The Spurs started the year as hot as anyone. Beginning the year 5-0, the Silver and Black looked unstoppable. While they are still coasting at a positive 11-4 record, they have started to slip in a few areas. One of which is their rebounding.
At the start of the season, the Spurs were in the top five in the league in rebounds. They were crashing the glass like no other and flipping possessions left and right. Their dominance was on full display. However, this fact is no longer the case.
The Spurs have now fallen to 12th in the league in total rebounds per game. The Spurs must get back to playing bully ball if they want to [contend with the best](https://airalamo.com/brutal-truth-the-spurs-must-dig-deep-to-overcome-this-season).
Rebounding is essential to winning basketball
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It cannot be understated how vital rebounding is to winning basketball. If you look at the best rebounding teams, ones that have performed better than the Spurs in this category, you will notice that there are a whole lot of great teams.
Dominant teams such as the Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, and Houston Rockets all rank among the top 10 in rebounding. When you look towards the bottom of the list, you will find the worst teams in basketball.
The evidence is as clear as day that you need to rebound to be successful. With good rebounding, you can quickly get into transition and score or offensively create extra possessions for your team.
The Spurs must dominate on the glass
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With or without Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs must get better at attacking the glass. They have proven that they can be one of the best teams in this category, so now the bar is set at the top. The team can not take any possessions off and must stay ready and alert to get up and grab boards.
The Spurs have the collection of talent and infrastructure to be an elite rebounding team; they just need to do it. With their top-of-the-league defense, they should be finishing every defensive possession with a rebound. Offensively, players like Luke Kornet and Keldon Johnson need to keep doing what they do best: [stealing rebounds on the offensive glass](https://airalamo.com/keldon-johnson-has-found-role-that-destined).
It's no coincidence that the Spurs have dropped in rebounding since their 5-0 start. If they can get back to being menaces on the glass, the wins will continue to pile up. If not, teams will take advantage of them and pick up some easy looks.
I have complete confidence that the Spurs can be one of the most feared teams in the league with their bully-ball style of play. Defense has begun to run the NBA, and the Spurs have what it takes to compete with the best teams in the league if they can maintain a strong unit defensively.
Over the next few weeks, amid a frightening road trip, the Spurs must hold firm if they want to translate their early success into sustained winning.