How real is the Spurs’ 4-0 start? Is it mostly a schedule thing, or has the team made a genuine leap beyond expectations?
Marilyn Dubinski: It would be dishonest to say the Spurs haven’t benefited from a somewhat easy opening schedule (which as always, will make up for itself), but there is also no doubt they have taken a leap
despite being very shorthanded. Blowing a 26-point lead to the Nets? They lose that one two seasons ago. Facing adversity in New Orleans and having to come back in the clutch while Zion Williamson is going off? Not sure they win that one even last year. And let’s not forget they started 2-0 exclusively on the road for only the second time in franchise history. That’s not nothing. Things will of course get harder, and they’ll face their share of adversity just like all teams, but the strong start is still real.
Mark Barrington: The Spurs haven’t played any of the top teams yet, but winning four in a row is pretty good in the NBA under any circumstances, and San Antonio was not at full strength to start the season. The Pelicans are probably a play-in team this season, but they are going to beat a lot of good teams if Zion stays healthy. I think it’s fair to say we don’t know how good the Spurs are yet, but we do already know that they’re better than they were last year, because they were resilient enough to finish games and win even though they gave up leads, which is not something the team was able to do last year.
Bill Huan: Can it be both? The Spurs’ schedule has been a cakewalk so far, and will remain that way for another 10 games. However, it’s obvious that the team is much improved, too. Wemby’s a given, but Castle also seems to have made a leap while Harper’s been more impactful than expected for a rookie.
It hasn’t just been player improvements, either – buying into the scheme and playing roles is a big factor too. Vassell and Keldon have done exactly what’s been asked of them and Mitch Johnson finally has the autonomy to run his system. Everything is firing on all cylinders, and that’s before Fox is even back!
Devon Birdsong: The schedule certainly helped, but the Spurs also beat 3 of the 4 teams by double digits, and absolutely walloped the Mavericks and Raptors. They’ve also won trap games that they would have lost in the past, and they’re doing this all despite a spate of minor injuries to important contributors. If anything, I think this stretch has proved just how deep the Spurs actually are. They had to play the living ghost of Bismack Biyombo against the Raptors’ big men, and they still nearly won by 20 points. I think the Heat game will be a strong indicator of whether or not it’s a fluke, as they (and Wemby) have struggled against Miami’s defensive schemes as of late, but this feels like a leap to me.
Jesus Gomez: The Spurs have been shorthanded, made some mistakes, and let their foot off the gas at times. The really good teams are less forgiving than the mediocre ones, so it’s reasonable to say that they might not have a perfect record if they had faced a contender. That said, the good from these past few games goes beyond the results. The Mavericks didn’t know what to do with Wemby. The Raptors were terrified to get into the paint in the first half. When opponents erased big deficits, the team didn’t panic. All of that feels real, even if getting a perfect record from it might be due to the schedule.
The Spurs’ defense has been phenomenal so far despite missing Jeremy Sochan. What’s the main reason for their success, other than Wemby?
Dubinski: I had the benefit of actually writing about this already, and an underrated but key reason is the addition of Sean Sweeney to the coaching staff, who is arguably the Chip Engelland of defense. The change in philosophy, system and communication is obvious, as well as the personnel. Long guards and wings now allow them to stay at home on the perimeter without overhelping or even double-teaming, instead forcing shooters into contested jumpers or funneling them towards Wemby in the post. The last two seasons showed that even if you have the best defender in the world, you still need a good system and everyone to buy in to be a good defense, and so far we are seeing just that.
Barrington: Other than Wemby? There is no ‘other than Wemby.’ He’s pretty much the whole story. The other players are doing fine, but they are just getting so many more chances at getting stops because no opposing teams will even try going anywhere near Victor. Victor covers so much real estate by himself that other defenders can play in a much more restricted space. He changes the shape of the game for the opponent’s offense with his ability to cover so much ground. He’s not just long, but he’s quick, agile, and a lot stronger than he was last year. If the players around him can just play average defense, the team is going to be a defensive juggernaut.
Huan: Lots of NBA teams are copying the Pacers by pressuring full-court, and the Spurs are no different. Having a hound like Steph Castle has contributed greatly to the team being elite defensively, and the second year guard seems to have taken a leap as well. Moreover, all the players have bought into Mitch Johnson’s system, and the Spurs seem to be operating on a string right now in their own zone. It also helps that Johnson isn’t afraid to throw in unexpected looks to confuse opposing teams, like using zone against the Raptors a few nights ago. In all, it’s been a combination of improvements from the roster, buy-in, scheme, and, of course, Wemby.
Birdsong: I’m tempted to go with Victor’s increase in strength, as players are having a much harder time trying to go into his body than they have in the past. Wemby evolving into an immovable object, in addition to his length, keeps teams from doing anything in the post with ease, which effectively anchors the whole defense. It cannot be understated how much his dominance is allowing the rest of his teammates to excel on that end. However, I’ve got to go with the addition of Luke Kornet, who is almost as stingy whenever Wemby needs a breather. Without Kornet, it’s the same story as last season in that the bench collapses defensively. Against the Raptors, San Antonio’s defensive rating swung 130 points in a negative direction without Wemby (and Kornet to back him up). San Antonio’s season may stall if they don’t get him back soon.
Gomez: Victor allows the perimeter players to be more aggressive. It’s easiest to spot the pressure they are applying at the point of attack, where Stephon Castle in particular has looked much-improved, but it also happens on closeouts and by playing opponents closer in the perimeter, knowing that if anyone drives, they are going to have to face the scariest rim protector in the league. Kornet and the schedule have helped as well, as has the entire team’s commitment on that end.
The Spurs have a top-10 offensive rating despite not having De’Aaron Fox around. Can they become elite on that end when they are at full strength?
Dubinski: Having Fox back will only help. They have shown they need that consistent extra scorer as teams start doubling Wemby and forcing the ball out of his hands, and despite it not always looking pretty when the offense isn’t running through him, we’ve already seen what kind of defensive breakdowns it can cause when they players around him step up and hit their shots, which Vassell, Castle, Harper and Barnes have taken turns doing. Add Fox to the mix and make defenses have to think twice about doubling Wemby, and the offense will open up even more.
Barrington: Yes? I can’t believe we have another easy question. I think that Dylan Harper has done a great job holding down the fort, while Steph Castle has been pretty uneven, spectacular at times, and sometimes a little out of control. Having another pure point guard is going to cut down on the times that the offense seems a little clunky and aimless, and while there may be some period of adjustment as the team finds its chemistry, this could become one of the elite offenses in the league with Fox.
Huan: Depends on how we’re defining “elite.” I don’t expect the Spurs to finish in the top 10 in offense by year’s end, even with Fox back, but they should be above average. Remember, San Antonio’s schedule has been a cakewalk so far, so the points they’ve racked up aren’t necessarily an indication of how the rest of the season will play out. Being “just” above average might sound disappointing given how they’ve started, but keep in mind that this was an anemic offensive team last year, and I fully expect them to finish the season in the top 10 on defense. Pair that along with an above-average offense, and that’s a recipe for a dangerous team, albeit one that’s not ready to be a true flight contender just yet.
Birdsong: One of the more interesting stats from the Raptors game was that San Antonio’s offensive rating was essentially the same without Wemby on the court. That’s why they were still able to boat race the Raps in spite of the defensive letdown. Fox’s addition alone should push the rating for the starting unit even higher, and it’s going to force a starter to the already outstanding bench. Yeah, I think they’re going to be elite offensively.
Gomez: I doubt they’ll be able to crack the top 10, much less the top five, mostly because of a lack of shooting. We’ve seen teams sending two to the ball as soon as Wemby gets it, which will continue to happen. The same will apply to pick and rolls involving Fox. Keldon Johnson won’t shoot 55 percent from outside all year, and the rest of the role players seem to be connecting at about the rate we should expect. Adding Sochan to the mix could also hurt the offense. Simply put, if you are going to launch under 30 three-pointers a game as a team, you’d better make a high percentage of them, and I’m not convinced this roster can do that consistently. But there is enough firepower to be solid enough on offense that an elite defense can keep San Antonio in the top 10 in net rating.
