By halftime tonight, 1 / 4 of the Spurs’ 2024-25 common season (sure, we will use the excellence once more!) could have handed, they usually proceed to point out they’re a brand new staff. With an 11-9 report after 20 video games (tying their finest begin since 2017-18), the Spurs are 8 video games forward of final season, once they had been reeling within the midst of an 18-game shedding streak and didn’t attain 11 wins till their lone win of the Rodeo Street Journey in Toronto on February 12. (A recreation that, coincidently, featured my favourite play of the season — I’ll use any excuse to rehash it.)
As a result of this staff continues to point out us new issues and be so intriguing, I believed we may revisit observations from the primary 10 video games, in addition to take a look at some new ones from the final 10.
Revisiting the primary 10 video games
Wanting again at observations from their first 10 video games, the temper has shifted a bit from then to now. Whereas the Spurs sat at 4-6 — admittedly inside expectation primarily based on the schedule — there was nonetheless an aura of disappointment at that second contemplating that they had simply misplaced 3 of 4 video games, together with a blowing a 26-point result in the Clippers and shedding to the lowly Jazz at house. To not point out, accidents had been piling up.
Two factors from then stay true 22 days later: that the Spurs offense advantages vastly when Chris Paul appears for his personal shot, and Stephon Fortress is wanting like the true deal, however the different two may use a fast revisit. First, it was wanting just like the Spurs could not sport a whole roster till 2025, and whereas that might nonetheless find yourself being true relying on Tre Jones’ shoulder sprain, the Spurs now have Devin Vassell and Jeremy Sochan again (if not at present, then very quickly), which is as shut to finish as they’ve been all season, and each deliver one more increase to an already surging staff.
The opposite level to revisit is concern about Victor Wembanyama’s shot choice. On the time, we identified that he was taking on 7 threes per recreation — on tempo to set a franchise report for makes an attempt in a season by a landslide — whereas hitting them at only a 28% fee with questionable shot choice. Since then, whereas his makes an attempt have elevated much more to 12.3 per recreation within the final 10 video games, he’s taking them extra inside the circulation of the offense and capturing 40.7%, bringing his season averages as much as 35% on 9.2 makes an attempt. I might nonetheless wish to see him set up a low publish recreation a bit extra, however you may’t argue an excessive amount of if he retains hitting them at this fee.
Now, listed below are some new observations.
The Spurs are a superb defensive staff once more
To get proper to the purpose: the Spurs not suck on protection. In actual fact, they’re fairly good. Regardless of having the runner-up Defensive Participant of the 12 months in Wemby final season, the Spurs had been a nasty defensive staff, no ifs, ands or buts about it. Whereas they made a little bit of a leap to the decrease 20’s in defensive ranking by the tip of the season, they spent a lot of it in direction of the very backside, and it confirmed as they blew double-digit lead after double-digit lead when the offense hit an inevitable lull.
Now, because of some new faces and inside development, the Spurs are an above common defensive staff once more, presently sitting at thirteenth within the league in defensive ranking. This has helped make up for his or her barely under common (however bettering) offense, and the fears that they may blow large leads have subsided. To that finish, one other change from final yr is that they have turn out to be a second-half staff, eliminating their notorious “turd quarters” and truly outscoring their opponents within the second half. Offense comes and goes, however protection is ceaselessly, and that basis is required to construct a profitable staff.
Harrison Barnes has been a steal for the Spurs
We gave Paul and Fortress some a lot deserved reward final time, so now it’s Harrison Barnes’ flip. Maybe essentially the most ignored of the Spurs’ three new gamers this season, Barnes has changed into fairly a pickup for the membership. Acquired as a part of the commerce that despatched DeMar DeRozan to Sacramento, the Spurs didn’t have to provide something as much as soak up Barnes into their cap area, they usually even obtained the fitting to swap 2031 draft picks with the Kings (who by the way in which are struggling proper now) for his or her troubles.
He appeared like a pleasant addition who would deliver some veteran management and three-point capturing to the staff on the time, however he has been a lot greater than that, to the purpose that it’s exhausting to visualise eradicating him from the beginning lineup because the Spurs return to full well being. He’s not capturing a ton of threes however is hitting them at a really environment friendly 46.2%, and he retains the offense from stagnating along with his off-ball motion. He additionally hasn’t been a sieve on protection like we had been led to consider and helped the Spurs traverse a bout of accidents, together with to Wemby, with a Western Convention Participant of the Week efficiency. Jacob Douglas dove a lot deeper into his efficiency final week, so make sure you go examine that out, however suffice it to say, the Spurs could have fleeced one more staff with an underrated commerce.
Mitch Johnson is an NBA head coach
Final however not least, props should be given to interim head coach Mitch Johnson. Whereas it was introduced a number of weeks in the past that the well being scare that has stored Gregg Popovich out since November 2 was a minor stroke and he’s presently present process rehabilitation, Johnson has crammed in admirably for his boss. Whereas not as bombastic Pop, he nonetheless has the identical hard-nosed strategy. He’s not afraid to teach his gamers, name indignant timeouts once they mess up, or inform the media when he’s not pleased with a efficiency. He additionally hasn’t been afraid to tighten the rotation when wanted or open it up when the matchup or different causes name for it, corresponding to enjoying Sandro Mamukelashvili when the Spurs want a spark or giving Charles Bassey a shot at backup heart.
In fact, Johnson continues to be studying, and none of that is to say Pop ought to retire and hand over the reins now — his purpose stays to return — however this might put Johnson on an inside observe to succeed the GOAT coach when he does name it quits. Whereas we’ve stated that about many assistant coaches over time, and there’ll doubtless nonetheless be a course of when the time comes, Johnson is definitely making a case for himself. That’s, in fact, if somebody doesn’t come snatch him first.
