With Victor Wembanyama dealing with a back injury for much of last week, it should come as no surpise that the San Antonio Spurs lost three in a row, falling to the Phoenix Suns, Chicago Bulls, and Sacramento Kings. They were able to right the ship on Sunday, besting the New Orleans Pelicans as Wembanyama returned to the lineup.
With a quarter of the season finished, the Spurs are a respectable 12-12 and have played better than the preseason expectations. While they might not be able to make the playoffs in a dense Western Conference, the Spurs are trending upwards overall, but down after their recent stretch.
According to The Athletic's weekly power ranking, the Spurs are the 19th-best team in the NBA, down from 13th the week prior. For the first quarter of the season, they were given a B+ grade.
"The added professionalism and experience at key positions has turned San Antonio from an awful team to an improved, albeit average, outfit," wrote Law Murray. "It all starts with center Victor Wembanyama, who is once again leading the NBA in blocked shots while averaging 10.4 rebounds and only 2.1 personal fouls. Only the Heat and Celtics have a lower opponent free-throw attempt rate than San Antonio."
While prone to the occasional ugly turnover or dumb shot selection, the Spurs have cut down on costly mistakes this year, and the additions of Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes have not gone unnoticed.
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The Spurs might not be among the best teams in the NBA, but after multiple seasons at the bottom, being in the middle of the pack is certainly an upgrade.
Related: How Is Victor Wembanyama Dealing With Injury?
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This story was originally published December 10, 2024, 11:37 AM.