The win streak lives on for the San Antonio Spurs, as they discover themselves midway to a different double-digit tally. They’ve solely misplaced one recreation between the months of February and March, as they’ve labored their means right into a scorching pursuit of the NBA-leading Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, and the #1 seed within the Western Convention.
Nevertheless, as a way to obtain that objective (and additional prolong the streak), they’ll seemingly must win their means by means of one of many hardest stretches of the season.
Beginning with the Nuggets, the Spurs will then face the quickly rising Charlotte Hornets, a Clippers staff that was one quarter away from working them off of the courtroom, and (after a breather towards the Kings) match-ups towards the Phoenix Suns (tanking Pacers) and Miami Warmth.
The Suns and Warmth have each given the Spurs suits within the latest previous, and apparently Bam Adebayo has been possessed by the ghost of Wilt Chamberlain, so who even is aware of what to foretell there?
Let’s get again to Denver, although, who simply obtained completed laying waste to the #4 seed that’s the badly-listing Houston Rockets, to the tune of 129-93.
How did they handle that, you would possibly ask? Oh, by having 8 completely different Nuggets rating 15+ factors, that’s all.
With all of the accidents they’ve endured to key gamers this season, it’s been simple to neglect that the Nuggets are additionally an extremely deep squad.
That the Nuggets had been with out Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon for weeks, and are nonetheless only a recreation out of the three# seed is a testomony to that depth, and the way (not in contrast to the Spurs) they’ve been examined to the purpose of enchancment and cohesion.
Not does Jokic have to absorb all attainable minutes at heart after the addition of the still-reliable Jonas Valanciunas. Not does the bench collapse within the absence of the Joker’s offensive impetus, rating seventh in True Capturing Share and fifth in Discipline-Aim Share.
Denver’s entrance workplace has surrounded their large man with long-distance demons, to the tune of rating 1st within the NBA in three-point share, at simply shy of 40%.
The purpose being that when wholesome the way in which they had been Wednesday night time, this Nuggets staff would possibly really be the largest roadblock for the Spurs come the postseason.
Choose an offensive stat. Nearly any offensive stat, and I can assure the Nuggets are within the high 5 or high 10 of that class.
They’re nice passers (ninth in assists, 1st in help%), nice shooters (2nd in FG%, fifth in FT%), nice at limiting errors (1st in assist-to-turnover ratio and third finest in limiting turnovers), and consequently, are nice scorers (2nd in scoring).
Outdoors of harm, they do have two weaknesses, although.
One is rebounding, the place they rank close to the underside third of the league (nineteenth), and particularly offensive rebounding (twenty sixth). A part of that is because of what number of pictures they sink, however within the occasion of a miss, the Spurs should preserve the Nuggets from getting a second shot.
The opposite flaw is the defensive finish. And by that, I imply, principally all of it.
The Nuggets are lifeless final in steals, 2nd to final in blocks, and rank twenty second in Defensive Ranking. They’re about as dangerous as a staff could be on protection and nonetheless be actually good, and they don’t create offensive alternatives on that finish. And oddly, they’ve really someway been worse on that finish (twenty ninth) during the last 5 video games.
That might be very unlucky timing for the Nuggets, simply because the Spurs are on an offensive tear, rating 1st in Offensive Ranking, 1st in True Capturing, 1st in Efficient Discipline Aim Share, 1st in three-point taking pictures (42%), and third in scoring over that very same five-game stretch.
There may be, after all, a little bit of a wrinkle, because it appears there have to be.
Victor Wembanyama has discovered his means onto the harm report in questionable standing, after a few video games through which he flirted with 40 minutes and took greater than a few pictures to the face and physique.
Talking as somebody who has totally loved and likewise assigned Wemby-Jokic match-ups a family precedence since Wembanyama entered the league, that will be a bummer from the viewer/fan/basketball lover’s perspective. (Although, sure, I can actually see the ‘long-term profit’ *teenaged eye roll*)
Nevertheless, I’m beginning to discover myself brimming with an virtually idiotic diploma of optimism, a harmful factor for anybody who has to write down about any staff. You don’t have to write down about humiliating losses. I virtually actually will.
However gosh-darn it, these youngsters have actually been filling up my cup of pleasure! I believe they will win this factor, with or with out their fearless chief. They’re that good. They’re that robust. They’re that freaking cocky.
Right here’s hoping Wemby’s wholesome sufficient to play, and right here’s hoping the Nuggets underestimate the kiddos if he’s not.
Go! Spurs! Go! (and please don’t make me remorse this)
March twelfth, 2026 | 8:00 PM CT
Watch: FanDuel Southwest| Hear: WOAI (1200 AM)
Spurs Accidents: Lindy Waters III – Questionable (Sickness), Harrison Barnes – Questionable (Sleep Paralysis), Victor Wembanyama – Questionable (Gathering Spirit Bomb)
Nuggets Accidents: Peyton Watson – Out (Hamstring)
