Victor Wembanyama finished with 21 points, 17 rebounds, and 6 blocks as the San Antonio Spurs beat the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons 114-103 on Monday, extending their winning streak to nine games — the longest in the NBA this season.
Wembanyama shot 37.5% from the field against a Pistons defense that made the game physical throughout, but he scored 11 of his points in the fourth quarter when Detroit had cut into the lead. His 17 rebounds and 6 blocks anchored a defensive performance that held the Pistons to 19.4% shooting from three-point range.
“It was a good test,” Wembanyama said after the game.
Devin Vassell led San Antonio in scoring with 28 points on 7-of-11 shooting from beyond the arc. All five Spurs starters scored in double figures, and five additional players scored off the bench.
Spurs shoot 45% from three while holding Pistons to 19.4% from deep
San Antonio’s offensive execution contrasted sharply with Detroit’s struggles from the perimeter. The Spurs shot 45% from three-point range as a team, recorded 33 assists, forced 16 turnovers, and scored 21 points off those turnovers.
Detroit generated 62 points in the paint through physical interior play, but the Spurs countered with ball movement and floor spacing that created open looks on the perimeter. The combination of defensive pressure and three-point efficiency was the decisive factor in a game where Detroit attempted to slow the pace and make possessions difficult.
Cade Cunningham held to 5-of-26 shooting by Stephon Castle’s defense
Pistons All-Star guard Cade Cunningham shot 5-of-26 from the field, his lowest shooting percentage in weeks. Stephon Castle drew the primary defensive assignment on Cunningham and disrupted his ability to get clean looks throughout the game.
“Vic is going to impact the game no matter what,” Castle said of Wembanyama’s defensive presence behind him.
Detroit entered the game on a five-game winning streak and holds the best record in the Eastern Conference. The Pistons’ inability to generate efficient offense against San Antonio’s defense — particularly from the perimeter — prevented them from overcoming the Spurs’ balanced scoring attack.
Spurs rank third in defensive rating and sixth in offense during nine-game streak
The nine-game winning streak has included victories over the Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers, and now the Pistons. During that stretch, the Spurs have established themselves as one of the most statistically complete teams in the league, ranking sixth in offensive rating, third in defensive rating, and fourth in net rating.
Those numbers reflect a team that is winning through structural balance rather than reliance on individual scoring runs. The 33 assists against Detroit and double-figure scoring from 10 players illustrate an offense built on ball movement, while the defensive metrics are anchored by Wembanyama’s rim protection and the perimeter pressure applied by Castle and Vassell.
Wembanyama absorbs physical play and produces 11 fourth-quarter points
The Detroit game tested whether Wembanyama could produce against sustained physical contact. The Pistons used Jalen Duren and Cunningham to apply body pressure on nearly every possession, and Wembanyama was knocked to the floor multiple times during the game.
His response came through rebounding volume and shot-blocking rather than shooting efficiency. The 17 rebounds and 6 blocks represented the kind of non-scoring impact that kept San Antonio in control even when his field-goal percentage was below his season average. His 11 fourth-quarter points came when the Spurs needed to re-establish their lead after a Detroit run.
San Antonio trails only defending champion Oklahoma City in the Western Conference standings. The Spurs’ next stretch of games will determine whether the nine-game streak has established a sustainable level of play or represents a peak that regresses as the schedule continues toward the postseason.