The first few minutes felt like a track meet tilted entirely in the Spurs’ favor. Inside the friendly confines of the San Antonio Spurs’ weekend home in Austin, the Silver and Black (or teal, orange, and pink) exploded out of the gates Saturday night, racing to an early double-digit lead and would route the Sacramento Kings 139-122 at the Moody Center to close out their week in the city they call weird.
What began as a runaway turned into a test of focus before the Spurs ultimately slammed the door. The tone was set almost immediately by San Antonio’s French phenom as Victor Wembanyama erased a pair of shots in the opening minutes, igniting the crowd and fueling an 11-0 run that had Sacramento scrambling. The Spurs’ ball movement was crisp, the spacing deliberate, and the pace relentless. Keldon Johnson attacked downhill. Devin Vassell knocked down early jumpers. Every possession seemed to produce a quality look.
For a moment, it looked like a rout in the making. But the NBA rarely cooperates with easy scripts.
“I thought we did a much better job in transition defense,” Spurs Head Coach Mitch Johnson said. “The zone was good, communication picked up. We were a lot sharper in game plan execution and being connected. When we do that, we are hard to score on sometimes.”
After building a comfortable cushion, San Antonio’s edge dulled. Turnovers crept in. Defensive rotations slowed. The Kings, playing with urgency, began to chip away. DeMar DeRozan operated patiently in the midrange, and Sacramento started turning Spurs miscues into transition points. What had been a celebration turned tense.
By the middle of the third quarter, the once-comfortable lead felt fragile. Then the Spurs rediscovered themselves to begin the final 12 minutes.
Wembanyama — steady even during the lull — calmly knocked down a three-pointer to stop the bleeding. On the next trip, he found a lane to the rim for an easy finish. A defensive stop turned into a fast-break dunk. Suddenly, the rhythm was back.
Wembanyama finished with 28 points, 15 rebounds and six assists — a stat line that underscored his impact beyond scoring. He protected the rim, initiated offense and steadied the team when its focus wavered. Around him, the supporting cast delivered. Johnson provided physicality and energy. The bench supplied timely shooting and hustle plays that kept Sacramento from mounting another serious threat.
“I think this was an above average night for me,” Wembanyama said of his performance. “It wasn’t amazing either. My goal is to make the standard.”
By the final minutes, the outcome was clear. The Spurs were playing loose again, knocking down shots and feeding off the crowd’s energy. Sacramento, which had shown fight earlier, ran out of answers.
The 139-122 final reflected San Antonio’s offensive firepower — but it also told a subtler story about growth. A young team that once might have unraveled during a momentum swing instead regrouped and responded with authority.
“We have less than 30 dress rehearsals left before the playoffs,” Spurs forward Harrison Barnes said of the team’s performance. “This is our first time [in the playoffs] as a group. As we’re prepping for that, it’s important to take all of the minutes seriously.”
For stretches, the Spurs looked complacent. When it mattered most, they looked composed.
And on a night that began with fireworks and briefly drifted into uncertainty, they finished with a reminder of just how dangerous they can be when locked in.
“Is it better to play the best teams, it is what we work for,” Wembanyama said. “Taking one thing at a time and the stretch we just had is very satisfying. This stretch is over and its on to the next thing. We’re going to take it one game at a time.”
Game Notes
- Avery Johnson being back on the broadcast was such a nice moment. Him, Sean Elliott and Jacob Tobey make a nice trio that I would not be opposed to seeing return again this season.
- Luke Kornet’s night showed why he is one of the most valuable offseason pick ups for the Spurs. Four points, five rebounds, and three assists in 13 minutes. He’s proven to be a champion and this will be so important for the Spurs as they go into a critical stretch beginning in Detroit on Monday.
- Speaking of critical, San Antonio’s three-headed guard lineup contributed 48 of the Spurs’ 139 points. As they enter a stretch against playoff teams, this duo will be tested and if they continue to play like this, they may just pass that test.
- Mitch Johnson moving Harrison Barnes into the second unit continues to look like a genius move. HB finished with 14 points off the bench in 20 minutes of action. That will be big come the postseason.