The San Antonio Spurs came away with a 123-98 road win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night at FedExForum, using a fast start and a commanding third quarter to stay in control throughout the game. San Antonio opened with a 38-point first quarter, carried a double-digit lead into halftime, and then widened the margin with a 41-20 third period to improve to 55-18. Memphis dropped to 24-48 despite a late push in the fourth quarter.

Quarter-by-quarter breakdown

First quarter: The Spurs set the tone immediately, outscoring Memphis 38-19 in the opening 12 minutes. San Antonio moved the ball well, found efficient looks, and forced the Grizzlies to chase the game almost from the start. Memphis had trouble matching the Spurs’ pace and shot creation early, and the 19-point gap gave the visitors full control of the opening stretch.

Second quarter: The Grizzlies responded with a more competitive second period and trimmed the deficit slightly by outscoring San Antonio 25-19. Memphis showed better rhythm offensively and did enough to keep the game from getting away before halftime. Even so, the Spurs still entered the break ahead 57-44 after building enough cushion in the first quarter.

Third quarter: This was the deciding stretch. San Antonio delivered its best offensive quarter of the night, putting up 41 points while holding Memphis to 20. The Spurs consistently created good shots, controlled the glass, and expanded the lead possession by possession. By the end of the period, San Antonio had pushed the score to 98-64, leaving little doubt about the outcome.

Fourth quarter: Memphis showed some fight in the final quarter, outscoring the Spurs 34-25, but the deficit was too large to seriously threaten San Antonio’s lead. The Grizzlies found more success late, while the Spurs focused on closing out a comfortable win. The final margin settled at 25 points.

Key performers

Spurs: Victor Wembanyama led San Antonio with 19 points and 15 rebounds, adding 3 steals and 7 blocks in one of the most complete stat lines of the night. Stephon Castle paced the Spurs’ playmaking with 9 assists as San Antonio finished with 36 assists as a team. The Spurs also controlled the boards decisively, finishing with a 59-33 rebounding advantage while shooting 51.7 percent from the field.

Grizzlies: GG Jackson led Memphis with 20 points and added 7 rebounds. Taylor Hendricks grabbed a team-high 8 rebounds, and Cam Spencer led the Grizzlies with 7 assists. Memphis made 16 three-pointers, the same total as San Antonio, but finished at 39.5 percent from the floor overall and could not overcome the early deficit.

Game analysis

The biggest difference in this matchup was San Antonio’s control of the game in the first and third quarters. The Spurs combined for 79 points across those two periods, which allowed them to dictate tempo and keep Memphis from establishing any sustained pressure. Their efficiency stood out as well: San Antonio shot 46-for-89 from the field and consistently generated quality looks through ball movement.

The rebounding gap was just as important. San Antonio’s 59 rebounds compared with Memphis’ 33 gave the Spurs extra possessions and limited second-chance opportunities for the Grizzlies. Wembanyama’s presence was central to that effort, both on the glass and around the rim, where his 7 blocked shots altered the shape of the game defensively.

Memphis had solid passing numbers with 26 assists and enough perimeter production to stay productive in stretches, but the Grizzlies’ 34-for-86 shooting line left too many empty possessions. The first-quarter hole and third-quarter separation proved too much to recover from, even with a stronger final period.

Closing context

The result moved the Spurs to 55-18, another strong road performance as they continue to strengthen their position near the top of the Western Conference heading toward the final stretch of the regular season. For the Grizzlies, now 24-48, the loss was another difficult result at home, dropping Memphis to 13-22 at FedExForum. These teams did not need overtime, and San Antonio’s overall consistency made the difference from the opening quarter onward.