Welcome to the Week in Evaluate: a Monday function that appears again on the week that was for the San Antonio Spurs, takes a take a look at the week forward, and extra. Get pleasure from!
Week 4: The Spurs’ house woes continued with two extra blown double-digit leads, together with one to a slumping Memphis crew lacking seven rotation gamers.
Week 5: 0-4 (3-14, fifteenth in West) — 99-124 L vs. Los Angeles Clippers; 102-109 L vs. Los Angeles Clippers; 112-118 L @ Golden State Warriors; 120-132 L @ Denver Nuggets
The Spurs have had dangerous scheduling luck these days, principally within the sense that, determined for a confidence-inducing win, they maintain getting groups which were slumping for varied causes however simply occur to determine it out proper earlier than they arrive. The Spurs confronted three such opponents this week, starting with a house mini-series in opposition to a crew that slaughtered them earlier within the season however had seen a whole lot of change since: the Los Angeles Clippers.
Since buying and selling for James Harden, the Clippers had gone 0-5, making it appear like the Spurs would have a possibility to get some revenge. As an alternative, one sport earlier than coming to San Antonio, Russell Westbrook supplied to maneuver to a bench position, and the Clippers began discovering their stride. Even when they weren’t good, the star energy of these two plus Kawhi Leonard and Paul George was simply an excessive amount of expertise for the Spurs to beat in each video games, particularly as they proceed their development of horrid third quarters whereas permitting game-defining runs to their opponent. (If nothing else, the second matchup will all the time be remembered for Pop grabbing the microphone and telling the followers that, after 5 years, it was time to cease booing Leonard. Not considered one of his extra endearing moments, to make sure, and it will likely be attention-grabbing to see if the followers keep in mind it once they return on Thursday.)
Subsequent, it was time to journey to Golden State to tackle a Warriors crew that was lacking Draymond Inexperienced, Steph Curry had been out and in with knee points, and for some motive that they had been equally as horrible at house because the Spurs. With one other alternative to steal a win from a struggling however should-be-contending crew when all is sand and carried out, the Spurs couldn’t include Curry, however to their credit score they stored combating and even gave their opponent a late scare by slicing the result in three earlier than the Warriors made their free throws down the stretch to forestall the complete comeback.
Lastly, the week ended within the house of the defending champion Nuggets, who themselves have struggled a bit whereas lacking Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon, however they nonetheless have the very best participant within the league in Nikola Jokic, and though Victor Wembanyama managed to point out his personal potential and wow the Denver crowd with some massive performs, the Spurs nonetheless had no likelihood of stopping the MVP, ending one other week with out a win and increasing their dropping streak to 12.
Energy Rankings
John Schuhmann, NBA.com — 28 (final week: 26)
OffRtg: 106.3 (28) DefRtg: 119.0 (27) NetRtg: -12.7 (30) Tempo: 102.5 (4)
The Spurs’ final three losses have been to the Clippers, Warriors and Nuggets by a complete of simply 25 factors. However their dropping streak is now at 12 video games and so they’re the streaking crew that doesn’t get to play one of many others (see Wizards-Pistons) this week.
Three takeaways
1. Their loss in Denver on Sunday was the Spurs’ best offensive sport (120 factors on 105 possessions) through the dropping streak, and got here with six gamers scoring in double figures. One of many six was Victor Wembanyama, who’s scored a minimum of 20 factors in three straight video games for the primary time.
2. There have been three video games this season the place a participant had a minimum of 4 steals and 4 blocks, and two of the three have come from rookies: Ausar Thompson (4 and 4) vs. Phoenix and Victor Wembanyama (six and 4) in Denver on Sunday. Wembanyama was the primary rookie with a minimum of 10 steals + blocks in a sport since Nerlens Noel in Feb. 2015.
3. Devin Vassell returned from a three-game absence on Wednesday, however has come off the bench in every of the final three video games. The Spurs’ beginning lineup with Vassell has been outscored by 14.6 factors per 100 possessions in its 84 minutes, however the lineup with Malaki Branham in Vassell’s place has been worse (minus-24.8 per 100).
Tre Jones was a plus-14 in Denver on Sunday and the Spurs have nonetheless outscored their opponents by 8.1 factors per 100 possessions in his 193 minutes on the ground alongside Wembanyama. This crew isn’t going to be good both method, however taking part in these two collectively for greater than 14 minutes an evening may be useful.
Wembanyama has performed in all 17 of the Spurs video games, which come at a quicker tempo than he’s used to. The following two weeks can be extra just like the French league, with the Spurs having simply 4 video games over the subsequent 14 days, although their two this week are a back-to-back on Thursday and Friday.
Brett Siegel, Clutch Factors — 27 (final week: 26)
Victor Wembanyama has been implausible since his first sport with the San Antonio Spurs, however we’re starting to see Wemby cool down and look comfy within the NBA. Consistency is what the Spurs have been preaching to their rookie massive man and he has recorded 22 factors in three straight video games now in consequence. The Spurs might solely have three wins, however it is a younger crew that may battle in opposition to anybody within the league and create some complications resulting from their dimension and athleticism. If Wembanyama can proceed to play on the tempo he at present finds himself at, the rookie can be within the All-Star Recreation come February.
Yossi Gozlan, Hoops Hype — 28 (final week: N/A)
The Spurs proceed to play Jeremy Sochan at level guard regardless of how disastrous their offense is as an alternative of taking part in Tre Jones. After many years of profitable on the highest ranges, it virtually looks like head coach Gregg Popovich is now trying to lose on the highest ranges. They’re now on a 12-game dropping streak that might probably prolong into December.
Developing: Thurs. 11/30 vs. Atlanta Hawks; Fir 12/1 @ New Orleans Pelicans
Prediction: 1-1 — With each loss, the Spurs are nearer to their subsequent win, proper? Even when I imagine the dropping streak will proceed, I’ll maintain giving them an opportunity every week. The Hawks are as soon as once more a middling crew, and one has to imagine the Spurs will ultimately discover a solution to maintain a lead at house. Possibly that is the week, and a three-day break can solely assist.
