The Spurs’ much-anticipated visit to the league-best Pistons lived up to the hype. The matchup had the intensity of a playoff game, with both teams clearly valuing a win more than they’d normally would on an average February night. In that context, San Antonio’s 114-103 victory has to be considered one of their best of the season, as they not only beat a contender but did so while playing their game and never buckling under pressure.
The flow of the game and its most defining characteristics were there from the start. Early in the game, Devin Vassell swished jumpers while Victor Wembanyama affected every single shot inside, two factors that would be present throughout the night. Quickly, the Spurs found themselves up double digits and comfortable with the Pistons’ physicality. Unfortunately, Detroit reached another level of intensity, upping the aggressiveness and daring officials to call a foul on every play. The momentum of the matchup shifted, and suddenly the hosts were grabbing every rebound and running out in transition while forcing San Antonio to play half-court offense, with predictably mixed results.
The Pistons only led by two heading into the second period, but they seemed to be in control longer than their opponent. The trend continued, as the home team seemed more comfortable with the level of physicality the officials were allowing. Making matters worse for the Spurs, Luke Kornet got hurt in his first stint and sat out most of the first half, leaving them to rely on a small unit whenever Wembanyama rested. Still, San Antonio continued to fight. Those stretches in which Detroit got to dictate the tenor of the matchup, including an incident that led to double technicals, were countered by good early offense, especially on drives by Stephon Castle, and by Wembanyama’s defensive dominance. At the break, the visitors were the ones up two.
The start of the second half felt momentous. De’Aaron Fox attacked off the dribble and got Cade Cunningham to commit his fourth foul. Cunningham stayed in the game and eventually got a few shots to fall, but Stephon Castle continued to do a fantastic job on him, and the foul trouble limited him. With the Pistons packing the paint and focusing heavily on not allowing Wembanyama to score, the Spurs started to use the big man as a decoy and had others attack off the bounce and either get to the rim or find open shooters. It was a rare display of patience and maturity for such a young team. Things got uglier once Kornet checked in and Wemby rested, but neither team could really score, so San Antonio’s lead grew. At that point, it felt like the Silver and Black had figured out their opponent.
The Pistons have the best record in the league for a reason, and they are known for their toughness, so of course, they just didn’t go away. They attacked the paint, testing Wembanyama and enjoying some success when Jalen Duren went up strong in the pick-and-roll or after offensive boards. On the other end, they stuck to their game plan and had some success, especially when the Spurs tried to get their superstar some touches. Ultimately, it was all futile against a San Antonio squad that absorbed any punches, both literal and figurative, while remaining focused and calm. They knew their opponent lacked firepower for any big run that wasn’t assisted by turnovers, so they did a solid job avoiding them while funneling players to the paint in the half-court, where Wembanyama dominated. The better team prevailed on Monday in a battle that shows the Silver and Black are a real title threat.
Game notes:
- Wembanyama finished with 21 points, 17 rebounds, four assists, and six blocks, but his performance was more impressive than any stat line can describe. After forcing things a little early, he completely understood that for the Spurs to win, he needed to draw extra defenders to him or keep Duren outside of the paint with the threat of his jumper, and seemed perfectly happy doing just that. He opened up the floor for others on offense and made his mark on the defensive end. An incredible sign of maturity from a 22-year-old.
- Wemby’s defensive impact couldn’t be matched, but Stephon Castle came close to it. He pressured Cunningham for entire possessions and was physical without fouling. The Pistons’ superstar got so frustrated that he pushed Castle in what ended up being a small altercation. Just like Wemby, he ended up with a good stat line, but his impact was greater than the numbers show.
- When the shooters have the hot hand, it’s almost impossible to guard the Spurs. Detroit was so concerned with packing the paint that they gave up open looks, and Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie made them pay dearly for it. Vassell had as many made three-pointers (seven) as the entire Pistons team.
- De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper were both solid. Fox didn’t have it going from outside but tried to get to the paint and spray out passes when he couldn’t get to the rim. He should have had a few more points if he had gotten some calls that he deserved. Harper played intense defense on Cunningham and kept the ball moving. Having multiple ball handlers can be the difference between winning and losing, as the Pistons, who don’t have anyone other than the star who can create, can attest.
- The word of the night was “physicality,” and Keldon Johnson did his part to help the Spurs match the Pistons’. He had Castle’s back after Cunningham pushed him, and he attacked the offensive glass. Not a glamorous game from Keldon, but another night that shows he’ll just do what it takes to win.
Play of the night
The game in a nutshell. Wemby gets a stop, draws the defense in, and Vassell hits an open three.
Next game: at Toronto Raptors on Wednesday
The Spurs will try to make it 6-0 in the Rodeo Road Trip when they visit another Eastern Conference playoff team.