Whereas most of America was spending their Saturday gearing as much as watch Taylor Swift watching a soccer recreation from a set (or for 90s youngsters like myself, brushing up on their Usher lyrics and training their dance strikes) the San Antonio Spurs had been readying themselves for the third recreation of the Rodeo Highway Journey. This journey throughout the nation that takes up virtually all the month of February haven’t been type to the Spurs the previous few years. For the reason that 2017-18 season, the Spurs have gone 5-32 on the RRT (excluding 2020-21, once they solely performed three video games and went 2-1). After final night time, that report is now 5-35, with not quite a lot of reprieve coming the remainder of the best way.
Highway woes are what include being a younger, to not point out rebuilding, group. One of many essential causes for that is that the NBA schedule and journey might be grueling. No matter how proficient the roster could also be, the extra veteran-laden groups simply know tips on how to deal with taking part in a number of video games away from dwelling higher. And now that Doug McDermott is suiting up for the Indiana Pacers, Cedi Osman is essentially the most skilled participant on the Spurs who’s in his seventh NBA season. He and Devonte Graham are additionally the previous heads at a whopping 28 years previous (they each flip 29 earlier than the season ends).
It’s not shocking given how younger this Spurs group is that six of their eight worst taking pictures video games have come on the highway, together with final night time in Brooklyn. And of the ten video games the Spurs have did not crack 100 factors, eight of them had been away from dwelling.
Every of those video games are studying classes for each participant, even people who don’t hit the courtroom. It could not look like it as we watch from afar, particularly seeing the losses mount up, however Victor Wembanyama, Devin Vassell, and the remainder of the roster might be higher for it sooner or later.
Takeaways:
There’s an enormous three there — it’s simply not fairly prepared but. That sentence could make a few of you guffaw, however it actually is there. Wembanyama, Vassell, and Keldon Johnson are a trio that may make strikes on this league. They match collectively nicely. They’re all proficient in their very own methods. They only are in the midst of settling into their hierarchy. It’s been apparent that Wemby was one of the best of them mainly from the leap, and it’s been virtually as apparent that Vassell was the second choice. Keldon, after being the go-to man all final season, has needed to modify to a brand new function, which incorporates his transfer to the bench. They’ll proceed to develop collectively and the items round them will get higher. Fairly quickly, we’ll see them lead the Spurs to extra wins than losses.
Nic Claxton is close to the highest of the record of most underrated gamers within the league. It looks like no person has talked about Claxton this yr after placing collectively a Defensive Participant of the 12 months sort season final yr. Together with his 20-point, 11-rebound efficiency final night time, he earned his twentieth double-double of the season. That’s tied with Karl-Anthony Cities for 18th within the NBA. His athleticism and dimension make for a lethal mixture, and at 24, there needs to be little doubt that he’ll find yourself making a reasonably large influence on a contender quickly. Maybe subsequent yr, given he’ll be an unrestricted free agent when this season wraps up.
The Spurs traded a shooter and it exhibits. Shock, shock. After buying and selling Doug McDermott away for mainly solely a second-round decide, the Spurs have regarded like they might use a motion shooter. This isn’t to say it was the unsuitable transfer, as a result of he would’ve probably signed with one other group as a free agent. The Spurs regarded on the truth they weren’t going wherever this season and turned to the long run. However because the roster sits now, the Spurs’ three-point threats are Julian Champagnie, Cedi Osman, and Devin Vassell. Cedi lead the three of them in share at 38%, however that’s not practically ok to be a group’s main shooter in 2024. Search for this to be addressed on this upcoming offseason.
Dennis Schröder wants extra respect. This previous offseason, no contending group was prepared to supply a good contract to Schröder, however just a few of them positive may use his skills. As a substitute, the Toronto Raptors signed him to a two-year deal for slightly below 13-million {dollars} per yr. Then, when those self same contenders may’ve traded for him, he winds up being dealt to the Brooklyn Nets for Spencer Dinwiddie. All this after his 28-point recreation within the FIBA World Cup Remaining to guide Germany to the gold medal. He belongs on a group that’ll probably be taking part in in June.
