It might have taken them a while after the Tim Duncan era officially came to an end, but it looks like the San Antonio Spurs are back where they belong. A model of consistency for the majority of their run under Gregg Popovich, they are re-entering the elite territory in the Western Conference this season.
Stephen A. Smith Is Seeing the Hype About the Spurs
With a more complete roster and Victor Wembanyama taking the official jump towards superstardom, they are near the top of the West, just a tick behind the Oklahoma City Thunder for the one-seed. Now, Stephen A. Smith of ESPN has also given the young team some hefty praise.
One of the faces of sports media and perhaps its most prominent voice today, Smith has been at the center of everything NBA-related. On the latest episode of his podcast, “The Stephen A. Show,” he broke down what made the team special.
“Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs are title contenders. They have now won 10 in a row, 8 by double digits.” The current win streak, of course, has them in the middle of an undefeated month of February.
It has catapulted them up the rankings and essentially secured a top-two seed, barring a collapse. Ranked at number seven in offensive rating and third in defensive rating, they’ve dominated on both sides of the court.
However, the depth on the roster, which has allowed them to mitigate injuries to Wembanyama, has been their true calling card. As a result, they can switch lineups with relative ease without really missing a beat.
“They’re 4-1 against the Thunder. They are a combined 11-5 against the top-six seeds in the Western Conference.” Ultimately, his conclusion was simple. “This is not a team that is built to win down the road. This is a team that is trying to win a championship right now.”
At the end of the day, though, his analysis boiled down to the emergence of the French superstar on their roster. Hailed as one of the most hyped draft selections since maybe LeBron James, the impact he’s had on the league is undeniable.
A one-man wrecking crew on defense, his offensive game is getting more refined by the moment. As a result, he’s coming into his own as a legitimate three-level scorer who can play team basketball within the flow of the offense.
With a win over the Brooklyn Nets, they extended their win streak to 11 and officially completed February without adding a single loss to their record. They are going full throttle to get the number one seed in the conference, and that could bode well for a potentially deep playoff run.
