The Brooklyn Nets delivered a resounding defeat to the San Antonio Spurs yesterday night, extending the Spurs' losing streak to a dismal seven games with a 123-103 drumming. Newly acquired Dennis Schroder made his presence felt immediately, tallying 15 points and 12 assists in his debut for the Nets, as reported by Fox San Antonio.
Schroder's performance earned him the distinction of the most assists by a Nets player in his debut since James Harden in 2021. But it wasn't just his slick passing that got fans on their feet; it was also his impassioned reaction to a no-call after taking an elbow to the face from the Spurs' Victor Wembanyama. This fervor quickly turned into chants from the crowd, as Schroder openly challenged on-court decisions. "I’m glad we got the win, I think that’s the most important, but of course the appreciation was there and I love that the fans did it," Schroder told Fox San Antonio.
For the Spurs, Wembanyama—who led all first-year players in scoring, rebounds, and steals coming into the game—scored 21 points but could only manage to corral four rebounds. This inefficiency on the boards mirrored his previous game's performance, with just one. Despite the fabulous stats, the 7-foot-3 Frenchman's efforts weren't enough to lift his team from the bottom of the Western Conference, with a 10-43 record.
Cam Thomas shone brightly as well, pouring in 25 points for the Nets, while Nic Claxton posted a strong double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds. The Nets were decidedly to quickly control the tempo after Wembanyama cut the lead to just six points in the third quarter, embarking on a 10-2 surge that helped reestablish their dominance. "He’s won games and played in high-level games, so for him to be out here on the floor and lead our group tonight, pretty impressive," Nets coach Jacque Vaughn praised Schroder's performance, as per a Yahoo Sports interview.
