The San Antonio Spurs got even with the Charlotte Hornets and claimed their 26th win at Frost Bank Center this season. It wasn’t always pretty, but they did the little things on defense which kept the visitors at arm’s length for the whole game.
Both sides got out in the fast lane early, trying to control the pace of the game with quick 3-pointers, yet the Spurs were sharper, getting inside and earning trips to the line. They did most of the work for a 13- point lead while Victor Wembanyama got his first rest, and then he came back to pressure the lane.
It looked like it would get ugly in the second quarter, as San Antonio got what they wanted while Charlotte was stuck in the mud. Part of the reason for the Spurs’ success was avoiding unnecessary fouls on defense, and they didn’t let the Hornets get to the line until there were fewer than five minutes in the first half. But the game flipped in the non-Wemby minutes as the Hornets briefly got within reach.
After halftime, Wembanyama returned and picked up where he left off, nailing mid and long-range jumpers, while LaMelo Ball and Kon Knueppel found their outside touch. Knueppel had a 16-point third quarter, and the Hornets targeted Luke Kornet with screen rolls since he’s not comfortable guarding on the perimeter, but they couldn’t get closer than eight points. To make matters worse for the visitors, foul trouble limited Ball to 16 minutes going into the fourth quarter.
The Hornets were able to get closer in part because of the effects of their pace, but the Silver and Black found a second wind and reclaimed their double-figure advantage and won the game going away.