The stakes were high for the San Antonio Spurs in Game Four. At risk of going down 3-1, the Spurs needed to respond to a disappointing loss in Game Three. They followed up the loss with a blowout 103-83 win to tie the Western Conference Finals at 2-2.
It was one of the Spurs’ best defensive performances of the playoffs. They held the Oklahoma City Thunder to 33% shooting from the field and 18% shooting from three. They forced 20 turnovers in the win. Victor Wembanyama spearheaded the win with a dominant two-way performance. He will lead our player grades for Game Four.
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As a quick reminder, player grades are based on each player’s on-court performance, going beyond just the stat sheet. A “B” grade represents the average performance for an individual. If a player logs fewer than 5 minutes or plays only in garbage time, their grade will be incomplete.
Victor Wembanyama
31 minutes, 33 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 3 blocks, 4 turnovers, 2 fouls, 11-for-22 shooting, 3-for-7 threes, +29
San Antonio needed a herculean effort from Wembanyama, and they got one. He came out swinging, contesting shots around the rim and scoring at the basket over tough defense. Wemby did everything to try to get his offense going, even throwing the ball off the backboard to himself multiple times in an attempt to create an easier shot.
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His biggest moment came right before halftime, when he waved off multiple San Antonio guards to heave a half-court buzzer beater. Was this shot purely luck or a manifestation of his basketball greatness? I’ll leave that up to you. Either way, it was another dominant performance in a memorable playoff run.
Grade: A
De’Aaron Fox
31 minutes, 12 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 3 fouls, 5-for-13 shooting, 1-for-2 threes, -3
Fox is a tough grade. On one hand, he isn’t shooting the ball well enough. His scoring impact has been significantly limited since his ankle injury. On the other hand, Fox has been doing everything else he needs to do to help the Spurs win. He’s competed defensively, even in tough matchups like when he’s switched onto Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. In Game Four, he had 10 rebounds and 5 assists without any turnovers. San Antonio will need his scoring to come around eventually. Until then, having the veteran guard chip in everywhere else on the court will be enough to help them win.
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Grade: B
Stephon Castle
30 minutes, 13 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 turnover, 5 fouls, 5-for-11 shooting, 1-for-3 threes, +25
Castle was excellent in the pick-and-roll in Game Four. He was patient, didn’t force it, and made some great reads. He threw lobs to Wembanyama and finished at the rim. He hit a tough contested three-pointer as the Spurs made their run. He didn’t have the type of offensive game that would blow you away, but he played a smart, controlled game. He did a much better job guarding Gilgeous-Alexander. He was disciplined and fought through every screen to keep up with him in the half-court.
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It feels like Castle’s performance from here on out will be a major factor that decides the series. With the Spurs being +162 underdogs in Game Five on FanDuel, Castle will need to once again play well on both ends to upset the Thunder.
Grade: B+
Julian Champagnie
29 minutes, 2 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 1 foul, 1-for-7 shooting, 0-for-5 threes, +/- 0
Champagnie isn’t hitting shots right now, which is a huge problem for the Spurs’ offense. Even open looks aren’t falling at the moment. He was much better defensively in Game Four, but his impact on that end doesn’t make up for his lack of offense on the other end. This series is going to get even tighter from here. Wasting good possessions by missing wide-open threes could sink the Spurs in the long run.
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Grade: C–
Devin Vassell
33 minutes, 13 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 turnover, 3-for-7 shooting, 2-for-4 threes, +27
Vasell has arguably been one of the Spurs’ best players in this series. He continues to hit timely shots, and his defense has been incredible. His block on Jared McCain under the basket was one of the best defensive plays of the game. Vassell is locked in on both ends and has established himself as an important piece for the Spurs’ championship hopes.
Grade: B+
Dylan Harper
21 minutes, 7 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 turnovers, 2 fouls, 2-for-4 shooting, 0-for-1 threes, +25
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Harper was great defensively in Game Four. It wasn’t a loud performance by any means, but when he was tasked with guarding Gilgeous-Alexander, he held his own. He made some great contests on shooters as well. His motor was running on high on that end, despite struggling through an injury. Speaking of that injury, Harper continued to struggle getting into the paint, as he clearly has lost some power in his lower half. Hopefully, more rest will get him ready for Game Five.
Grade: B
Keldon Johnson
18 minutes, 6 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, 1 foul, 3-for-12 shooting, 0-for-4 threes, +7
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Johnson brought energy off the bench, but tried to do way too much offensively. He got tunnel vision and made some bad mistakes on his drives. Johnson could afford to let some things come to him within the offensive flow. Right now, what he is doing isn’t working.
Grade: C–
Luke Kornet
13 minutes, 6 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks, 1 foul, 3-for-4 shooting, –9
The nuns have blessed Kornet, and perhaps the Spurs for the rest of the series. Call it divine intervention or just improved play from Kornet. He was solid protecting the paint when Wembanyama needed a rest. He did a lot of good work tapping the ball to other players on the boards to create extra opportunities. It’s still hard for the Spurs to stay afloat when he is in the game, but perhaps Game Four was a sign of a turnaround for San Antonio’s backup big man.
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Grade: B
Harrison Barnes
16 minutes, 5 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 0-for-4 shooting, 0-for-2 threes, +13
Barnes didn’t hit shots off the bench, but he brought a lot of energy and toughness to the game. He hustled after every offensive rebound and got to the free-throw line by playing physical offense. In the Game Three player grades post, we talked about Barnes needing a spot in the rotation. He may have earned himself more minutes moving forward.
Grade: B
Carter Bryant
7 minutes, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 turnover, 4 fouls, 0-for-1 shooting, 0-for-1 threes, -10
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Bryant got an earful from Mitch Johnson after making a few too many mistakes late in the game. He hasn’t been able to defend without fouling and is forcing things offensively. It’s hard to play him right now with the stakes being so high. It’s hard not to feel bad for Bryant, who is genuinely trying to make a positive impact with his energy and athleticism. Right now, it’s just not being channeled in a way that will lead to winning playoff games.
Grade: C-
Jordan McLaughlin
4 minutes, 3 points, 1 rebound, 1-for-2 shooting, 1-for-2 threes, -1
McLaughlin is a garbage-time all-star. Grabbed a tough offensive rebound and hit a three in transition.
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Grade: Incomplete
Lindy Waters III
4 minutes, 1 assist, +1
It was another cardio game for Waters. He didn’t do much in his limited time.
Grade: Incomplete
Kelly Olynyk
4 minutes, 3 points, 1 rebound, 3 steals, 1-for-3 shooting, 1-for-2 threes, +1
Olynyk was making defensive plays like crazy in garbage time, grabbing 3 steals. He also knocked down a three-pointer on offense.
Grade: Incomplete
