The San Antonio Spurs finally gave their home crowd at the Frost Bank Center something to cheer about Tuesday night, rolling past the Sacramento Kings 130-103 for their first win in San Antonio this season.
It was a sharp response from a Spurs team that had already picked up a “home” win on Saturday over the Dallas Mavericks, though that game was played in Austin. This one counted where it mattered for the local fans, and San Antonio improved to 2-2 on the year while Sacramento stayed winless.
Before tipoff, the message inside the Spurs locker room was simple. Devin Vassell said the focus was on getting Victor Wembanyama the ball in better spots.
"We've got to get Vic more involved," explained Devin Vassell. "We talked about it in the film. We'll see where he can get more touches, and we can help him out with him rolling and getting to the basket."
That plan showed up immediately, and Wembanyama delivered a monster night in limited action before garbage time arrived early. He finished with 29 points, 10 rebounds, and five blocks, and he looked like the most dominant player on the floor at both ends.
He wasn’t alone. Julian Champagnie torched the Kings for 26 points and drilled 8 of 13 from beyond the arc. Dylan Harper and Vassell both gave San Antonio efficient scoring and active defense, with Harper finishing with 13 points and Vassell adding 14.
The Kings got scoring from a few places, but not nearly enough to keep pace. De’Andre Hunter led them with 24 points, while Zach LaVine added 22.
Sacramento also got 19 points from seventh overall pick Darius Acuff, who had a green light and was second in the entire league in field goal attempts entering Tuesday. Acuff knocked down three shots from long range, but he finished at 40 percent from the field.
The Spurs had taken heat through their first three games for not putting Wembanyama in enough favorable situations. On Tuesday, the ball found him early and often, and the rest of the roster followed suit. That showed up in the paint especially, where Wembanyama finished with nine dunks, tying his career high and repeatedly getting to the rim with ease, whether in traffic or running the floor.
In Other News...
Spurs Suddenly Have A Tough Decision Behind Wembanyama
The Spurs are still sorting through the early-season edges of their rotation, and the center minutes behind Victor Wembanyama are already drawing attention after two home losses in the first three games. Mitch Johnson singled out rookie Tarris Reed Jr. for the energy and defense he brought against Dallas, a useful sign for a team trying to find steadier footing when Wembanyama rests.
Luke Kornet entered the season looking like part of that backup equation, but Reeds early showing gives San Antonio a different kind of option to consider. If the Spurs want more resistance and activity in those non-Wembanyama stretches, the frontcourt mix may not stay fixed for long, and that is the sort of decision that can shape not just a game, but the rhythm of an entire rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Suddenly Have A Real Chance To Upgrade Around Wembanyama
Injuries to Anthony Edwards and Jalen Williams have turned the Spurs roster-building conversations into something more immediate, and it has them looking at ways to sharpen the group around Victor Wembanyama. The appeal is obvious: San Antonio needs more defense and more dependable shooting, and the kind of upgrades that once felt like long-shot ideas suddenly feel more plausible when the market shifts.
Two names that surface in those discussions are PJ Washington and Royce ONeale, each offering a different fit for what the Spurs are trying to build. Washington would bring frontcourt versatility, while ONeale would add another wing who can defend and space the floor, but neither idea is simple, and any move would still depend on player availability and approvals before it goes anywhere. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Have A New Frost Bank Center Feel Players Are Talking About
The Frost Bank Center has a different look these days, and it is the kind of arena tweak players tend to notice right away. San Antonio has installed a new lighting system that puts more emphasis on the court while dimming the seating areas, bringing the building in line with what many other NBA venues already do.
Luke Kornet has already picked up on the change and talked about how it alters the atmosphere inside the building, giving games a sharper focus once the lights go down. Coach Mitch Johnson, meanwhile, has not made much of the adjustment himself, which only adds to the sense that this is one of those subtle arena changes that matters more to the people on the floor than the people running the team. [Read more 🡒]