The San Antonio Spurs extended their winning streak to nine against the shorthanded Chicago Bulls on Monday night. San Antonio dominated the game in a 129-114 blowout. The Spurs used a 35-19 second quarter to build a lead and never looked back, despite Chicago’s best efforts to keep the game close.
Victor Wembanyama once again looked like an MVP candidate as he’s made a late push to win the award. He single-handedly dominated the game on both ends, helping the Spurs breeze to an easy victory. He’ll headline a new series of articles for every game through the end of the season, where we grade each player on their performance.
These grades are based on each player’s on-court performance, going beyond just the stat sheet. So if someone makes a clutch shot or gets beaten repeatedly on defense, that will be accounted for. A “B” grade represents the average performance for an individual.
31 minutes, 41 points, 16 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, 2 fouls, 17-for-27 shooting, 3-for-6 threes, +15
Wembanyama owned the entire game. The Bulls didn’t have the size to compete with San Antonio’s big man in the paint. He got everything he wanted at the rim and knocked down three triples, including a clutch shot at the end of the first half as time expired. Defensively, he was up to his usual tricks, keeping the Bulls out of the paint whenever he was in the game. The game was another MVP-level statement. There aren’t many players who can completely own a game on both ends like Wembanyama.
Wembanyama currently trails Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in MVP odds on FanDuel at +300.
28 minutes, 13 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 foul, 5-for-7 shooting, 3-for-5 threes, +9
It was a pretty meh game from Champagnie. Early on, the Bulls were going at him defensively and getting some easy buckets. He made up for it by having an efficient shooting night on the other end, only missing two shots. Champagnie’s three-point shooting is a swing skill for San Antonio. When he’s knocking down threes off screens and in catch-and-shoot opportunities, the Spurs offense is hard to stop.
31 minutes, 6 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 2 fouls, 2-for-9 shooting, 2-for-4 threes, +20
It’s hard to complain too much about a player who is +20 in a blowout win. Vassell wasn’t knocking down shots inside the arc, but did go 50% from three. Vassell’s floor spacing makes the Spurs offense run smoothly even if he’s missing shots at the rim or in the mid-range. He also had an emphatic swat in the fourth quarter that was called a goaltend, but for a thrilling few seconds, it was an awesome highlight.
35 minutes, 21 points, 8 rebounds, 10 assists, 1 steal, 4 turnovers, 1 foul, 6-for-12 shooting, 3-for-6 threes, +24
Castle was two rebounds shy of his second-straight triple-double. Once again, he was dependable from three, hitting 50% of his six attempts beyond the arc. He didn’t finish at the rim as consistently as he usually does, and he made some pretty silly turnovers early in the game. However, the Spurs were much better with him on the court than with him on the bench, and he put up some big numbers in the win.
23 minutes, 7 points, 2 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 2 turnovers, 2 fouls, 3-for-8 shooting, 0-for-3 threes, +9
Fox struggled quite a bit in a game where he wasn’t necessarily needed. Wembanyama had a clear offensive advantage inside, where he demanded the ball. Castle and Dylan Harper were providing plenty of rim pressure. It felt like another one of those games where Fox takes a back seat and kind of floats offensively. When he did take shots, he was way off, especially from deep. Games like this are fine in March against the Bulls, but a bad Fox game in April and May could mean a playoff loss.
17 minutes, 3 points, 1 rebound, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, 1 foul, 1-for-5 shooting, 0-for-2 threes, -5
Barnes has been hot and cold lately. Monday night was a frigid one for HB. The veteran couldn’t find an offensive rhythm. He had a solid drive on a smaller defender in the first half, but other than that, he didn’t make much of an impact off the bench. Maybe Barnes is saving it all for the playoffs?
26 minutes, 15 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 5-for-11 shooting, 2-for-5 threes, +5
Chicago is the type of team Johnson can thrive against. They are smaller and aren’t great at transition defense. KJ was able to get into the paint and score against the Bulls with his bully-ball-like drives. He was a key part of the Spurs’ big run in the second quarter that helped them eventually win the game. His spark plug play off the bench continues to be good enough to put him in the Sixth Man of the Year chase.
6 minutes, 0 points, 0-for-1 shooting, 0-for-1 threes, -4
As the playoffs approach, the rotation is tightening. Bryant has been getting squeezed out lately as the team prepares for the postseason. He played sparingly against Chicago and didn’t register a single statistic.
19 minutes, 10 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 fouls, 4-for-5 shooting, -8
Kornet has to have one of the toughest jobs in the NBA. It’s easy for him to look bad compared to his starter. Nobody scores on Wembanyama at the rim, so when Kornet comes into the game and gives up a bucket in the paint, it’s easy for fans to feel frustrated. All things considered, it was a fairly solid game from Kornet. Chicago was able to attack the basket more freely when he was in the game, but he made up for it on the other end by finishing plays efficiently.
24 minutes, 13 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 1 block, 4 fouls, 6-for-11 shooting, 1-for-2 threes, +4
Harper made an immediate impact when he subbed in the game. He knocked down a three and got to the rim a few times. He’s been super efficient at the rim this month, shooting 67.4% on drives, good enough for 3rd in the NBA. His jump shot is looking better, especially in catch-and-shoot situations. He’s also one of the best perimeter defenders on the team (even if he could afford to foul less). Harper looks ready to make an impact in the playoffs.
Monday’s Inactives: Harrison Ingram, David Jones-Garcia, Emanuel Miller