The San Antonio Spurs got here up brief within the Finals, nevertheless it’s unfair to name the season a failure due to the expansion proven and the bonds strengthened in 2025-26. Happily, for them, their mighty nucleus continues to be in its infancy and with correct growth, they may have extra alternatives to lift the Larry O’Brien trophy.
In lots of instances, humiliation is considered one of life’s biggest lecturers, and the Spurs should be feeling a few of that after folding late in every of their 4 Finals losses. It’s what the crew felt 13 years in the past in 2013 once they let a title slip away in Miami, nevertheless it made them stronger and extra decided the subsequent season once they went on the warpath.
These Spurs, who celebrated their twelfth championship anniversary on Monday, have been on the time acknowledged for his or her selfless type of play and dedication, however by way of being seen as really nice, they shortly fell into the shadow of the dynastic Warriors, who constructed on that type and would dominate the remainder of the last decade, led by a way more socially outgoing famous person. (However perhaps they’ll get extra respect sooner or later, like previous movies that have been beneath appreciated on the time however later turn into cult classics.)
Like their 2013 counterparts, the present Spurs crew now is aware of that being good is just not ok. Sixty-two wins could not occur yearly, however there was a time limit within the in 2025-26 season during which Spurs followers began anticipating to win each recreation, and that must be the usual going ahead.
The entrance workplace and Coach Mitch Johnson are doubtless already inspecting what areas want enchancment. Among the many issues the Spurs will likely be addressing within the offseason, listed below are the adjustments and changes I’d wish to see that would considerably elevate their efficiency and be the distinction between them internet hosting their very own parade and going house empty-handed. Let’s evaluation.
The Spurs weren’t a nasty passing crew, logging the second highest potential assists within the playoffs (45.7), however they have been unremarkable within the playoffs as they have been twelfth of 16 in passes made and in the midst of ball safety. Take into account that the best power is the move as a result of it’s quicker than the dribble. The Spurs’ offense was too reliant on dribble penetration, whereas the New York Knicks ran extra movement.
Moreover, the 2024-25 Knicks didn’t look this sharp offensively beneath coach Tim Thibodeau as they did with Mike Brown, a former Spurs assistant, who helped them win a championship. The Knicks that misplaced in opposition to the Indiana Pacers within the 2025 ECF made 25.8 much less passes per recreation than this 12 months’s champs. One of many largest results this had was saving among the juice in Jalen Brunson’s legs for clutch time.
Extra passes might assist Victor Wembanyama as a result of a great chunk of his offense begins with him dribbling down from the perimeter. Higher effort is exerted getting previous a person in a defensive stance than slipping previous somebody who’s making an attempt to concentrate to the ball whereas guarding an off-ball participant.
Moreover, it’s exhausting to have witnessed the Stunning Sport Spurs and suppose the present ball motion is sufficient. In 2014, they handed the ball 44 extra occasions than the present squad, which makes them a very completely different crew.
Consider the swift first step De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Fortress and Dylan Harper have. Placing them in a system with extra ball motion might make their jobs simpler with extra catch-and-go strikes, making certain they see much less assist defenders.
One of many causes the 2024-25 Indiana Pacers ripped by the East was as a result of they averaged 318 passes per recreation, which was 49.4 greater than the subsequent East crew (Orlando Magic), and 70.7 greater than the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder within the Finals. The Pacers misplaced within the finale, however who is aware of what occurs if Tyrese Haliburton doesn’t pop his Achilles tendon? (Rely your self fortunate, Chet Holmgren.)
With the best purchase in and training, this adjustment might be finished with out the gamers sacrificing a lot of their identities.
2. Protecting the 3-point line
The paint will all the time be the guts of the protection, however the significance of the 3-point line will increase every year as the typical makes an attempt rise. On prime of that, with respect to previous eras, this one is the toughest to protect in since a lot of carrying violations by no means get referred to as, which is a ridiculously unfair benefit, and there are extra areas of the half-court to cowl.
Coach Johnson defined to me at All-Star weekend within the scrum that among the causes for thus many open to wide-open 3-point makes an attempt come from offensive rebounds, transition and unscripted performs. Some stuff is sort of inconceivable to assist until the crew goes to be good in different areas.
Nonetheless, groups can save themselves about 10 factors per recreation by defending within the half-court with extra consideration to element, and the Spurs are not any completely different. One of many large errors made league extensive is the nook defender standing in no man’s land. When the move is made to his man, most occasions both an open shot is taken, or the exhausting shut out causes a breakdown. This may be prevented by letting the backline defender, in a number of instances Wembanyama, care for it.
Moreover, drop protection must be used solely on gamers who aren’t threats exterior of 10 toes from the rim. The second defender has to play on the degree of the display in opposition to dynamic scorers in case a change must be made on the perimeter.
Higher nook and screen-roll protection plus staying house at necessary moments, just like the final 5 seconds of Sport 4 of the Finals, are about belief. Being out of place doesn’t simply result in an open jumper for the opposite aspect as it might trigger a straight line to the ring, too. Doubles can’t occur within the final four-to-five minutes when it’s a good recreation or they’re making an attempt to protect a lead.
After which there’s the cardinal sin: fouling 3-point shooters. One of many Spurs’ targets subsequent season must be to commit the least quantity of those. It’s such a severe concern that each participant must be fined $1,000 each time they do it and double that within the playoffs. These three 3-point fouls Harper, Fortress and Fox dedicated on Brunson within the second half of Sport 5 in all probability introduced Spurs followers someplace to their knees.
The Spurs will resolve an excessive amount of the fouling half by staying down and retaining their arms vertical.
3. Extra shut vary motion for Wemby
Okay, effective. I’ve been spoiled by tapes of David Robinson and noticed Tim Duncan. How will you blame me, particularly once they have an actual successor?
Wembanyama had big-time moments within the playoffs, however there may be nonetheless work to be finished. He shot 42.5 p.c within the paint non-restricted space within the playoffs and made 28.3 p.c of makes an attempt exterior of the lane within the Finals. He naturally performs like a taller Kevin Durant however among the exterior photographs occurred as a result of his physique isn’t robust sufficient but to make the most of guys like Karl-Anthony Cities and Mitchell Robinson.
Ideally, the technique could be extra publish play when his physique is prepared, however to be clear, he doesn’t want to show into Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. But, he ought to some day be ok to the place he can go to it as an adjustment and rating a bucket each time.
This might positively have an effect on the groups passing as a result of he’d be such a mismatch that he would unfasten coverages as quickly as he catches it shut, after which hit the open man on the transfer. Having this within the arsenal would assist take him from a fantastic participant as we speak to at least one for the ages.
Nice publish gamers are normally extra harmful on the second catch, and along with his measurement benefit passing excessive, think about Wembanyama getting the ball again whereas his defender isn’t trying. Shaquille O’Neal thrived in these moments created by the triangle offense.
This 12 months, the Spurs’ post-up frequency was 1.7 p.c within the playoffs. Sadly, the NBA’s monitoring information for post-ups solely goes way back to 2015-16, however curiously, the Spurs have been first in frequency that season at 14.5 p.c. They fell in spherical two to the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder that 12 months, however made the Western Convention Finals in 2016-17 in opposition to the overkill Golden State Warriors, whereas working practically a 3rd much less post-ups. So, there are different avenues apart from the publish to get Wemby extra appears at shut vary, like getting him concerned extra on the elbow and nail, or utilizing him on the dunker spot.
It doesn’t matter the way it occurs. He must impose his measurement extra contained in the arc.
