The San Antonio Spurs will look to carry the momentum from their self-styled best game as a collective group when they battle the up-and-down Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday in the first of two games in three nights between the teams in the Alamo City.
It’s a matchup between a pair of the NBA’s young superstars — the Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama and Memphis’ Ja Morant — and two strong supporting casts. The teams will square off again on Friday and then on Feb. 3 and March 1 in Memphis.
The Spurs head home after a three-game road trip that ended with a stirring 126-102 win in Los Angeles over the Lakers on Monday. Wembanyama, Devin Vassell and Stephon Castle led San Antonio with 23 points apiece as the Spurs snapped a three-game losing streak and are back at .500 for the campaign (19-19).
San Antonio trailed by nine at halftime and by 10 with four minutes to play in the third quarter before tying the contest at 89 heading into the final period. The Spurs took charge in the fourth via a 15-3 run and outscored Los Angeles 37-13 over the final 12 minutes.
“We were playing better basketball in the first half than the score said,” Spurs acting coach Mitch Johnson explained. “And sometimes you have to trust that — trust the process. (The win over the Lakers) was probably our best game as a collective group, especially offensively, and we saw some of that when we paired the defense with that.”
Harrison Barnes added 17 points for the Spurs in the win and Chris Paul amassed 13 points, 10 assists and four steals. San Antonio played without forward Jeremy Sochan, who was battling back pain and will also sit out Wednesday.
“My teammates just respected the game and did a lot of things that don’t show up in the stat sheet, and everyone had their opportunity to shine, to make the next teammate better,” Wembanyama said. “So it was a very healthy game.”
The Grizzlies meet their much-improved Western Conference rival after losing 120-118 in Houston on Monday. Memphis has won just twice in its six January games after hitting the new year on a roll.
The Grizzlies led by 13 points with 9:55 to play but could not hold on as the game featured seven lead changes and two ties over the final 4:33 of the contest. Morant led Memphis with 29 points but also committed seven turnovers.
“Late-game possessions (were the key),” Morant said. “Valuing the possessions and having more possessions. We got to limit them on the boards, second chances, take care of the ball and make sure we’re getting good shots.”
Desmond Bane added 25 points, 15 of them in the third quarter, as the Grizzlies shot 52.9 percent from the floor but still lost to Houston for the third time in three games this season.
“I think overly physical teams have been a problem for us,” Memphis forward Santi Aldama said. “We just got to adjust. I think the more the season goes on, the more we get better. We’re right there. We know the recipe. We just have to be able to execute it for 48 minutes instead of 30.”
Friday’s rematch in San Antonio will be the final game of a four-game road trip for the Grizzlies, with the ensuing four contests at home.
