Dominant win shines bright light on why Spurs fans have been frustrated

That's the Devin Vassell we've all been waiting for. San Antonio took the fight to the Lakers in the second half of their third matchup of the season, scoring 73 points in the final two quarters compared to LA's 40. The Spurs blew the doors off the Purple and Gold behind strong performances from all of their best players, and fans couldn't be happier that the game was won that way.

Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, and Vassell scored 23 points apiece and were efficient in doing so. Dev shot 50% from the field, Wemby went 10-17 for 58.8%, while Castle was 10-16 for a blistering 62.5%. It was too much for the Lakers to handle in the final two periods, as the Spurs flipped a nine-point deficit at halftime into a 24-point victory (126-102) for one of their best wins of the season.

Everything changes for the Spurs if Vassell turns the corner

24 isn't going to shoot 50% from the floor every game, but that's not what fans are asking of him. We just need to see consistent production from him. Vassell was on the trajectory of a borderline all-star player in a deep Western Conference full of talented wing players. His first couple of seasons showcased his defensive skills, and his last two showed his offensive prowess.

This was the season to bring both worlds together. Wembanyama is a bonafide star, and the front office brought in a couple of seasoned veterans to make the game easier for everyone. The frustration came because everyone had such high expectations for him. It's truly a compliment because we believe in him.

It's difficult to be upset with players you don't have high expectations for. No matter how bad Malaki Branham plays, I won't be disappointed because that requires a belief that never existed. (Sorry for the stray shot, Malaki.) Vassell can't say the same. Everything about how the Spurs have treated him—his usage rate and his contract extension—demanded that he give more.

Vassell showed what he could give last night. He was decisive and aggressive on both sides of the floor, and San Antonio thrived because of it. Sure, it's a make-or-miss league, and sometimes shots won't fall, but that can't be the excuse for over a month of inconsistency from the second-best player on the team.

Going from 19.5 points per game last season to 15 this year wasn't going to fly. While some fans entered the season believing no player not named Wembanyama was untouchable, others believed Devin should also hold that designation.

I was one of them. His three-level scoring is valuable, his tough shot-making would be perfect in the postseason, and he's long enough to defend multiple positions. But he wasn't giving that production to the team. He's in year five, so it's past time to talk about projections on what he could be. He should be showing us.

Well, he showed us last night, and the result was beautiful. The days of Tim Duncan versus Kobe Bryant are over, but it's still sweet to beat up on the Lakers. If Vassell takes off, hopefully, everyone remembers that Los Angeles was the launch point because Dev is that important, but also because we just don't like them.