OffRtg: 118.6 (5) DefRtg: 110.2 (3) NetRtg: +8.4 (2) Tempo: 100.8 (12)
From Feb. 1 to April 1, the Spurs went 26-1 with Victor Wembanyama in uniform, outscoring their opponents by a tremendous 24.9 factors per 100 possessions in his 800 minutes on the ground. However that wasn’t ok to catch the Thunder, and the Spurs’ additional time loss to the Nuggets on Saturday afternoon has them three video games again of Oklahoma Metropolis with 4 video games to play.
One takeaway
The loss on Saturday was the primary time this season (in three conferences) that Wembanyama had performed in opposition to Denver, and it was the Spurs’ worst defensive recreation (136 factors allowed on 107 possessions) since December. The Nuggets shot simply 21-for-41 (51%) within the paint, however have been 9-for-14 from mid-range and 9-for-19 on nook 3-pointers.
The Spurs lead the league within the proportion of their opponents’ photographs (13%) which have come from mid-range and have the seventh highest opponent nook charge (proportion of their opponents’ 3-point makes an attempt that come from the corners), and Denver is uniquely certified to maintain Wembanyama occupied and have 5 shooters on the ground. The Nuggets’ 9 gamers who’ve shot 38% or higher on at the least 100 3-point makes an attempt are three greater than every other crew has.
What to look at for this week
Whereas the Spurs aren’t fairly locked into the two seed within the West (and the second finest report general), they’re shut. However to qualify for awards consideration, Wembanyama must play in three extra video games, logging at the least 20 minutes in two of the three and at the least quarter-hour within the third. The Spurs are the one crew with none extra street video games and whereas their season finale in opposition to Denver won’t imply something to them, there’s an opportunity it can decide whether or not the Nuggets cross the shorthanded Lakers within the standings and grow to be a possible opponent within the second spherical.
