Vassell’s fourth-quarter – Devin Vassell has struggled with shooting in the fourth quarter throughout the season and carries those issues into the Spurs’ Timberwolves series. With San Antonio trusting him as the go-to scorer late, the question is whether his late-game offense can finall
When the Spurs’ late-game push has mattered most this season. Devin Vassell has been the one spot that hasn’t fully matched the team’s steadiness.. San Antonio has often made things hard to escape in the fourth quarter. but Vassell’s shooting has lagged for months. and it’s followed him into the playoffs.
In this series against the Timberwolves, his problems in the final period are stark.. Across the four games played, the Georgia-born guard is shooting just 37.5% from the floor in the fourth quarter.. That number is only slightly worse than the 38% he posted during the regular season in that same segment. but even small dips can loom large once playoff defenses tighten and every possession gets louder.
The Spurs aren’t questioning Vassell’s value beyond the box score.. He’s been trusted night after night to handle the defensive assignments—often as the next man up after Stefon Castle—and because of his strength. he’s been able to guard perimeter players. sometimes even athletes bigger than him.. His work on the defensive end has been described as tremendous from start to finish. and it’s clear his contributions go well beyond whether his jump shot is dropping.
But the timing of the slump is the real issue.. Those defensive efforts take energy. and because Vassell uses his legs heavily in his jump shot. the concern is whether that same physical lift is wearing on his offense late.. In a series where the Timberwolves have already shown they can run desperation sequences in the final minutes. missing too many of the shots he creates could be the difference between a controlled finish and a game that slips away.
The path to changing that outcome is straightforward in basketball terms, if not easy in execution.. Vassell’s shooting number needs to rise—specifically. getting him up to around 43% from the floor in the fourth quarter would make a meaningful difference.. The Spurs believe he has the ability to impact winning time; the complication is that his effectiveness has not been translating into enough makes.
There’s also a clear theme around shot selection and aggression.. Vassell is described as a heady player who frequently finds open spots and generates good looks. the kind he’s capable of knocking down.. Yet the misses are piling up. and the knock-on effect is that it leaves the door open for Minnesota to keep making those last-quarter pushes.
San Antonio’s confidence shows up in how they use him. When Vassell becomes the obvious best option for a good shot, the Spurs will pass him the ball. The expectation isn’t just to take shots—it’s to cash in with more efficiency and to justify why he’s trusted when the stakes are at their highest.
For all the defensive praise, the offense has to arrive sooner.. Fans may not oppose Vassell taking a more direct approach—getting into the lane and using his tendencies against opponents. since the midrange pull-up is a key part of his game.. He’s also been strong at the line during the regular season. converting at an 82% free throw rate. yet in the playoffs he’s barely taking more than one free throw attempt per night.
That imbalance makes the late-game picture even clearer: if Vassell can be more forceful and turn his late openings into points instead of attempts. the Spurs’ margin shrinks in their favor.. Ultimately. the responsibility sits with Vassell and the coaching staff to find what changes the offense needs in the fourth quarter.
San Antonio is pushing for championship-level tightening as the playoffs build toward even smaller margins.. Winning more possessions—on both ends—becomes non-negotiable.. Right now, the series hinges not on whether Vassell does his job.. It’s whether, when the fourth quarter arrives, his shooting does too.
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