The San Antonio Spurs dropped from 14 to 20 in NBA.com's weekly power rankings. It's tied for the largest drop of the week, along with the Los Angeles Lakers, and it's deserved. After making their way two games above .500, the Silver and Black played several lackluster games. They missed Victor Wembanyama and Devin Vassell for a couple of them, but the energy overall was poor.
There should be no gripes over where the NBA's analysts have placed the South Texas squad. What's eye-opening is a stat referenced in the synopsis portion of the ranking. The Spurs' bench—once known for its depth and production—is still lagging in a big way, and it's pulling the team down.
The Spurs' bench is one of the worst in the NBA
San Antonio's bench is ranked 25 in on/off point differential. That means their production compared to the starting unit is glaringly poor. There are several reasons for this, including injuries that have shaken up the rotations, but some of the blame lies with the players and coaches.
This point has been preached repeatedly, but the youth of this roster can't be understated. Young players make mistakes, they're inconsistent, and above all, they're still learning how to win. However, effort should never be a question, and that hasn't always been the case. They have the tools to be stronger on the defensive end, where effort shines brightest, but a few things need to happen.
Charles Bassey needs to play more minutes than Zach Collins. He should be the first big man off the bench to reinforce the defensive identity San Antonio is known for. The coaches have insisted on running Collins as the backup center, and he's taken a step back this year. His spot on the team's hierarchy should follow suit.
Sandro Mamukelashvili also needs more time on the floor. He adds more spacing, cutting, and passing to the second unit. He and Bassey should be splitting the minutes at the backup center position depending on the matchup and the flow of the game.
Devin Vassell must be featured as soon as he enters the game. Making sure the bench is productive will involve different steps once Vassell is back with the starters, but that's not the case yet. While he's running with the second unit, he needs to be the Manu Ginobili of that group—everything runs through him.
The players need more work on their free throws. San Antonio's bench ranks second in attempts per game from the free throw line but is 21 in efficiency from the stripe. They're leaving too many points on the board every night. Between the missed free throws and the turnover problem still plaguing the second unit, it's too much to overcome on a nightly basis.
San Antonio doesn't play another game until Friday night against the Portland Trail Blazers. It's a much-needed rest after the injuries this team continues to rack up. Hopefully, the extended time off will allow them to find some answers to the problems that have plagued them this year.