Spurs Vs Pistons: Wembanyama Ends Detroit’s Five-Game Streak in 114-103 Victory

The spurs vs pistons matchup on Monday at Little Caesars Arena saw the San Antonio Spurs beat the Detroit Pistons 114-103, halting Detroit’s five-game win streak. The result matters because it arrived at the start of a critical week of home games for the Pistons and sets up a March 5 rematch in San Antonio while Detroit prepares to host the defending champions on Wednesday night.

Victor Wembanyama’s rim protection altered Detroit’s attack

Victor Wembanyama finished with 21 points, 17 rebounds and six blocks, leaning on his paint protection to make Detroit uncomfortable inside. The 7-foot-4 superstar logged a difficult first half—seven points on 2-for-9 shooting, six rebounds, zero assists and three turnovers—after the Pistons frequently pushed, bumped and sent him to the floor on drives and post-ups. Teammates Jalen Duren, Ausar Thompson and Paul Reed took turns making Wembanyama’s minutes physically taxing, and his high reject on a Cade Cunningham layup midway through the third quarter was one of several signs his presence changed how the Pistons tried to score at the rim.

Spurs Vs Pistons: San Antonio’s 3-point barrage

San Antonio’s perimeter shooting was decisive: the Spurs knocked down 18 of 40 from deep (45%), more than doubling Detroit’s seven makes on 36 attempts (19. 4%). Devin Vassell led that charge with 28 points on 10-for-14 shooting, including 7-for-11 from three, while Julian Champagnie added 17 points and five triples. Vassell and Champagnie combined for 30 points on 9-for-12 from behind the arc by halftime to help the Spurs hold a 57-55 lead, offsetting a first-half inside struggle when San Antonio made just 10 of 28 shots (35. 7%) inside the arc.

Cade Cunningham, Pistons shooting and bench moves

Cade Cunningham endured one of his worst nights, finishing with 16 points on 5-for-26 shooting (19. 2%), along with 10 assists, three blocks and two steals. Jalen Duren paced Detroit with 25 points and 14 rebounds. The Pistons were limited to 40-for-106 overall (37. 7%), their worst percentage of the season and below the 37. 9% mark they set against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Oct. 27. Their 3-point shooting also matched one of the season’s low points at 19. 4%, tying for the third-worst mark for the club. A fourth-quarter collapse of sorts began in the third, when Detroit lost the period 26-20 and managed just 7-for-24 (29. 2%) shooting for the quarter. The coaching staff’s rotation included a bench change noted during the game: Ausar Thompson was benched for Ron Holland in the loss.

Stephon Castle’s defensive assignment and profile

Stephon Castle played a prominent defensive role on Cunningham, finishing with 16 points and 11 assists and helping to bottle up Detroit’s primary ball-handler. Castle is 21 years old, was the No. 4 pick in 2024 out of UConn, and is described in this game as a rare guard equipped to defend Cunningham—standing nearly 6-7 with a 6-9 wingspan. His length and defensive positioning contributed to the Pistons’ offensive difficulties in the second half.

Little Caesars Arena environment and schedule implications

The contest at Little Caesars Arena felt playoff-like, with referees allowing both teams a physical edge; that tolerance left room for the Pistons to batter San Antonio’s big man and for the Spurs to respond from distance. The loss ended Detroit’s five-game streak and has immediate scheduling consequences: the teams will meet again on March 5 in San Antonio, and Detroit will host the defending NBA champion and Western Conference 1-seed Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night. What makes this notable is how a single defensive presence—Wembanyama’s six blocks and altered rim opportunities—translated into measurable offensive decline for a team that entered the night 42-14, while San Antonio improved to 41-16 by hitting 45% from three and combining complementary performances from multiple starters.

Combined, the box score spelled a clear cause-and-effect: San Antonio’s long-range shooting and Wembanyama’s paint deterrence forced the Pistons into poor looks, producing a season-worst overall shooting night and snapping their early win streak just as a crucial stretch of home games began.