With slightly below a month to go till the NBA commerce deadline, the San Antonio Spurs are second within the Western Convention with a 27-12 document. Even probably the most bullish predictions for the Spurs this season didn’t have this consequence on their bingo card. Making the playoffs was the aim, and thru the primary 39 video games, they appear like they’re on observe for that aim.
However that success has shifted expectations. Competing for the playoffs is the usual; the aim, within the eyes of many basketball followers, is for this workforce to win playoff video games.
The final eight video games have proven that the Spurs’ roster might not be as prepared to do this at present as many thought it was. San Antonio is 4-4 in its final eight video games. In January, their offense has stalled, scoring the least quantity of factors in any month this season. A big a part of that has been because of the workforce’s taking pictures hunch. The Spurs have hit simply 27.8% of their three-pointers this month.
The shortage of taking pictures has made it laborious for San Antonio’s playmakers to search out success attending to the basket. Dylan Harper and Stephon Fort are in a hunch, and De’Aaron Fox has had an up-and-down month. Getting extra ground spacing appears to be an answer that might get the workforce again on observe.
Over 50% of Pounding the Rock readers agree that the workforce’s lack of taking pictures has been their greatest drawback recently. Proper subsequent to it are accidents, that are instantly tied to the three-point concern. Devin Vassell has been out since December twenty ninth. With out Vassell, San Antonio is lacking a 15-point-per-game scorer and 37% shooter from deep. Many instances when the Spurs’ offense slowed down, Vassell was there as a launch valve to hit robust photographs.
With out Vassell, the offense has severely missed a participant who can stretch the protection, shoot off screens, and provides the protection a knockdown shooter to consider in half-court settings. Positive, the Spurs want some extra taking pictures, however getting one in all their finest again within the lineup could also be simpler than any commerce they may make.
That may very well be why 42% of respondents to the newest SB Nation Reacts ballot stated the Spurs ought to do nothing on the commerce deadline. We’ve seen this workforce play nice basketball when at full power. The difficulty is that they haven’t been at full power for a lot of the season.
In the event that they have been to make a transfer, although, followers wish to see them purchase extra taking pictures. San Antonio might use one other massive wing that may shoot. Gamers like Sam Hauser of the Boston Celtics, John Collins of the Los Angeles Clippers, and PJ Washington of the Dallas Mavericks signify position gamers who might play the ahead spot and knock down photographs. However a commerce would probably price a participant like Jeremy Sochan and a few draft capital. The query turns into if now’s the time to make a transfer, and if any of the gamers accessible are definitely worth the worth.
Harrison Barnes flattening extra photographs, Vassell coming again, and the guards getting again on observe may very well be sufficient to raise San Antonio to its earlier heights. Or perhaps Victor Wembanyama enjoying a full-minute load would be the key that unlocks the Spurs’ potential. It doesn’t matter what occurs earlier than the deadline, the Spurs want to start out taking pictures the ball higher in the event that they wish to maintain their spot close to the highest of the Western Convention.
