Victor Wembanyama’s performance in his second start in a row was impressive, but it wasn’t enough to carry the San Antonio Spurs past a deep and disciplined Cleveland Cavaliers team. After riding an eight-game winning streak just days ago, San Antonio now finds itself searching for rhythm again following a 101-113 loss that slipped away late.
Cleveland’s teamwork, seven players in double figures, ultimately proved too much, especially when the game tightened in the fourth quarter. The Spurs had their chances. They battled on the glass, generated trips to the free-throw line, and leaned on Wembanyama’s dominance inside, but inconsistent shooting and costly turnovers stalled momentum at key moments.
Cleveland’s fourth-quarter surge flipped the game, and despite strong individual efforts, San Antonio couldn’t summon the same late push that defined its recent winning stretch. Let’s dive into the analysis of this exciting matchup.
Cavaliers’ Balanced Scoring Overwhelms Spurs Late
The Cavaliers never panicked, even when the Spurs made pushes that briefly tilted the building. Instead of hunting mismatches or forcing isolations, Cleveland leaned into what it does best: sharing the load. Seven Cavs finished in double figures, a reflection of how evenly the offense flowed all night.
Jarrett Allen set the tone with 27 points and 10 rebounds, Evan Mobley chipped in 16 points and seven boards, and Darius Garland stitched everything together with 15 points and 11 assists. Mitchell had a quiet 10 points (3-12 shooting), but he was bostered by De’Andre Hunter and Jaylon Tyson who each had 11 points off the bench, and another 10 points from Dean Wade.
That balance paid off late. When San Antonio threatened in the third, Cleveland answered with ball movement rather than hero ball, finishing with 29 assists on 41 made shots. The shooting percentages weren’t overwhelming, 42.7% overall, 31.0% from three, but the Cavs got quality looks when they mattered, especially during the fourth-quarter stretch that finally broke the game open.
Jarrett Allen Dominates The Interior On Both Ends
Allen’s stat line tells part of the story, but the eye test filled in the rest. He was the most reliable presence on the floor, consistently creating easy offense without demanding touches. His 27 points on 11-of-21 shooting came from sprinting the floor, sealing defenders early, and cleaning up misses. The Spurs tried different looks, but none slowed him for long.
Defensively, Allen’s impact showed up in subtler ways. Even with Victor Wembanyama looming, Allen stayed disciplined, boxed out, and forced San Antonio into tougher interior finishes. Cleveland’s 48 points in the paint didn’t come by accident, they came because Allen controlled space and timing, particularly during the minutes when the Cavaliers turned a tight game into a manageable one.
Cleveland’s Defense Forces Costly Spurs Mistakes
What ultimately swung the game wasn’t a shooting barrage, it was Cleveland’s ability to disrupt San Antonio’s rhythm. The Cavs forced 18 Spurs turnovers, and those mistakes quickly became points going the other way. Garland and Donovan Mitchell jumped passing lanes, wings bodied ball-handlers, and Cleveland stayed active without gambling recklessly.
That defensive pressure showed up late, when the Spurs needed clean possessions and couldn’t find them. Cleveland finished with 12 steals, limited second chances, and consistently got back in transition, winning the fast-break battle 17-10. Every time San Antonio looked ready to make a run, a deflection, a strip, or a rushed decision brought things to a halt.
Wembanyama Shines, But Spurs Don’t Give Him Help
Victor Wembanyama looked every bit like the centerpiece San Antonio know he is. He finished with 26 points and 14 rebounds, flashing touch, range, and activity on both ends. He attacked the rim, stepped out to hit two three-pointers, and lived at the free-throw line with 10 made foul shots, keeping the Spurs within striking distance deep into the third quarter.
The problem wasn’t Wembanyama, but it was everything around him. Once Cleveland committed extra attention late, San Antonio struggled to make them pay. Stephon Castle provided a lift with 15 points and eight assists, and De’Aaron Fox added 14, but the Spurs couldn’t generate consistent offense once the Cavs started shrinking the floor and forcing tougher reads.
Cold Shooting And Turnovers Doom San Antonio
The Spurs gave themselves chances, but they couldn’t capitalize when it mattered. They finished just 7-of-31 from three, a cold spell that stalled multiple possessions in the fourth quarter. Devin Vassell managed seven points on 3-of-10 shooting, Harrison Barnes had three points, and open looks simply didn’t fall when momentum was there for the taking.
Turnovers only added to the frustration. San Antonio coughed the ball up 18 times, leading directly to 20 Cleveland points. Stephon Castle had five turnovers, Dylan Harper added four, and several miscues came in moments where patience was required. The effort was there, the rebounding edge was there, but execution wasn’t, and against a focused Cleveland team, that margin proved decisive.
