San Antonio vs. Golden State, Final Score: Spurs defeat Warriors 122-117

Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

Victor Wembanyama shines in final game of the preseason.

The final game of the preseason felt like the last test the San Antonio Spurs needed to pass before moving onto the regular season. Through four games the young team impressed, but hadn’t played a team as good as the Golden State Warriors. The Silver and Black passed the test in a 122-117 victory on the back of a dominant performance from Victor Wembanyama.

Wemby finished the game with 19 points, 4 rebounds and 5 blocks. He made his presence known on the defensive end, blocking shots at the rim and on the perimeter. Offensively he hit tough jump shots over Golden State’s wing defenders. Dario Saric led the way for the Warriors, scoring 17 points off the bench and hitting a pair of 3-pointers.

Observations

Wembanyama’s performance cannot be overstated. While sharing the floor with the likes of Stephen Curry, Chris Paul and Klay Thompson, it was the rookie who looked like the best player. He was incredible defending all parts of the floor, getting his hands on drives and passes on top of his rim protection. His touch on the mid-range jump shot is phenomenal for his size. With his length, it’s darn near unstoppable. When the Spurs find a way to get him easier looks within their offense – watch out.
San Antonio’s defense continues to look good, as they held the Warriors to 46% shooting from the field and 28.6% from the three point line. Golden State is a great offensive squad, and they looked frustrated agains the Spurs length. Jeremy Sochan is a menace at the point of attack, Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell look improved on the wings, and Wembanyama ties it all together protecting the rim. Some exciting defensive trends are developing for this young Spurs squad.
The second unit showed signs of offensive life against Golden State. Tre Jones did a good job of getting downhill out of the pick and roll. He tallied four points and eight assists in just 17 minutes of play. Charles Bassey showcased soft touch, going 5-5 from the field, dicing the Warriors up with a barrage of floaters on his way to 11 points. Malaki Branham and Cedi Osman provided secondary playmaking and scoring. Branham finished with 11 points, and Osman had 7, while playing a complete game on the defensive end.
Sochan’s game wasn’t pretty, but it’s hard to argue with the results. The Spurs new point guard finished with 7 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists in 26 minutes. The signs of discomfort with his new role are still there. He made up for it with his effort on both ends. Defensively he competed all over the court, especially at the point of attack. He was all over the glass, pulling down four offensive rebounds.