The difference between contenders and pretenders is often revealed with how they answer challenges they face. And on a night where many in the NBA had the night off, it was the San Antonio Spurs that stood tall.
The Spurs went through the gauntlet against the East-leading Detroit Pistons. San Antonio raced to an early lead with the intent to end the game early. However, the Pistons fought back with their physical play, testing the Spurs with shoves and aggression not seen since the Bad Boy Pistons. San Antonio would have none of that, though, as they matched Detroit’s intensity on the way to a statement victory.
On a back-to-back set a few days later, the Spurs were tested in different ways and they passed with flying colors. The Toronto Raptors provided a tough test because of their versatile lineup, which could matchup with San Antonio’s personnel. It felt similar to the Pistons game, and the Spurs produced the same result by buckling down on defense when their end-game free throw shooting was shaky to say the least.
The following night, San Antonio took on the Brooklyn Nets and it could have been a trap game after two hard-fought games. But the Spurs did not relent, leading all the way and dominating on both ends of the floor.
This stretch of games has defined the best version of San Antonio: a menacing juggernaut on both ends of the floor willing to take on anyone. At the center of it all is Victor Wembanyama, who can do anything and everything that is asked of him. Defenses, Injuries, and even just the risk of injuries, have not deterred Wembanyama from being the tip of the Spurs’ spear.
De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle have cemented themselves as one of the most dynamic backcourts in the NBA. Fox is now the savvy veteran leading the charge, while Castle is the dynamic combo guard that is both a nifty scorer and a relentless defender. We haven’t even got to Dylan Harper, who is a dynamic player in his own right, but continues to wait in the wings for bigger opportunities.
With the way they’ve been playing, it seems San Antonio’s toughest opponent has been the injury bug. Injuries have prevented them from having a complete lineup and with some day allocated for load management, they will likely have around 15-20 games to be able to develop chemistry with the group at full strength.
That will be critical for the San Antonio Spurs, who have pretty much beat their developmental timeline and are now chasing bigger dreams. They’ve been facing tests left and right and rather than be rattled, they’re the ones dealing out punishments to opposing teams. It would be tempting to begin with the premise “if all goes according to plan…”, but then again, the Spurs have bucked convention and exceeded expectations, so count on them to succeed despite whatever is in front of them.
