Allow me to give you the facts of the preseason in the form of stats, while keeping in mind that the games didn't count. The Spurs were third in the NBA in offensive rating and sixth in defensive rating. They were ninth in three-point percentage, 12th in rebounds (ninth in offensive boards), and sixth in assists. Those are just the facts. They also turned the ball over too much, but we'll just hope they clean that up.
If they can maintain those numbers, they'll win a lot of games, and there will be some exciting fourth quarters for fans to drink in. That's where De'Aaron Fox comes in. He's a closer, and San Antonio is going to make great use of that skill this season.
Fox's first full year in achromatic colors will be a godsend for this team. They haven't had all-star play from their point guard in years. Swipa may not even make the NBA's star-studded team in February due to just how crowded the Western Conference is, but if you're putting up over 20 points and six assists a game, you're putting in the right kind of work, and SA needs that.
Spurs' new additions will be big reason they win games they used to lose
If preseason carries over, this offense will be insanely effective. However, a significant part of their success was due to how deadly Julian Champagnie and Keldon Johnson were. Both players shot the ball with unreal efficiency, and they can't be expected to maintain that. So, it's a good thing that they have a special defender in Jeremy Sochan and a dynamic guard in Fox coming back to offset the inevitable regression.
Both Jules and KJ can still have great years, but shooting over 60-70% is a little much for any perimeter-centric player. That's where Luke Kornet comes in, though. We've already seen the double-big lineup, and it looked great. The former Celtic shot over 60% each year in the last three seasons.
Last year's team had Zach Collins backing up Wemby, and he's never been that efficient in any year. Kornet will help clean up offensive boards, get putbacks, and get easy buckets off of rolls to the basket. He knows how to take advantage of the dunker position and play smart basketball on the interior.
The combination of all of these things and more will help the Spurs leapfrog much of the league in offense this year. If you don't believe me, listen to Sam Vecenie on the Game Theory Podcast. He made a couple of similar points, even mentioning Kelly Olynyk's ability to space the floor as another factor in a much-improved attack.
It's hard to argue with, and once the games begin, it'll be undeniable. The Spurs are back.