The San Antonio Spurs kicked off a three-game road trip on Monday night against the Miami Heat, and once again showcased that they are one of the best teams in the NBA.
The San Antonio Spurs, for the third time this season, have extended a winning streak to six games in a row after their 136-111 victory over the Miami Heat on Monday.
The Spurs got off to a hot start and were led by dominant play from Dylan Harper, Victor Wembanyama, and Stephon Castle. Wemby finished with a well-rounded 26 points, 14 rebounds, and five blocks, finding the rim with ease while being guarded by Bam Adebayo. Castle, meanwhile, in his return from injury, posted 19 points. Harper scored 21 of his own off the bench.
The Heat were led by Norman Powell's 21 points, with the paint totally shut down. The Spurs managed to snag 71 rebounds to the Heat's 43, making sure to extend possessions and get the ball back on the defensive end.
The Spurs led by 108-81 at the end of three quarters, giving Mitch Johnson the option to treat the entire fourth quarter as garbage time.
Spurs' Hot Streak Shouldn't End Anytime Soon
An overlooked storyline in the Spurs' win over Miami is Keldon Johnson's Sixth Man of the Year candidacy. He has the second-best odds for the award, behind only Jamie Jaquez Jr., and Johnson finished with an efficient 21 points off the bench.
Jaquez Jr., meanwhile, offered only eight points for the Heat.
At the start of the season, the Spurs looked the part of a title contender, but there were several concerns they needed to address before they emerged as consensus frontrunners. One of the biggest issues was their 3-point shooting, and a winter slump from Harrison Barnes didn't help their cause. The Spurs have been red-hot from deep as of late, but they cooled down a bit on Monday, shooting only 34.9 percent from 3 against the Heat.
It didn't seem to matter.
In addition to the 3-point shooting, the Spurs' overall lack of experience and managing physicality were also real concerns at the start of the season. However, the young Spurs have done everything they can to stifle any worries before they kick off the postseason.
The Western Conference will still be a gauntlet, although the Spurs have proven themselves more than capable, especially against some of the best teams in the league, and seem poised to go on a deep run.
After Monday's win, the Spurs will travel to Memphis and Milwaukee for two games against injury-riddled, underperforming teams. With only three games separating them from the Oklahoma City Thunder (who are plenty hot in their own right) for first place in the Western Conference, San Antonio is peaking at just the right time.