The Spurs may have started their night five hours later than planned, but once the ball tipped, they wasted no time getting down to business. After a shaky second quarter, San Antonio took control in the second half and never looked back, locking in on both ends of the floor to outlast the visiting Orlando Magic. Behind a dominant effort on the boards (48-34) and a massive edge at the free throw line (31-15), the Spurs held off any late Magic surge and walked away with a gritty win.
This one was a tale of two halves - and two tempos. The Spurs came out scorching, connecting on seven of their first eight shots, with Victor Wembanyama, Devin Vassell, and De’Aaron Fox each getting in on the early action.
Wembanyama had a couple of easy finishes at the rim, while Fox sliced through the defense with his usual burst. San Antonio’s 67% shooting in the opening frame, combined with a 16-5 rebounding edge, helped them build a 16-point lead after one.
But Orlando didn’t fold. The Magic bench sparked a second-quarter surge, flipping the script with a 13-0 run to start the period.
Tristan DaSilva knocked down a three and a floater, Anthony Black hit back-to-back corner triples, and just like that, the Spurs’ cushion was gone. Paolo Banchero, quiet early, started to find his rhythm as the Magic outscored San Antonio 40-23 in the second to take a 61-60 lead into the break.
That lead didn’t last long.
Coming out of halftime, the Spurs settled in. They opened the third quarter on a 10-2 run, fueled by defensive pressure and sharper execution.
Fox found Wembanyama for a lob dunk off a curl, then Wemby turned around and erased a Jalen Suggs floater on the other end - a sequence that summed up the Spurs’ two-way dominance in the second half. The Magic, meanwhile, struggled to regain their first-half flow, committing costly turnovers and failing to get consistent production from their bench.
Wembanyama, who finished with 25 points, 8 rebounds, 5 blocks, and 4 steals, was his usual disruptive self. It says something about his standard that this kind of stat line almost feels routine.
He was everywhere - altering shots, cleaning the glass, and anchoring the defense. And when the Spurs needed a bucket, he delivered.
De’Aaron Fox (14 points, 10 assists) and rookie Dylan Harper (15 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists) stepped up in a big way, filling the void left by Stephon Castle’s absence. Harper, in particular, showed poise beyond his years, especially in a fourth-quarter sequence where he drew two defenders on a baseline iso and dished to Carter Bryant for a thunderous dunk. That play pushed the Spurs’ lead back to double digits and sent the crowd into a frenzy.
Keldon Johnson continues to make a strong case for Sixth Man of the Year. He racked up 14 points and a season-high 19 boards, crashing the glass with relentless energy and giving the Spurs a physical presence that Orlando couldn’t match.
On the other side, Desmond Bane (25 points) and Banchero (19 points, 10 rebounds) carried the Magic for most of the night. Bane was particularly effective in the second and third quarters, hitting timely shots and keeping Orlando within striking distance.
But outside of their top duo, the Magic got little after halftime. Mo Wagner, Jonathan Isaac, and DaSilva - all key contributors in the second quarter - faded down the stretch.
The Spurs’ defense tightened the screws late, forcing a shot clock violation and contesting everything in the paint. Even when Orlando made a push - like Bane’s and-1 that cut it to five - San Antonio responded, often by getting to the line and converting. That free throw disparity was no accident; the Spurs were the more aggressive team, and the whistle reflected it.
There were some fun moments, too. Carter Bryant’s hustle forced a first-quarter turnover on Anthony Black, and he later drilled a catch-and-shoot three to extend the lead in the fourth. Harrison Barnes had a rough shooting night, and a missed jumper drew a light-hearted jab from former Magic forward Jeff Turner: “He’s missed from both sides.”
And yes, Wembanyama was whistled for a rare 10-second violation at the line - a call usually reserved for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Even the refs seemed caught off guard by how long he took.
This was one of those games where the final score doesn’t tell the full story. San Antonio had to weather a storm, adjust on the fly, and rely on contributions from just about everyone in the rotation. They did all that and more.
If this is the kind of resilience the Spurs are bringing into the second half of the season, they’re going to be a tough out - especially with Wembanyama anchoring both ends and the young guards growing more confident by the game. The All-Star break can’t come soon enough for this group, but they’re earning every bit of rest that’s coming their way.