Spurs Notes: Harper, Vassell, Castle, M. Johnson, Wemby
With Devin Vassell (sore right hamstring) a late scratch for precautionary reasons and Stephon Castle (right hip tightness) sidelined for the second consecutive time, Spurs guard Dylan Harper received the first start of his career in Saturday’s win over Indiana, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News.
Harper, last year’s No. 2 overall pick, overcame some pregame jitters to finish with 24 points (on 9-of-13 shooting), four rebounds, three assists and no turnovers in 28 minutes, Orsborn notes. Head coach Mitch Johnson praised Harper’s upside while pointing out that he committed four fouls and gave up a couple of backdoor layups to Andrew Nembhard.
“I think he can be sharper,” Johnson said. “I think he can continue to get in better shape. Those are nitpicking criticisms when you look at the production, but that’s how good he can be. … His upside and path is whatever he wants it to be. And I’m not trying to shine you on. I’m being dead serious. I just want him to be better at transition defense.”
As Orsborn observes, Harper almost certainly would have put up gaudier stats in his rookie season if he were playing on a lesser team, but Johnson and Harper’s teammates have praised the former Rutgers star for his maturity and willingness to accept a bench role for the betterment of the Spurs.
“We’re number two in the West,” said Harper, who turned 20 years old earlier this month. “To me, we’re the best team in the NBA. So for me to get drafted by an organization that’s so family oriented, I think any rookie would want to come here. From top to bottom, everyone is very professional and everyone is just so giving and so hands-on with everything.”
Here’s more on the Spurs:
- Johnson said after the victory that the Spurs don’t have any “long-term” concerns about Vassell’s injury, adding that the team was just being “super mindful” in regards to the sixth-year wing’s health (Twitter link via Orsborn). Johnson also said the Spurs weren’t worried about Castle’s hip issue, according to Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News, who says more players might get days off down the stretch in preparation for the playoffs.
- McDonald wonders if Keldon Johnson is being overlooked as a Sixth Man of the Year contender. The veteran forward had 24 points (on 10-of-12 shooting), four rebounds and four assists in 25 minutes on Saturday, and has led the team in scoring five times this season. Johnson also has not yet missed a game in 2025/26.
- In another story for The Express-News, McDonald takes a look at the relationship of Mitch Johnson and Victor Wembanyama, who is making a late push for MVP consideration with his elite two-way play. Johnson used to help Wembanyama warm up before each game, but ceded those duties before the season began after being promoted to the full-time head coach. “There’s a level of accountability I have to hold him to,” Johnson said. “When you get to know somebody and then hopefully build trust with that person, it allows you to work with them, partner with them, push them in ways that I think probably could be a little bit deeper than just a coach trying to talk to a player.”
Spurs Clinch Playoff Spot
The Spurs became the second NBA team to clinch a playoff spot after pulling off a comeback victory over Phoenix on Thursday.
Victor Wembanyama, who had game highs of 34 points and 12 rebounds in 35 minutes, converted a game-winning fadeaway jump shot with 1.1 seconds remaining to put San Antonio up one (Twitter video link via the NBA). The Suns didn’t have a timeout to advance the ball, and Devin Booker missed a heave from beyond half court as time expired.
The Spurs, who have the second-best record in the league and are currently the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, improved to 52-18 with the win, while the No. 7 Suns dropped to 39-31. Phoenix is now 13 games behind San Antonio with only 12 games remaining, so there’s no way for the Suns to make up the deficit.
This will be the first playoff appearance for the Spurs since 2019, when they were eliminated in a seven-game first-round series against Denver. No one from that roster is on the current iteration of the team.
The Spurs had a strong start to the season, going 23-7 over their first 30 games. They had a brief lull in the middle of the season, compiling a 9-9 record from December 27 through January 31, but have been on fire ever since, reeling off 20 wins in their past 22 games.
San Antonio trails Oklahoma City, the only other team to secure a playoff berth, by three games for the top seed in the West.
Southwest Notes: Wemby, Missi, Marshall, Christie
While he acknowledges that he would vote for Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander if the season ended today, Sam Amick of The Athletic says Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama continues to strengthen his case in the race for Most Valuable Player and could steal some top-two votes that have long appeared earmarked for Gilgeous-Alexander and Nuggets center Nikola Jokic.
As Amick points out, the on/off numbers are a point in Wembanyama’s favor, as the Spurs have a +16.0 net rating when he’s on the court and a 0.0 mark when he’s not, for a 16-point difference. That exceeds the 10-point gap between the Thunder’s net rating when Gilgeous-Alexander is and isn’t on the court. And while SGA is one of the NBA’s top scorers, Wembanyama, the overwhelming favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year, is the more impactful player on the other end of the court.
It’s also not out of the realm of possibility that the Spurs could catch Oklahoma City in the Western Conference standings, Amick notes. San Antonio is just 3.5 games out of the No. 1 spot, and Wembanyama has talked about wanting to get to the 60-win mark, whereas the defending champion Thunder may feel less compelled to push hard for seeding at the end of the regular season.
We have more from around the Southwest:
- Pelicans center Yves Missi was considered a prime trade candidate leading up to this season’s deadline, but he remained in New Orleans and has impressed head coach James Borrego, who spoke glowingly of the second-year big man after he racked up 10 rebounds, five blocks, and five assists in a win over Dallas on Monday. “We’re using him a number of ways defensively,” Borrego said, per Rod Walker of NOLA.com (subscription required). “Then he gets out and runs. He’s all over the offensive glass. He’s made tremendous strides.”
- Another pre-deadline trade candidate, forward Naji Marshall, is showing why the Mavericks weren’t eager to consider moving him last month, writes Nate Sanchez of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required). Marshall, who spoke earlier this season about his desire to play alongside Cooper Flagg long-term, had his best game of the season on Monday in New Orleans, with 32 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and no turnovers. “I appreciate everything about Naji,” Flagg said after the game. “He’s just such a good basketball player, all-around, consistent. He shows up every single night and is just a true professional.”
- Flagg, Marshall, and fourth-year wing Max Christie have been a few of the bright spots in an otherwise forgettable season for the Mavericks. Even with Dallas falling well out of the play-in picture, Christie told Spencer Davies of R.org that he wants to “finish strong” and resist letting fatigue get the best of him in what has been a career year so far. The 23-year-old will become extension-eligible this July as he enters the third season of a four-year, $32MM contract.
Luka Doncic, Bam Adebayo Earn Player Of Week Honors
Lakers guard Luka Doncic and Heat big man Bam Adebayo have been named the Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, according to the league office (Twitter links). The awards cover games played from March 9-15.
Doncic led the Lakers to a 3-0 week by averaging 37.3 points, 11.0 assists and 10.3 rebounds per game. He came one assist away from registering three consecutive triple-doubles, had 51 points on Thursday vs. Chicago, and made a last-second basket to defeat Denver in overtime on Saturday.
The selection of Adebayo was a foregone conclusion after his historic 83-point game against the Wizards, which represented the second-highest single-game scoring output in NBA history. Overall, Adebayo averaged 41.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.3 steals per contest last week as the Heat won two of three games.
Doncic became the second player to win a third Player of the Week award in 2025/26, joining Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. For Adebayo, it’s his second Player of the Week selection this season and the fourth of his career.
Devin Booker (Suns), DeMar DeRozan (Kings), Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder), Kawhi Leonard (Clippers), Austin Reaves (Lakers) and Victor Wembanyama (Spurs) were the other nominees from the Western Conference. Paolo Banchero and Desmond Bane (Magic), Jalen Brunson (Knicks), Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren (Pistons), Brandon Ingram (Raptors) and Jalen Johnson (Hawks) were the other nominees from the East.
Spurs Notes: Wembanyama, Harper, Kornet, Three-Point Shooting
After missing Thursday’s game with soreness in his right ankle, Victor Wembanyama appeared to be back to 100% as he dominated the Hornets on Saturday, writes Michael C. Wright of ESPN. The star big man posted 32 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists, four blocks and two steals as the Spurs improved to a league-best 17-2 since the start of February.
“It’s been really good for us to go through these games and find out about other teams and find out about ourselves,” coach Mitch Johnson said. “We’ve had to be in a lot of different types of games, whether it’s a little bit open or having to cover a lot of distance defensively, matching some physicality, late-game execution, seeing different ways that people guard us. All these experiences are, hopefully, lessons we turn into knowledge and wisdom moving forward.”
Wembanyama will be a top contender for Defensive Player of the Year honors and may be an MVP finalist as well, but only if he reaches the 65-game minimum to qualify. He can miss two more games over the rest of the season, and Johnson talked about the challenge of getting Wembanyama to that mark while still protecting his health.
“Victor has the longest things he wants to do that are important probably in the history of basketball,” Johnson said. “They all are important to me as well. There’s a lot that goes into that, and at times, we have to make tough decisions. Because on that long list, there are still things that we prioritize and put on the top of the list. But that guy, I think, is going to challenge us as long as we’re all here to continue to match that desire to keep checking things off that list.”
There’s more from San Antonio:
- Rookie guard Dylan Harper was held out of the game with a right calf contusion, Wright adds. Johnson called him day-to-day and said there’s “no long-term concern.”
- Wembanyama rekindled his “French Vanilla” connection with Luke Kornet on Saturday, setting Kornet up for a pair of alley-oop dunks in the third quarter, per Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required). The double-big lineup is popular with fans, but Johnson said it’s a “math problem” to keep both players on the court at the same time because Kornet plays most of his minutes when Wembanyama is resting. The scarcity of practice time that affects all NBA teams is also an issue. “If we haven’t trained and worked it out and really have a clear direction of what we’re looking for in certain situations,” Johnson said, “it’s tough than to ask them to go out in a game like that and execute at high level.”
- Three-point shooting was a weakness for the Spurs in the past, but coming into today they were tied with Charlotte for the league lead in that category since the All-Star break, McDonald states in a separate story. San Antonio hasn’t made any significant roster moves to add shooting, so Johnson believes the improvement is a result of playing faster. “Our pace has been great, so we’re getting probably higher shot quality,” he said. “I think our offense has continued to clean up in terms of spacing, execution, awareness. And then that typically flows into expectation of where people’s shots come from.”
Wolves Notes: Gobert, Edwards, Finch, Playoffs
Rudy Gobert believes Sunday’s game at Oklahoma City may provide the jolt that the Timberwolves need to shake off their inconsistent play, writes Sam Amick of The Athletic. Gobert spoke after Friday’s closer-than-expected win over a depleted Warriors team, which followed lopsided losses against the Magic, Lakers and Clippers.
Not only do the Thunder hold the league’s best record, they ousted Minnesota in five games in last year’s Western Conference Finals.
“It’s a great, great challenge for us, a great opportunity,” Gobert said. “I think OKC is actually a great example of what we want to be in terms of their mindset. I’m not talking about talent. I’m just talking about their mindset of just giving yourself away to the team, and just letting the game take care of itself. They’re a team that plays hard every night, regardless of who is on the floor, and for 48 minutes. And I think this is exactly the test that we need, so I’m excited about that.”
At 41-26, the Wolves are in a precarious spot in the Western Conference playoff race, tied with Denver for fifth place and just two games away from falling into the play-in tournament. Amick notes that Minnesota has been built around an elite defense, but that has slipped recently as the team ranked 29th in the league in defensive rating over the past four games.
“Miscommunication,” Anthony Edwards said of the team’s defensive slump. “Yeah, it’s just miscommunication, teams jumping on us early. Us turning the ball over definitely doesn’t help, (especially) when our defense is not at a high level. I think that’s the main thing, is us turning the ball over, especially myself.”
There’s more on the Wolves:
- Edwards scored 42 points on Friday to help end the losing streak, but he experienced an injury scare in the game’s final minute in a collision with Golden State’s LJ Cryer, Amick adds. Edwards grabbed at his aching right knee, but told reporters afterward, “I’m good.” Coach Chris Finch pointed out that Edwards was only in the game at that point because of the inability to put the Warriors away. “I just told the team (that) it’s a bit of a microcosm of our season,” Finch said. “We can play well. We do the right things, get rewarded for it. Then (we) just completely lose focus, downshift a gear or two. They got back into it, and we stopped making the extra effort defensively for sure, had to regroup. And that’s been, unfortunately, part of our DNA.”
- Gobert addressed several topics in an interview with Mark Medina of RG, including his competition with fellow French big man Victor Wembanyama for Defensive Player of the Year honors. “May the best win,” Gobert said. “Regardless of anything, I’m really proud of him. I’m really proud of him. I’ve been there for him as a mentor. I try to help him in any way I can. A lot of this goes beyond basketball. Basketball is the easiest part.”
- The Wolves’ struggles with providing a consistent effort from game to game have become part of their character and will eventually cost them in the playoffs, predicts Chris Hine of The Star Tribune (subscription required).
Spurs Notes: Wembanyama, Bryant, K. Johnson, Barnes
Victor Wembanyama was a late scratch before the Spurs’ loss to Denver on Thursday due to soreness in his right ankle, Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News states in a subscriber-only story. The star big man was ruled out after participating in warmups while wearing a brace to protect the ankle. He was placed on the injury report after playing 37 minutes Tuesday against Boston.
“It was a close call because there was a chance he could play,” coach Mitch Johnson said. “But, yeah, it was clear it was the right decision in terms of there was nothing we wanted to risk. (That’s) kind of been the north star of every decision we’ve made (regarding his health).”
Johnson added that he doesn’t expect the ankle issue to be a “long-term thing.”
It was the first time Wembanyama has missed a game since January 30, when he sat out against Portland due to a knee injury. Orsborn notes that the 30 consecutive games mark the longest stretch of his NBA career. San Antonio let a 20-point lead slip away on Thursday and surrendered two 40-point quarters without its defensive anchor.
Johnson is hopeful that Wembanyama can return for Saturday afternoon’s contest against Charlotte, saying, “I do, but that doesn’t mean he will. It’s going to be a wait-and-see thing. But, yeah, he was pretty close (to playing) tonight.”
There’s more from San Antonio:
- Johnson has been experimenting with small-ball lineups recently, but he hasn’t decided if they’ll be used in the playoffs, Orsborn adds in a separate story. Forwards Carter Bryant and Keldon Johnson both saw time in the middle on Thursday. “It’s going to be something that’s going to be discussed amongst the staff and we’ll talk through it, I’m sure,” Johnson said. “Different games will have different personalities and different matchups. But I think we have seen some positivity when we’ve gone small at times and tonight was probably the largest sample size in a given game.”
- Harrison Barnes returned from a five-game absence due to a left ankle impingement, raising questions about how he and Bryant will split time for the rest of the season, per Jeff McDonald of The Express-News (subscription required). Barnes scored 20 points off the bench in 27 minutes, while Bryant was limited to nine minutes of action.
- The Spurs and Wembanyama plan to make sure he reaches the 65-game minimum to qualify for postseason awards, according to McDonald. Thursday marked his 15th missed game of the season, meaning he can only sit out three more the rest of the way.
Southwest Notes: Wembanyama, Fox, Plumlee, Ingram
The Spurs are the hottest team in basketball, thanks in large part to the play of Victor Wembanyama. As San Antonio’s stock has risen, so have the MVP chants for the young Frenchman, writes Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News.
“Of course it’s one of my goals,” Wembanyama said of being named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player. “I also understand I need to press down the gas a bit in the last part of the season to win that award.”
Wembanyama has averaged 24.1 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks per game this season on .506/.360/.810 shooting splits while playing just 29.3 minutes per game. The Spurs have won 16 of their last 17 games and hold the NBA’s second-best record (48-17).
McDonald notes that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic make for some formidable competition for MVP recognition, but Wembanyama’s teammates believe their leader’s case is a strong one.
“We went from not making the playoffs to the second seed,” rookie Dylan Harper said. “There’s not a whole lot to debate.”
We have more from the Southwest Division:
- De’Aaron Fox is thriving as a play-maker for the Spurs of late, and it’s helping to drive their success, Tom Orsborn writes for the Express-News. “I just want to be at my peak physically and mentally towards the end of the season,” he said. “We’re getting there.” Fox’s coaches and teammates have been more effusive in their praise. Head coach Mitch Johnson said that the star guard had hit another gear, while Wembanyama chalked it up to a higher operating level. “What I see from him is great decision-making and really being at peace with the basketball gods, not forcing things, doing the right play,” Wembanyama said. Fox has had at least 19 points and nine assists in each of San Antonio’s last three games, all wins.
- Johnson values the experience that veteran center Mason Plumlee brings to the Spurs, Orsborn notes (via Twitter). “He was a rookie for (Kevin Garnett) and Paul Pierce in Brooklyn, so there’s quite a bit of experience and stories,” the 39-year-old coach said. “(He’s) played with high-level players and played a few different types of roles and has seen different levels of success.” Plumlee saw his first playing time with San Antonio on Tuesday night, grabbing one rebound in one minute of action as the Spurs took down the Celtics, 125-116.
- Coming into Wednesday, it had been 459 days since Brandon Ingram took the court in New Orleans, Rod Walker of NOLA.com writes, and his time there shouldn’t be undervalued by Pelicans fans, even though he’s now wearing a Raptors jersey. Walker calls Ingram one of the best players to ever play in New Orleans, noting that he won the NBA’s Most Improved Player award and was named to his first All-Star team as a Pelican. “He shares a lot of relationships here, so it should be a fun game,” interim head coach James Borrego said before the game. “I hope more than anything the city welcomes him back and embraces him. He gave a lot to this city. Blood, sweat, and tears. He was a competitor.”
Spurs Notes: Contender Status, Plumlee, Bryant, Ingram, Wembanyama
The Spurs have been nearly unbeatable since the start of February, and every win makes them believe their window as title contenders may already be open, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required). The latest impressive performance came Sunday night against Houston as the Spurs set season highs in points (145), assists (38) and three-point shooting (52.5%) in a 25-point victory over their division rivals.
“Over the last 15, 20 games we’ve been super comfortable in every single game and given ourselves a chance to win,” Stephon Castle said. “We have nothing but confidence coming into every single game.”
At 47-17, San Antonio holds the league’s second-best record and the No. 2 spot in the West with a little more than a month left in the season. The only concern is a lack of playoff experience, but Luke Kornet sees parallels to what his former Celtics team was able to do on its way to becoming a championship team in 2024.
“The (20)22 season we went on a roll from January on and were playing a high level of basketball,” Kornet said. “It’s been a cool thing to be a part of this, especially because of how much we are growing and how young we are.”
There’s more from San Antonio:
- Mason Plumlee expects to make his Spurs debut tonight against Boston, according to Tom Orsborn of The Express-News (Twitter link). The veteran center, who joined the team on a 10-day contract last month and then signed a rest-of-the-season deal, hasn’t played since undergoing groin surgery on December 31 while he was still with Charlotte. “My body feels great,” Plumlee said. “(The Spurs) had a good plan to get me back to playing shape, and I’m ready to go.”
- Rookie Carter Bryant got a chance to match up with his basketball idol when the Spurs faced Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers on Friday, per Mike Finger of The Express-News. Bryant finished with five points and three rebounds, but he made several impactful plays to help San Antonio overcome a 25-point deficit. “It gives you a different feeling,” Bryant said. “It gives you a different confidence. You walk with a different swag, you talk with a different swag. It’s something I’ve never experienced before, and it’s one of those things that gets addicting.”
- Harrison Ingram earned G League Player of the Week honors last month, but the 2024 second-round pick is more focused on getting regular playing time in the NBA, Orsborn adds in a full story. Coach Mitch Johnson envisions him as a blue-collar player who can handle some of the game’s underrated tasks. “It’s rebound, space the floor, off-ball impact, and it’s being, I wouldn’t say a dirty player, but like a Dillon Brooks sort of player,” Ingram said.
- James Jackson of The Athletic details Victor Wembanyama‘s MVP case, stating that he has one of the largest on-off differentials in the league. Coming into Sunday’s game, the Spurs had a net rating of plus-15.5 in 1,426 minutes with Wembanyama on the court and minus-0.3 in 1,603 minutes when he’s on the bench.
Victor Wembanyama, Tyler Herro Named Players Of Week
Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama and Heat guard Tyler Herro have been named the Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, according to the league (Twitter links). The weekly award covers games played from March 2-8.
Wembanyama averaged 26.0 points, 10.5 rebounds and 4.8 blocks per game as San Antonio went 4-0 last week. It’s the second weekly award this season for the former No. 1 overall pick and the third of his career.
The Player of the Week honor continues an impressive run of award recognition for Wembanyama, who last week was named the Western Conference’s Player of the Month and Defensive Player of the Month for February.
Herro averaged 26.3 points and 5.5 rebounds per game while shooting 51.7 percent from three-point range as Miami also went 4-0 last week. This marks Herro’s second career Player of the Week award and his first of the season. He has been limited to just 20 appearances so far due to injuries but has been highly productive when available, averaging 22.1 PPG on .500/.402/.917 shooting.
Devin Booker (Suns), Luka Dončić (Lakers), Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder), Jrue Holiday (Trail Blazers) and Kawhi Leonard (Clippers) were the other nominees from the Western Conference. Bam Adebayo (Heat), Paolo Banchero (Magic), Jalen Johnson (Hawks) and Karl-Anthony Towns (Knicks) were also nominated in the East.