San Antonio, TX – You wanted fireworks? You got 'em. The Spurs and Grizzlies went toe-to-toe last night at Frost Bank Center, a gritty, back-and-forth affair that saw San Antonio claw back from a late deficit to snatch a 111-106 overtime victory. It wasn’t always pretty – 43 combined turnovers will tell you that – but it was undeniably compelling, especially if you're into watching young talent try to figure things out on the fly.
Victor Wembanyama was, as usual, the main attraction, finishing with 20 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and a ridiculous 7 blocks. He even hit a clutch three-pointer with under a minute left in regulation to cut the Grizzlies' lead to one, sending the home crowd into an absolute frenzy. Thing is, he also had 5 turnovers and shot 7-for-20 from the field. It’s the Wemby experience in a nutshell: flashes of generational brilliance mixed with moments that remind you he’s still just 20 years old and playing his first NBA season. Keldon Johnson added 17 points and 8 boards, looking more assertive than he has in weeks, which is a good sign for a team still searching for consistent secondary scoring.
Memphis, despite missing Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Marcus Smart – basically their entire starting backcourt – played with the kind of chip on their shoulder you'd expect from a Taylor Jenkins-coached team. Jaren Jackson Jr. led the charge with a game-high 27 points, including a tough fadeaway jumper that gave the Grizzlies a 104-102 lead with 1:12 left in overtime. He was a force on both ends, also racking up 4 blocks of his own. Rookie GG Jackson continued to impress, chipping in 20 points off the bench, hitting some timely threes that kept the Spurs from pulling away in the third quarter. Memphis shot just 39.8% from the field for the game, but their 19 offensive rebounds kept them in it, giving them crucial second-chance opportunities.
Here's the thing: the Grizzlies are a tough out even when they're shorthanded, but you can see the strain. They just don't have enough consistent shot creation without Morant. They scrapped, they clawed, they even led by as many as 10 points in the second quarter. But when it came down to crunch time, they simply couldn't get enough easy looks against a Spurs defense that tightened up considerably in the final minutes.
The Spurs’ comeback started in the third quarter. They trailed 59-53 at halftime, looking disjointed and a step slow. But they ramped up the defensive intensity, holding Memphis to just 20 points in the third period. Tre Jones was a spark plug, dishing out 11 assists and playing tenacious perimeter defense, getting under the skin of Grizzlies guards. Malaki Branham, who finished with 17 points, hit some big shots, including a corner three that tied the game at 98 with 2:14 left in regulation. That’s the kind of growth you want to see from the young guys – stepping up when the game is on the line.
My hot take? The Spurs, despite their record, are going to be a legitimate threat in the Western Conference sooner than people think. Not next year, but the year after. Wembanyama's defensive impact alone is already changing games, and once the offensive consistency catches up, watch out. They’re building something real.
The Spurs ultimately sealed the win at the free-throw line in overtime, going 7-for-8 in the extra period. It was a messy win, but a win nonetheless, moving their record to 15-53. For Memphis, it was another tough loss in a season full of them, dropping them to 23-46. Expect the Spurs to finish the season strong, winning at least 6 of their final 14 games.