Spurs smother shorthanded Raptors with suffocating defense to win third straight

03/23/2025 09:53 PM

The Spurs continue to play hard and build good habits late in the season.

The Spurs won their third straight in impressive fashion. The Silver and Black dominated the Raptors throughout the game, propelled by inspired defense, en route to a 123-89 blowout. It's the first three-game win streak since late November of 2024 for San Antonio.

Since the start of the game, it was evident that the Spurs weren't underestimating the shorthanded Raptors. Aside from a couple of possessions featuring bad transition defense, San Antonio was locked in on that side of the ball, looking energetic and disruptive. Toronto's lack of shooting was leading them to a crowded paint and to steals that fueled scoring opportunities on the break and early offense before the home team could settle. As the second unit checked in, the focus and intensity remained, with Blake Wesley and Jeremy Sochan making things happen. Meanwhile, their opponent couldn't find their own sparkplugs. After a near-perfect opening frame, the Spurs were up by 20 points.

The Raptors made some adjustments and with Jamal Shead leading the way, managed to get some buckets close to the rim in the half-court. San Antonio started slow, as Toronto did a better job of containing Castle, but the ball continued to move, as it has all season, and it found its way to open shooters. Julian Champagnie caught fire, sinking three three-pointers in the frame, and others soon joined. At one point, the Spurs led by 27 and were dominating every facet of the game, but the Raptors didn't let go of the rope, doing enough to keep pace by limiting their turnovers and forcing their opponent to work for their shots. The Silver and Black still won the quarter and extended their lead, but only by two points.

The defense wasn't as suffocating to start the second but, fortunately, the Spurs still found ways to get buckets on a game that lacked fluidity. Castle got to the line, which kept the offense going until Devin Vassell decided to take over. Through it all, Scottie Barnes was doing his best to keep Toronto in it, but as the minutes passed and fresh legs checked in from the bench, the defense regained some of its intensity and there was no complacency or mercy to be seen from the Silver and Black. The team continued to play hard on defense and execute on offense. The focus lasted until the last play, a buzzer-beating putback dunk from Champagnie that gave the Spurs a 34-point lead heading into the final frame.

It didn't take long for Mitch Johnson to empty his bench. There was never a threat of a comeback from a heavily shorthanded Raptors squad that might be more focused on lottery odds than wins. Some would say the Spurs should be doing the same, but the players clearly don't agree.

Game notes

• Devin Vassell had an efficient scoring night, dropping 25 points on 14 attempts. He also had six boards and three assists and continued his trend of being a disruptive defender, logging two steals and a block. March stats should be taken with a grain of salt, but beyond the numbers, Vassell just looks much more active on the defensive end and confident in his shot. It's been great to see.
• The Spurs average eight steals per game and 17.5 points of turnovers for the season. They had 15 steals and 30 points off turnovers against the Raptors, which coughed the ball up 21 times, tied for fifth most in a game this season for them. The defense was great, but San Antonio got some help from their opponent.

• Bismack Biyombo returned to the starting lineup. He had a strong game on a limited role, like the rest of the veteran starters. It's good to see the older guys providing stability without taking away too many touches or minutes from the younger guys.
• Stephon Castle is making the most of his opportunity to dominate the ball and be the team's primary ball handler and creator. Castle didn't shoot well from the field but had 10 free throws in under 20 minutes. Both opponents and officials respect him more now, and it shows by how he's guarded and the whistle he gets.
• Keldon Johnson has been inconsistent lately, logging his second single-digit scoring game in the past three. The problem continues to be an unreliable three-point shot. Keldon does other things, but bench scoring is supposed to be his niche. Hopefully he gets in a groove the rest of the way and solidifies his spot as the team's sixth man.
• Julian Champagnie had one of his best games of the season, finishing with 20 points in nine shots to go with five rebounds, two assists, three steals and a block. When he's playing well, he shows flashes of being more than just an eighth or ninth man, but as it's the problem with a lot of Spurs role players, consistency remains an issue.
• Jeremy Sochan did a little bit of everything but the most encouraging stat is his three attempted three-pointers. He only made one, but he's now attempted at least one in eight of the last 10 games and multiple in five of those performances. Keep shooting, Jeremy.
• Blake Wesley needs to prove himself and he's doing a good job of it. The final stat line is not that impressive but he made a positive impact in his first stint, when the game was still on the line, scoring six points and logging three assists and three steals.

Play of the night

The old man still has some tricks up his sleeve.

Next game: at Detroit Pistons on Tuesday

The winning streak might not survive the trip to Detroit, but even a good showing against a good team, even if it comes in a loss, would be great to see.