Victor Wembanyama on Monday led a defensive masterclass as the San Antonio Spurs outmuscled the Detroit Pistons 114-103 in an intense and aggressive clash between the NBA’s two most in-form teams.
Sitting second in the Western Conference, the Spurs were pushed hard for their ninth straight victory by the East-topping Pistons, who had entered the home court matchup on a five-game winning streak of their own.
Defenses dominated the first meeting between the two sides this season, with Wembanyama making six blocks and 17 rebounds to fuel transitions as the Spurs pulled clear in the latter stages.
Photo: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
While the Pistons’ shooting was at times sloppy, Devin Vassell led the Spurs offense with 28 points, including seven three-pointers — as many as the entire Detroit team managed collectively.
“They tried to impose their will. We tried to get out on transition, keep getting stops, find an open man. That’s what we did,” Vassell said.
The Spurs had raced to a 12-point lead from tip-off, but they trailed by the end of the first quarter, setting the tone for a fiercely contested back-and-forth game.
Late in the second quarter, Cade Cunningham barged Stephon Castle to the floor, angering Spurs teammate Keldon Johnson, who earned a technical foul for retaliating, but the Pistons’ defense kept them in the game, putting Wembanyama under particular pressure. The French prodigy struggled to make an offensive mark on the early action.
San Antonio took a slender lead into halftime. The contest tightened further in the third quarter.
Spurs guard Dylan Harper was slammed off the court and face-first into a cameraman. Growing into the game, Wembanyama made multiple spectacular blocks and rebounds to propel his side up the court, as the Spurs opened a 15-point lead in the final quarter.
Jalen Duren led a late Pistons fightback, finishing with 25 points, but it ultimately fizzled as a resolute San Antonio saw out the game.
Wembanyama finished with 21 points, while Julian Champagnie added another 17.
“We all play for each other. We’re all super humble. All we want to do is win,” Vassell said.
The hard-fought victory puts the Spurs at 41-16, still trailing West-leading defending champions the Oklahoma City Thunder at 44-14.
Elsewhere, the Kings mauled the Grizzlies 123-114 and the Rockets silenced the Jazz 125-105.
Additional reporting by staff writer
Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev was the only athlete to “beat” a world record on Sunday at the Enhanced Games, winning the men’s 50m freestyle at the divisive competition where athletes were free to take performance-enhancing substances. His time of 20.81 seconds — which is not considered official — came in the final event of the night in Las Vegas, sparing the blushes of organizers who made claims that multiple world records would be surpassed due to a sophisticated doping regime. Gkolomeev, who was wearing a synthetic “supersuit” long banned at events such as the Olympics, outpaced Australia’s Cameron McEvoy’s 20.88 set in
Fred Kerley is competing unaugmented against drug-fuelled athletes at this weekend’s Enhanced Games and still hopes to race in the 2028 Olympics, the suspended former 100m world champion said on Friday. Arguably the biggest name at the divisive event in Las Vegas, where doping is permitted, the US sprinter said he had chosen not to take any of the banned substances including testosterone and steroids that his competitors have been using. “I don’t need it. God gave me fast feet for a reason. And I’m here to showcase my talent,” Kerley said. Kerley last September became the first US competitor and first track
VICTORY ABROAD: The team took home a fistful of medals and secured spots for the autumn’s Asian Games, scheduled for September in Nagoya Taiwan’s women’s team captured the overall title at the Asian Taekwondo Championships in Mongolia on Sunday, finishing with two golds, one silver and one bronze medal. The strong showing, led by gold medalists Wang Chieh-ling and Chang Jui-en secured the full quota of available spots for Taiwan at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, in September. Wang opened Taiwan’s medal run by winning gold in the women’s under-46kg class on Thursday, the first day of competition. Liu Yu-yun later earned a silver in the under-49kg class. On the final day on Sunday, Chang won Taiwan’s second gold medal in the under-62kg event, and
The manager of the Yomiuri Giants, one of Japan’s most popular baseball teams, resigned yesterday after he was arrested for allegedly physically attacking his teenage daughter. Shinnosuke Abe allegedly grabbed the 18-year-old and forced her to the floor at their home in central Tokyo on Monday evening, reported national broadcaster NHK and Kyodo News, citing unnamed police sources. “Leaving like this really means I’m causing you a lot of trouble, and I feel truly sorry about that,” Abe told a hastily arranged news conference, his eyes red with tears. The former star catcher, who is among baseball-obsessed Japan’s most recognized sports figures,
RSS