In the second part of a back-to-back, the San Antonio Spurs stuck to the game plan with Victor Wembanyama, but after taking on the Detroit Pistons, the Alien didn't have a ton left in the tank.
The San Antonio Spurs left it all on the court on Friday night, coming back from down 25 points to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 116-112.
The Spurs, naturally, were led by Victor Wembanyama, who posted 27 points and ten rebounds. He managed to finish with a plus/minus of +10, but was clearly exhausted and fatigued after the game.
The night before, on Thursday, the Spurs blew past the Detroit Pistons. In that game, Wembanyama played 38 minutes, the second-most of the season, and didn't have much gas left in the tank.
The Spurs' plan heading into the matchup with the LA Clippers was to save Wembanyama, which they did, but he was still gassed after the game.
Mitch Johnson Reveals Spurs' Plan
The Spurs, and anyone who watches them, are well-aware of Wembanyama's game-breaking abilities. As seen in his 21-minute, +21 game against the OKC Thunder earlier in the season, he doesn't need a lot of time to ensure a Spurs' win.
On Friday, the Spurs were banking on that, frequently subbing him out and putting him back in the game so he could be as fresh as possible.
"We had a plan going into this game," head coach Johnson said. "Again, you know, we pushed into his limits last night, and what that was. And as we've been all year, mindful of that, the plan was executed."
Some fans have been frustrated by the Spurs' insistence on holding their best player on a minutes restriction, but as he remains healthy all season long, it's safe to say that the strategy is working.
"And I think we also realized after his first stretch to start the game, that was probably the max of a stint that he was looking at tonight," added the coach. "We're looking at short bursts because we wanted him to be in a stance and play defense and run the floor and screen and offense, rebound, all those things. So we'd rather sacrifice the stint than the effort. But the minutes, that was a plan that was executed."
The Spurs will have a well-earned night off on Saturday before they host the Houston Rockets on Sunday. Since the All-Star Break, the Rockets have taken a step back, but they boast the size, physicality, and defense to be a tough opponent on any given night.