OffRtg: 117.0 (9) DefRtg: 108.2 (2) NetRtg: +8.8 (4) Pace: 98.8 (27)
The Spurs got off to the first 5-0 start in franchise history, but the party came to an end on Sunday, when they trailed by as many as 31 points in Phoenix.
Three takeaways
1. The Spurs continue to dominate inside and on the glass. They’re the only team that ranks in the top five in both offensive and defensive rebounding percentage, having ranked in the bottom 10 in both last season. Several Spurs have contributed on the offensive glass, but Victor Wembanyama has more than twice as many defensive boards as any of his teammates.
2. They’ve also outscored their opponents by more than 20 points in the restricted area in four of their six games. That includes their game in Phoenix on Sunday, when the score at the basket couldn’t make up for the difference on the perimeter. The Suns shot 19-for-33 (58%) from 3-point range, outscoring the Spurs by 27 points from beyond the arc.
3. De’Aaron Fox should be getting close to his season debut, but the Spurs lost Dylan Harper to a calf injury on Sunday. Fox’s eventual return should have the biggest effect on Stephon Castle, who ranks 12th in the league in time of possession at 6.3 minutes per game. The reigning Rookie of the Year has shot much better both inside the arc and from beyond, while also registering a free-throw rate of 62.2 attempts per 100 shots from the field, fifth highest among 137 players with at least 50 field goal attempts and up from 34.8 per 100 last season.
Coming up: After visiting the Lakers on Wednesday, the Spurs will play seven of their next eight games at home. They’ll open NBA Emirates Cup action with a huge matchup against the Rockets on Friday, having scored just 105.1 points per 100 possessions (their second-worst mark vs. any opponent) against Houston last season.