The San Antonio Spurs fought back in the fourth quarter to blow out the Golden State Warriors, and two key players were even better than advertised.
The San Antonio Spurs will enter the unofficial midway point of the NBA season--the All-Star Break--riding a six-game winning streak. In their second game of the Rodeo Road Trip, the Spurs dispatched the Golden State Warriors 126-113.
You wouldn't be remiss in thinking that the Spurs controlled the game from start to finish, but in reality, the Spurs trailed for three quarters.
San Antonio was led by 27 points from De'Aaron Fox, and Victor Wembanyama added a 26-point outing, for good measure. Considering that the Warriors were without Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Kristaps Porzingis, they put up a solid fight, led by 17 points from Moses Moody, Draymond Green, and De'Anthony Melton.
The Spurs earned a hard-fought fourth-quarter win, showcasing the value of two key players.
De'Aaron Fox, Keldon Johnson Stand Out
Fox has long been one of the best closers in the NBA, evidenced by his Clutch Player of the Year Award win in 2023. He only offered four fourth-quarter points, but was plus-10 thanks to his two steals and two assists.
Also standing out was Keldon Johnson. In recent seasons, he has gone from being the possible face of the franchise, to a bench piece, and now a Sixth Man of the Year frontrunner. In the pivotal fourth quarter, he added nine points, three rebounds, and a steal.
The Spurs are surely Victor Wembanyama's team, although recent games have evidenced how they can rely on Fox, Johnson, Devin Vassell, and Stephon Castle to close out or take control of games. Johnson, once a fixture of trade talks, has settled into a key role, fully embraced by the fans and team. The adoration, it seems, goes both ways.
While Johnson's rise as a key veteran can't be understated, the Spurs' addition of Fox was just as important. Clearly in need of a lead guard who can take control of games, Fox fit the bill and made it publicly known that he wanted to be a Spur.
San Antonio, in an effort to build around Wembanyama, built a win-now roster with star power at all positions and added their depth. They're ahead of schedule, in large part thanks to Wemby emerging as an MVP candidate, but their smaller moves and internal imporvement speaks volumes to their success.