Welcome to the Week in Overview: a Monday characteristic that appears again on the week that was for the San Antonio Spurs, takes a have a look at the week forward, and extra. Take pleasure in!
Week 20: After a disappointing effort in Houston and heartbreaker in Sacramento, the shorthanded Spurs got here out swinging to steal a win in Golden State.
Week 21: 1-3 (15-53, fifteenth in West)
102-112 loss vs. Golden State Warriors
Recap — After a few pink scorching video games, the Spurs’ offense returned to earth, with a dreadful third quarter spelling their doom to shut a miniseries in opposition to the Warriors.
What we discovered
101-103 loss vs. Houston Rockets
Recap — In comparable style to the earlier sport, the Spurs acquired out to sturdy begin in opposition to the Rockets however sputtered within the center two quarters earlier than a failed comeback try within the fourth.
What we discovered
106-117 loss vs. Denver Nuggets (in Austin)
Recap — In a reverse of developments, after a gradual begin, the Spurs made an admirable comeback within the center quarters earlier than the defending champions put their foot on the gasoline within the fourth.
What we discovered
122-115 OT win vs. Brooklyn Nets (in Austin)
Recap — After a back-and-forth sport, the Spurs made a late rally (spurred by a pointless flagrant foul from the Nets’ Day’Ron Sharpe that resulted in a five-point play) to drive extra time and win their second sport in Austin on the again of one other historic efficiency from Victor Wembanyama.
What we discovered
In case you missed it
Victor Wembanyama is breaking NBA historical past — CBS’s Sam Quinn breaks down Wemby’s insane run of historic performances, placing collectively accomplishments in simply his rookie season that no different participant has mixed for of their whole careers.
Victor Wembanyama is the most effective scoring rookie since Michael Jordan — Whereas apologizing for laughing off Wemby as a Rookie of the 12 months candidate earlier within the season, JJ Redick dropped a bombshell stat: he has probably the most factors per minute for a rookie since Michael Jordan at 0.72.
Gregg Popovich’s most infamous line-ups — From undersized facilities to munchkin lineups and no level guard, we regarded again at some Pop’s most infamous lineup choices which have caught in our reminiscences over time.
The NBA is cracking down on foul looking — Have you ever seen extra bodily play being allowed and a slight lower in scoring currently? That’s as a result of in an try to seek out some steadiness between offense and protection, the NBA despatched a memo to the officers telling them crack down on foul looking by specializing in authorized guarding place and gamers who stray away from their path to the basket simply to attract contact. To this point, it appears to be serving to.
For much more issues Wemby, try Daily is Wembsday, courtesy of Mikey Rouleau.
Energy Rankings
John Schuhmann, NBA.com — 25 (final week: 25)
OffRtg: 109.7 (27) DefRtg: 117.0 (23) NetRtg: -7.3 (26) Tempo: 101.9 (3)
The Spurs went 1-3 on the primary half of the eight-game homestand that included two video games in Austin final week, getting a (uncommon) comeback win over Brooklyn on Sunday.
Two takeaways
1. The Spurs had two extra losses (dropping to 10-17) in video games that they led by double-digits final week. They have been 4-46 (with 14 straight losses) in video games they trailed by double-digits earlier than Sunday, after they got here again from a 10-point deficit with lower than six minutes left to drive extra time. In that sport, Victor Wembanyama had the go-ahead, alley-oop dunk with 38 seconds left. The rookie had shot simply 19-for-49 (39%) over his earlier 4 video games, however had 33 factors (on 14-for-26 capturing), 15 rebounds, seven assists and 7 blocks in opposition to the Nets, rejecting Dennis Schroder’s try to get the lead again on the possession after his dunk.
2. Keldon Johnson hit an enormous 3 in regulation, scored 24 factors off the bench on Sunday and has seen the seventh largest post-break bounce in efficient discipline aim proportion (from 51.3% to 61.2%) amongst 176 gamers with at the very least 200 discipline aim makes an attempt earlier than the break and at the very least 75 since. Tre Jones, who scored 24 factors in opposition to the Rockets earlier within the week, has seen the fifth largest bounce (from 53.7% to 64.6%) amongst that group. As a crew, the Spurs have seen the second-biggest bounce in factors scored per 100 possessions (plus-4.0), rating fifteenth offensively for the reason that break.
The Spurs gained simply 4 of their first 37 video games in opposition to the 18 groups that at the moment have profitable information, however they’ve acquired three wins in opposition to good groups (the Thunder, Pacers and Warriors) in the previous couple of weeks, and 10 of their last 14 video games can be in opposition to that group. Two of these first 4 wins got here in opposition to the Suns, who can be in San Antonio for a two-game sequence beginning Saturday.
Brett Siegel, Clutch Factors — 26 (final week: 26)
The San Antonio Spurs at the moment personal the worst report within the Western Convention, giving them one more shot at touchdown the primary total choose within the 2024 NBA Draft. It is probably not lengthy till Victor Wembanyama is paired with one other prime total choose, which might certainly increase the Spurs’ potential shifting ahead.
The very fact of the matter with the Spurs is that they aren’t a foul crew. Sadly, they’re simply younger and don’t have the fitting items in place but. In time, the Spurs can be a juggernaut as soon as extra, particularly since Wemby continues his journey to turning into a celebrity on this league.
Arising: Tues. 3/19 vs. Dallas Mavericks; Fri. 3/22 vs. Memphis Grizzlies; Sat. 3/23 vs. Phoenix Suns
Prediction 1-2 — After I imagine, I get burned. It’s onerous to imagine the Spurs can sustain with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving (who at all times brings his finest to San Antonio for some purpose), and though the Suns are struggling once more, odds are they haven’t forgotten what occurred in the beginning of the season. Nonetheless, the Spurs ought to do one thing they haven’t completed all season: beat a depleted Grizzlies that’s Jaren Jackson Jr and little else.
