The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Toronto Raptors, playing their style better than them at times and surviving a late comeback attempt to improve to 4-0 for the first time since 2017. It was a quieter night from Victor Wembanyama in the scoring department — 24 points on 87.5 percent shooting — but it seemed like he was trying to make the point that his teammates are good enough to take the reins.
The Spurs put the Raptors in the rearview, taking a 27-10 lead in the first seven minutes. The Raptors closed some of the distance heading into the second quarter, but they were kept at arm’s length because their perimeter attack faltered, and the Spurs had five players log multiple baskets.
The Spurs soon took over. Victor Wembanyama heard some MVP chants in the second quarter, and the crew was never in danger of giving up a comeback while he was present. They even got into the bonus for the last six minutes and went to halftime ahead by 19 after making seven triples at the top of the key and 11 baskets in the lane.
But the second half followed a different script. The Spurs started the second half sloppily with four turnovers, causing coach Mitch Johnson to call an early timeout. They only had two baskets halfway through the third quarter with a handful of free throws, and the Raptors banked on those struggles, slowly creeping back into the game. The drought came from Toronto raising their pressure, and San Antonio’s offense going stagnant with some missed open jumpers.
The Spurs used Harrison Barnes at the five to start the fourth quarter, making the visitors defend five instead of four when Bismack Biyombo is on the floor. The Raptors subsequently cut the Spurs’ lead to eight on a 9-0 run, but Wembanayma, Stephon Castle and Harrison Barnes countered and powered San Antonio past the finish line.