The Spurs had been doing well at masking major absences, but couldn’t survive one more in their visit to Cleveland. Luke Kornet joined Victor Wembanyama in the injury report, and the blow to the interior defense was too severe to patch over. The Cavaliers scored 80 points in the paint and dominated the third quarter on their way to a 130-117 win. There were no surprises in the matchup, at least on the defensive end. The Spurs, missing their two rim protectors and starting Bismack Biyombo, struggled to keep the Cavaliers out of the paint from the get-go. The driving lanes were open and Evan Mobley did damage as a scorer and passer despite getting doubled aggressively. On the other end, things weren’t as predictable. San Antonio mostly relied on jumpers, as the paint was clogged, but thrived with that strategy, mostly thanks to Devin Vassell being scorching hot from beyond the arc. As the second units checked in, the Silver and Black’s lack of size became an issue on the boards on defense, but they made up for it by collecting offensive rebounds of their own. It was as good a start as the Spurs could have hoped for, as they led by five after one. The good times continued in the second frame, in part because the Cavaliers looked complacent, but also because the Spurs, who went deep into their bench, played with energy and mustered enough scoring to be in control of the game for most of the first half. The massive advantage inside was still there, and the home team maximized it to keep the score close, but San Antonio was fine as long as it was an offensive-minded affair. Vassell and De’Aaron Fox got buckets for the Silver and Black while Donovan Mitchell and Mobley did the heavy lifting for the Cavs, whose players looked lackadaisical and whose coaches appeared to be in a state between frustration and anger at the effort level. Threes and offensive rebounds allowed the Spurs to score 72 in the half and lead by eight at the break, and a surprising win was not out of the question. Alas, the Cavaliers, which had major absences of their own and have disappointed to start the season, woke up in time to not let the game slip away. The third quarter was pure domination. The Spurs were helpless inside, but compounded the issue by being inattentive at times, allowing buckets on cuts and not providing timely help. Cleveland quickly took the lead, with an inspired Jaylon Tyson leading the way. Fox and Vassell tried to stop the bleeding with a couple of buckets, but they were facing a more committed defense and surrounded by teammates who could not hit the few open shots an often stagnant offense generated. Mitch Johnson tried out a zone that eventually bothered the Cavs, and Keldon Johnson tried to energize the team with drives and hustle plays, but there was no turning the tide. San Antonio allowed 44 points and only scored 19 in the frame. The effort was still there in the fourth. Julian Champagnie, who had massively struggled offensively earlier, hit a few shots. Several players tried to drive instead of settling for jumpers or watching Fox dribble. Dylan Harper looked more dynamic. Johnson went with an even smaller unit that he had used previously, with no center or Sochan manning the position, to try to open things up. They cut the lead to 12 a couple of times, but didn’t have the firepower or the stops to mount a true comeback attempt. It was a predictable loss that says little about the team other than they’ll need some guys back to survive a long season. Game notes Vassell and Fox carried the team on offense in the first half. Fox relied too much on his jumper and Vassell, who set a franchise record with seven first-half threes, faded after a strong start, so their nights weren’t perfect. Still, without those two getting buckets, the game could have turned into a blowout earlier. The Cavaliers did a good job of staying close to shooters, except for Vassell, so it’s not surprising that Champagnie and Barnes weren’t major factors. They had some good moments, but it’s hard for them to do much when the offense is not clicking. Barnes could have been more aggressive in looking for his own shot, as he has in recent games, but with the guards scoring at will for a while, he deferred. The centers did what they could. Biyombo shouldn’t be getting minutes at this point in his career, but he always tries hard. Sochan was great on the offensive glass in the first, but he’s not a rim protector. Olynyk barely played. It can be argued that starting Sochan, so he could match up with an on-ball threat like Mobley, while bringing either of the other big guys to battle with Thomas Bryant off the bench would have made more sense, but Mitch Johnson really didn’t have great options. The rookies had rough games. Harper couldn’t buy a bucket, finishing 1-for-11 from the floor. He dished out some assists but wasn’t the engine he’s been at times. Carter Bryant had to play some center and, understandably, struggled. His shot was also off. David Jones Garcia was erratic until garbage time and should have been ejected for a hard foul. There will be nights like this one for the young, inexperienced guys. Mitch Johnson talked about “mental fatigue” in his postgame comments. There was some of that for sure, but not from Keldon Johnson. He tried to rally his teammates and led by example, as he has all season. This time it wasn’t enough, but he’s established himself as both a leader and someone who makes winning plays. Play of the game Let’s go with a Biyombo highlight, since we don’t know how many more we will get. BISMACK ‼️📺 @FanDuelSN_SW pic.twitter.com/L7ufDY7mTh— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) December 6, 2025 Next game: at Pelicans on Monday The road trip continues with a visit to the bottom-dwelling Pelicans. It should be a win, especially if Kornet is available. ...read more read less