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Four straight wins. The San Antonio Spurs are continuing to find their rhythm.
After taking down the Minnesota Timberwolves 121-111 on Halloween, San Antonio is back at Frost Bank Center on Monday night looking to extend their win streak to five against the Utah Jazz.
The Spurs have already gotten the better of Utah once this season, escaping Salt Lake City with a 117-111 overtime victory. Now, they'll have another chance to do so, this time in front of their home crowd.
Against Minnesota, Victor Wembanyama was dominant on both ends of the floor, ending his night with 43 points and recording six blocks, making life difficult for anyone attempting to attack the paint.
The star has also hinted that there's more to his game that fans haven't seen just yet.
"Hopefully, yeah," Wembanyama said when asked if some of the moves he's been working on behind closed doors would make their way into games. "It's always a challenge to balance individual development and team goals because… we're not out there to work on our game. We're here to win games."
That mindset has become increasingly apparent for San Antonio, which has found ways to win through contributions across the roster.
Utah, meanwhile, enters the matchup at 1-5, still searching for consistency early in the season. Still, the Spurs don't take the challenge they present lightly.
"It is hard to win in this league," Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said of the Jazz in Salt Lake City. "That's a very good young team. A very well-coached team that is competing their butts off."
Starting Lineups
San Antonio's projected starting five stays De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, Devin Vassell and Wembanyama, a group that has kept developing chemistry through the opening stretch of the season.
Against Minnesota, Fox finished with 22 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, while Harper added 25 points, seven rebounds and six assists. The two guards had a great game, and have provided San Antonio with additional playmaking options, allowing Wembanyama to operate without carrying the entire offensive load.
Harper, for his part, understands just how important getting Wembanyama involved is.
"I think we do a great job at getting him to his spots," Harper said. "At the end of the day, he knows we have belief in him. When (he) gets to (his) spots, he's pretty much unguardable."
Vassell continued to provide the kind of glue-guy performance that doesn't always show up in the box score. Julian Champagnie added 12 points, Luke Kornet grabbed eight rebounds and Carter Bryant played with confidence in his opportunities off the bench.
Castle, meanwhile, finished scoreless while battling a migraine, but his willingness to remain on the floor speaks to who he is on this team.
"A lot of people wouldn't have went into work if they were feeling like Steph Castle," Johnson said. "Sometimes, in this sport, it doesn't get enough attention."
Markkanen's return gives Utah an offensive boost.
The Jazz will, however, be without Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jusuf Nurkić, leaving them shorthanded heading into Monday's matchup.
For the Spurs, the biggest challenge going into this one is taking better care of the basketball.
Despite beating Minnesota by 10 points, San Antonio allowed 29 points off turnovers, a pattern that cannot continue for a team looking to establish itself as a defensive nightmare.
Against this Utah squad, limiting those mistakes will be important, especially considering how close the teams' first meeting became.
The Jazz will have Lauri Markkanen back in the lineup after missing the first meeting between the two teams, giving Utah another proven scoring option that San Antonio will have to account for.
There's also the matter of continuing to build chemistry.
Wembanyama's comments about balancing individual development with winning reflect a team-first approach, something that has been evident throughout San Antonio's four-game winning streak. That approach is what brought them to the Finals ahead of schedule, and it is one the team has continued to prioritize as they try to run it back.
Yes, San Antonio is also still waiting on Harris. The veteran forward has yet to make his regular-season debut, but as the Spurs continue to take a cautious approach to his recovery, they've shown they can find production elsewhere. With the homestand continuing, San Antonio has an opportunity to keep building on what has already been an encouraging stretch.
Four straight wins have given the Spurs momentum. A fifth would only add to it.
Ahead of Monday's matchup, here's everything you need to know:
UTA:
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