (15 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals) had a rare off-night in his potential All-Star reserve campaign, while Amir Coffey amassed 14 points in extended garbage time. The cold-shooting Clippers lost all four periods, and used the fourth quarter to rest their starters.
Observations
- A well-known NBA Twitter account published a compilation of highlights from the 1984 calendar year. This was the season that San Antonio took a big step back from its two previous conference finals visit, and there were a good amount of opponents showing up the Spurs in these clips.
- Is it me or the Spurs always have these home games on New Year’s Eve?
- Jim Jackson, while Stephon Castle was at the line, lauded the Rookie of the Year candidate: “He understood what his role was. He did everything the coaching staff asked him to do. He got better as the year went on.”
- Lob City: Late in the first half, Chris Paul, snuck up on an unsuspecting Zubac, ripped the ball away and lofted lob perfection off the backboard to a trailing Wembanyama for a slam.
- Castle Hills: Castle outhustled veteran Kris Dunn to snag an offensive rebound in the third, got mauled by Harden on his shot attempt, and still put up a decent attempt on his way to free throws.
- Sequence of the Game #1: Midway through the opening stanza, Sochan found Wembanyama for an alley-oop lay-in, and on the next foray down the court, (after an offensive Harden flail) Harrison Barnes lofted a beauty to Sochan for his own dunk.
- Sequence of the Game #2: Partway through the second period, Stephon Castle found a cutting Tre Jones for a beautiful reverse lay-up. (I was just about to type that I wasn’t sure about their efficiency together). After Wembanyama turned back a Batum attempt at the other end, he whipped a pocket pass to a streaking Johnson for a gliding lay-up.
- Though he had been silent for all of the first half, Harrison Barnes kept a possession alive with his hustle on a carom, and then followed that up with a transition three to put San Antonio up 20. With a minute left before halftime, Barnes managed to extend a Spurs possession not once, but twice, on deflections and tapouts.
Game Rundown
Wembanyama made the first few moments of action his personal highlight reel and staked San Antonio to a 6-0 lead. Los Angeles was off from the field, and secured some points from the line. Zach Collins spoonfed Vassell for three solid looking field goals on handoffs and give-and-go action. Harden scored the majority of his team’s pointss reprising his Houston “point gourd” role. The Spurs’ diet of long jumpers, stalled out their offense over several minutes, which allowed the Clippers to get within five. Wembanyama put up another quick five upon his return, and the Spurs’ solid start allowed them to leave the first up 31-17.
San Antonio was content letting Mo Bamba brick from behind the arc, but he then took it right to Wembanyama to score his first points. Keldon Johnson knocked down a floater and a corner three to pad the Spurs’ advantage. Kris Dunn sparked a 6-0 run on the suddenly sloppy Spurs. Over several possessions, Ivica Zubac repeatedly mauled Collins, but the Spurs’ center – undeterred – was able to snag an offensive rebound and find Castle, which resulted in free throws. Collins later made Zubac pay for that aggression with an and-1 and two more freebies. A pair of threes from Barnes and Paul extended the San Antonio lead to 23. Powell caught fire in the closing seconds to help trim the Clipper deficit to 20.
Castle, taking the place of an injured Jeremy Sochan (undisclosed) to start the third, made his presence known by being a pest on defense and using his deliberate pace to create scoring chance-after-chance. A lethargic Harden got called for the very rare 8-second violation. Vassell hit a stepback jumper and found Barnes in the deep corner with an excellent pass for a corner three to push the lead to 25. To highlight the Clippers’ haggard state, Paul bricked a jumper, caught his own rebound, and had enough time to see the next shot through the net over a flat-footed Zubac. As Ty Lue called the dogs off and put in his bench guys, San Antonio went to the fourth up 28.
For the Clippers fan’s perspective, please visit Clips Nation.
San Antonio starts a home-and-home Friday night with Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets on Friday 7:30 PM CDT.
