The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Boston Celtics 125-116 in a clash between the No. 2 seeds in the West and East. Both teams have also been among the hottest in the NBA, so this competitive clash brought with it high expectations for both teams. Victor Wembanyama’s MVP push came head-to-head with Jayson Tatum’s improbable Achilles return, with Wembanyama’s Spurs coming out on top.
Despite tense moments such as Jaylen Brown’s first-half ejection, the quality of basketball was high in this. The Spurs went 44-85 from the field and 20-47 from three, while the Celtics went 42-89 from the field and 19-51 from three. San Antonio also comfortably out-rebounded the Celtics (44-37).
This difference in offensive efficiency might have been enough, as the Spurs worked hard to maximize their opportunities and make it as difficult for Boston as they could. Individual performances played a crucial role in this win, as the Spurs are looking ready to return to the Playoffs for the first time since 2019.
Victor Wembanyama: A
Game Stats: 39 PTS, 11 REB, 3 AST, 1 STL, 2 BLK, 6 TOV, 11-20 FG, 8-15 3-PT FG, 9-12 FT, 37 MIN
Victor Wembanyama is making his MVP case undeniable. If he can play out the season without missing more than two games. He’ll satisfy the 65-game minimum for award eligibility and should be a top-three MVP candidate given the production we’re seeing from him. He absolutely dominated the Celtics tonight as a three-level scorer who also completely shut their offense down. Even with Boston prioritizing the perimeter over the paint, they couldn’t escape Wembanyama’s impact on the court.
There were issues with Wemby’s performances, such as his turnovers and occasional ball-stopping offensive play, but those issues stop this from being an A+. That’s not the prize he’s after anyway, as all of these performances are part of his bid to return San Antonio to the Playoffs after a seven-year drought.
Wembanyama was the best player on both ends of the ball tonight, as he has been multiple times this season. If performances like this continue and the Spours earn the No. 1 seed, it’s hard to imagine a world where Wembanyama doesn’t end up winning league MVP.
De’Aaron Fox: A-
Game Stats: 25 PTS, 3 REB, 9 AST, 1 STL, 1 TOV, 11-14 FG, 2-3 3-PT FG, 1-3 FT, 35 MIN
The contributions De’Aaron Fox has made to the Spurs, going from outside the Play-In Tournament to a top-two seed, have gone unnoticed by many, but tonight was just as much his night as Wembanyama’s. While there is a huge production difference between the two, Fox played an exceedingly efficient game and unselfish game to make sure this win came to San Antonio.
Fox missed just three field goals all night but still prioritized feeding Wembanyama and the other streaky shooters around the lineup. He sacrificed a big scoring night to play basketball the right way, and the Spurs are better off for it. Even with White’s defensive prowess, his speed was too much for the 28-year-old guard to keep up with. Even the iffy outside shooting went well for Fox tonight, making it an almost spotless game. However, he did struggle defensively against White on more than one occasion.
It’s also important to note that Fox’s presence on the court has made it harder to guard Wembanyama as well, especially with the kind of off-ball movement Fox has shown this game and this season. His unselfishness might have cost him an even better grade, but there’s no way to justify anything less than an A- after the performance he just had.
Stephon Castle: B+
Game Stats: 18 PTS, 9 REB, 6 AST, 2 TOV, 6-12 FG, 3-8 3-PT FG, 3-4 FT, 34 MIN
Stephon Castle is looking like a composed veteran in just his second year in the NBA, holding his own against one of the best teams in the NBA as a primary ball-handler. While Castle’s defense couldn’t stop Derrick White from going off for 34 points, he did make life difficult for Jayson Tatum whenever he switched onto him. In addition, Castle is proving with every game that he can be just as impactful an offensive contributor.
Castle is known for his defense, but he’s shown great offensive growth this season. He’s put up two triple-doubles, with today’s performance showing he’s capable of that every night. He attacked Boston relentlessly, looked comfortable shooting the ball, and made the right reads at the right time. That’s more than most second-year guards in the NBA manage, but Castle looked at ease against one of the fiestiest perimeter defense units in the NBA.
Devin Vassell: B
Game Stats: 14 PTS, 2 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 5-9 FG, 2-5 3-PT FG, 2-4 FT, 32 MIN
Devin Vassell has been the Spurs’ starting wing for seven seasons now, with tonight’s performance showing why he’s had a lock on this spot throughout the team’s rebuild over this time. While his numbers or impact aren’t flashy like the stars that lead this franchise, he always provides adequate spacing, strong defense, and is willing to do whatever San Antonio needs to win.
Vassell played very well in the Jaylen Brown matchup early in the game while staying steady as ever when the ball came to him. His valuable catch-and-shoot skills made the Celtics sweat tonight, as Vassell had the kind of impact the Spurs have come to expect from him during this strong season.
Dylan Harper: B
Game Stats: 9 PTS, 4 REB, 5 AST, 1 TOV, 4-7 FG, 1-1 3-PT FG, 26 MIN
Rookie Dylan Harper came off the bench to have a really impactful all-around game in limited minutes. He’s the only guard on the Spurs bench right now, so his effortless adjustment to playing alongside either Fox or Castle, regardless of role, is really impressive. He controlled the offense with the ball in his hands and provided strong moments whenever the team needed it in this closely-fought clash.
Keldon Johnson: B-
Game Stats: 8 PTS, 6 REB, 3-7 FG, 2-4 3-PT FG, 24 MIN
Johnson provided solid rotational minutes on the wing, reliably making shots from beyond the arc while playing aggressive defense. Hard for him to unseat Vassell in the starting five, but proving he’s a backup the Spurs can rely on.
Luka Kornet: C+
Game Stats: 4 PTS, 3 REB, 2 AST, 1-4 FG, 2-2 FT, 11 MIN
Kornet played a small role behind Wembanyama but had a pretty multi-faceted impact in limited minutes. His passing from the middle of the paint is an underrated skill.
Carter Bryant: C-
Game Stats: 8 PTS, 3-8 FG, 2-7 3-PT FG, 13 MIN
Rookie Carter Bryant tried to maximize his minutes with attempts to space the floor. While he did connect to give the Spurs some valuable points, he needs to find a lot more consistency in his game if he wants to earn regular minutes for the No. 2 seed. He was also the only player with a negative plus-minus on the Spurs.
Julian Champagnie: C-
Game Stats: 5 REB, 1 TOV, 0-4 FG, 0-4 3-PT FG, 27 MIN
Champagnie couldn’t score a single point in his 27 minutes of action as a starter, but provided strong defense in his minutes while serving as an offensive negative.
