Welcome to the Week in Evaluation: a Monday function that appears again on the week that was for the San Antonio Spurs, takes a have a look at the week forward, and extra. Get pleasure from!
Week 10: On their first prolonged street tip of the season throughout the week of Christmas, the Spurs performed properly total however solely went 1-3 because of errors within the clutch, points closing out video games, and a few close to single-digit scoring quarters that have been solely prevented by miracle threes.
Week 11: 2-1 (18-17, eighth in West)
122-86 win vs. Los Angeles Clippers
Recap: The Spurs ended 2024 on a excessive be aware with a wire-to-wire in a blowout win over a Clippers staff that as on the second evening of a back-to-back. They owned the paint and quick break and led by as a lot as 41 regardless of having an off evening from three. It was fairly the best way to ring within the New Yr.
What we realized
113-110 win @ Denver Nuggets
Recap: Within the first recreation of an away-home miniseries towards the Nuggets, the Spurs overcame Denver’s notorious altitude used a powerful second quarter to drag forward earlier than the Nuggets got here rallying again behind MVP Nikola Jokic’s 41 factors. The Spurs fought again with Victor Wembanyama’s 35 factors and closed on a 7-2 run to seal the victory, overcoming their current issues within the clutch and starting the New Yr on a excessive be aware.
What we realized
111-122 OT loss vs. Denver Nuggets
Recap: Returning house for the subsequent evening to finish the miniseries, the sport adopted just about the identical development because the evening earlier than, besides this time, Denver got here out on high. Wemby didn’t have as sturdy offensive recreation on his birthday, however the Spurs nonetheless made a great run within the third quarter to seemingly take management, just for the Nuggets to once more storm again behind a monster efficiency from Jokic. Whereas the Spurs have been capable of pressure additional time, that they had nothing left within the tank as Denver overwhelmed them for the win.
What we realized
Energy Rankings
John Schuhmann, NBA.com — 15 (final week: 19)
OffRtg: 111.5 (17) DefRtg: 111.9 (13) NetRtg: -0.5 (16) Tempo: 99.2 (18)
The Spurs are three video games right into a stretch the place they’re enjoying 9 of 10 towards groups at present over .500, and so they’ve dealt with themselves properly so far, going 2-1 with the loss coming in additional time to the Nuggets on Saturday.
Three takeaways
1. Victor Wembanyama doesn’t but have a go-to motion for which the Spurs can get him a great shot on an enormous possession, and the clutch offense was fairly balanced (5 guys making an attempt no less than three clutch pictures) because the Spurs performed two nail-biters towards Denver over the weekend. They scored simply 23 factors on 25 clutch possessions over the 2 video games and have now misplaced 4 of their final 5 that have been inside 5 factors within the final 5 minutes.
2. The Spurs rank second defensively over their final 10 video games, creeping towards a top-10 mark for the season. The context is that six of these 10 video games got here towards groups that at present rank within the backside 10 offensively, however they have been strong defensively towards the Nuggets’ fourth-ranked offense over the weekend, holding Nikola Jokić underneath 50% capturing.
3. The Spurs have seen large enchancment from final season concerning each opponent efficient subject objective share (each in and out) and in opponent free throw fee. Over the primary 50 seasons during which blocks had been tracked, the very best ratio of blocks/foul (for a participant with no less than 100 blocks) was Manute Bol’s ratio of 1.60 in 1986-87. Victor Wembanyama had a ratio of 1.66 as a rookie and is at 1.76 blocks per foul (116/66) this season, regardless of some foul bother over the weekend.
The one below-.500 opponent on this stretch the place the Spurs are enjoying 9 of 10 towards groups which have profitable information is the Bulls, who the Spurs will go to on Monday, the beginning of a four-game journey. Their loss to Chicago in early December got here with out Wembanyama and was one of many Spurs’ worst defensive video games of the season.
Brett Siegel, Clutch Factors — 11 (final week: 15)
How good are the San Antonio Spurs? As Wembanyama continues to develop, so does this staff as a complete. A current win over the Nuggets actually builds confidence for the Spurs, and now they’re simply two video games behind the Lakers and Mavs for the 5-seed within the West.
Defensively, the Spurs are on the cusp of being a top-10 defensive staff within the NBA, which is why they’ve reached a brand new season excessive in these energy rankings. Ought to they choose up street wins over the Milwaukee Bucks and Lakers, the Spurs will transfer inside the highest 10.
Developing: Mon. 1/6 @ Chicago Bulls; Wed. 1/8 @ Milwaukee Bucks; Sat. 1/11 @ Los Angeles Lakers
Prediction: 2-1 — This week’s slate might look extra daunting than it really is because the Spurs kick off one other four-game street journey. The Spurs needs to be out for revenge towards a Bulls staff that dropped 139 on them with out Wemby a month in the past, and whereas the Bucks and Lakers clearly can’t be slept on, particularly in their very own houses, they’re nonetheless in the identical tier because the Spurs and nothing near the 2 groups that gained the 2020 and 2021 NBA championships (even when they function the identical stars). I see the Spurs stealing a type of two video games — extra doubtless towards the Bucks.
