During training camp, Coach Mitch Johnson was clear about what style he wants the Spurs to play with this year. [They want to play fast.](https://sports.yahoo.com/article/smells-pop-spurs-players-mitch-184957922.html) That makes perfect sense, considering how many young, athletic players are on this roster. You almost could have predicted that yourself. But despite their success in the preseason, they were in the bottom 10 in pace. Enter De'Aaron Fox.
Everyone, from the fans to the NBA general managers around the league, knows that Swipa is the fastest player in the league with the ball in his hands. He's the missing element to turning up the heat on teams, applying relentless pressure, and opening up the option of deploying lineups in waves. The goal is to overwhelm the opponent, tire them out, and force them into mistakes by speeding them up.
Spurs' 3-guard rotation will be a major strength
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Most of the time, Coach Johnson will likely want at least two of their premier guards on the floor at one time. The added playmaking is going to be a strength for a team that has gotten bogged down in the past with players struggling to create their own shot or a shot for their teammates.
That shouldn't be a problem any longer. We've already seen the steps Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle have taken as playmakers in the preseason. As a couple of special talents, Area 51 should only improve those skills as the year goes on. As a result, SA should rack up the assists this year.
One of several things that I'm sure will stay the same from Coach Pop to Mitch Johnson is the good-to-great mentality. If the Silver and Black play for each other, the game becomes easier.
While [using their speed to their advantage](https://airalamo.com/spurs-didnt-receive-single-vote-category-nba-hopes-gms-wrong-about) should be a primary focus, look for half-court execution, especially when Luke Kornet is on the floor. You want him to be able to get into position for screening and rebounding purposes. He won't be the fastest player on the floor, so they'll need to be intentional with the style they want to play, depending on who is on the court.
So, at the end of the day, I expect the Spurs to land somewhere in the 8-15 range in pace of play. That will be perfect because the game slows down in the playoffs anyway, so their execution needs to be crisp. The journey to getting there is about to begin. Buckle up.