The San Antonio Spurs achieved a thrilling comeback victory against the Toronto Raptors, defeating them 110-107 on Wednesday. Devin Vassell emerged as the standout player for the Spurs, leading all scorers with an impressive 21 points. His performance was pivotal in extending San Antonio’s winning streak to 10 games. De'Aaron Fox also contributed significantly, adding 20 points to the scoreboard.
Despite the victory, Spurs center Victor Wembanyama struggled to find his rhythm, finishing the game with only 12 points but managing to collect seven rebounds. Off the bench, Dylan Harper made an impact, scoring 15 points while also providing seven assists and five rebounds, showcasing depth in the Spurs' lineup.
The Raptors, who now hold a record of 34-25, initially led the game, at one point building a lead as large as 15 points. Brandon Ingram had a notable outing, recording a double-double with 20 points and a season-high 11 rebounds. Immanuel Quickley also scored 20 points for Toronto, and Scottie Barnes added 15 points despite being questionable to play prior to the game due to a right quad contusion suffered in the previous night's loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
In a surprising move, rookie Collin Murray-Boyles was chosen to start at center over the seasoned veteran Jakob Poeltl. Poeltl sat out the previous game due to a sore lower back. However, Murray-Boyles' participation was cut short in the fourth quarter as he left the game with a left thumb contusion and did not return.
Takeaways
The game took a significant turn as the Spurs rallied back after trailing for most of the match. The Raptors held a 12-point lead heading into the fourth quarter, but San Antonio exploded offensively, beginning the final period with a 15-2 run that closed the gap and demonstrated their resilience.
Head coach Darko Rajakovic made strategic decisions to keep Poeltl away from Wembanyama, utilizing Murray-Boyles and backup center Sandro Mamukelashvili to challenge the Spurs' all-star. This allowed Poeltl to focus on exploiting mismatches against San Antonio’s backup bigs, resulting in him finishing the game with 15 points and seven rebounds. Murray-Boyles managed to score four points and grab five rebounds while contributing for 15 minutes.
Key moment
A crucial moment in the game occurred in the dying seconds when Wembanyama showcased his defensive prowess by blocking Poeltl's layup attempt with just 43 seconds remaining. This play kept the Raptors down by four points, maintaining a narrow margin. Following the block, Quickley managed to score on the subsequent possession, pulling Toronto to within two points.
Key stat
Despite Wembanyama’s remarkable average of 11.3 rebounds per game this season, the Raptors dominated the boards, out-rebounding the Spurs 50-40. This discrepancy in rebounding was a significant factor in the game, highlighting Toronto’s physical play in the paint.
Up next
The Raptors are set to visit the Washington Wizards on Saturday, as they aim to bounce back from this narrow defeat and solidify their playoff position.
