San Antonio vs. Atlanta, final score: Spurs survive overtime thriller, 133-126

After three days of rest, the San Antonio Spurs had plenty of gas in the tank to play free basketball. They were looking for another win at Frost Bank Center. They survived every blow from the Atlanta Hawks with a 133-126 overtime victory and improved to 14-13 on the season.

Trae Young and DeAndre Hunter gave the Spurs just about all they could handle by scoring at the end of regulation time. Hunter had the game-winning dunk over Victor Wembanyama, which after some talk ultimately led to a double-technical for both players. But it was crucial play from Wembanyama and Chris Paul that gave Spurs victory.

Wembanyama continued his dominance in the Eastern Conference with 42 points (including 7 three-pointers), 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 4 blocks. CP3 hit a dagger three-pointer in overtime and finished the game with 12 points, 8 assists and 4 steals on a perfect 4-4 shooting from the field.

San Antonio is now 7-3 in key games this season. One of their previous wins came on Saturday evening against the Portland Trailblazers, who will be in town for the Spurs’ next game.

Observations

• Jeremy Sochan’s energy gave Spurs an advantage throughout the game. He finished the game with 20 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocks. His play on the defensive side of the ball was impressive. His improvement on offense is reflected in his ability to touch the ball more and shoot a great three-pointer in the second half. He played a team-high 42 minutes as Mitch Johnson used him as the team’s backup center in the second half. The third-year man has established himself as an important part of the Spurs core.
• Devin Vassell returned to the starting lineup and made the most of it, scoring 23 points on 9-for-16 shooting from the field. Vassell’s three-point jumper was perfect all night as he shot 5-7 from distance. San Antonio’s new starting lineup of Paul, Vassell, Harrison Barnes, Sochan and Wembanyama played well together on both sides. Expect more of the same if Spurs can maintain their health.
• Keldon Johnson was rock solid off the Spurs bench, finishing with Paul, Vassell, Sochan and Wembanyama. He made some convincing defensive plays and fit well into the offense. He smashed the glass in the clutch and acted as another hustle player alongside Sochan. Johnson finished the game with 11 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals.