The San Antonio Spurs are off to their best start in more than 10 years, leading to hope that they can contend for a championship this season. However, not so fast, according to the Ringer's Bill Simmons.
Simmons believes that the Spurs have built a strong team, though [he expects them to fall short](https://youtu.be/DSpJ0Y1eey8?si=e_gggw5U2PYto8ri&t=399) of making a deep playoff run this season. In fact, he even compared them to the 2013 Golden State Warriors, who made it to the West semi-finals, in a preview of what was to come.
In some ways, Simmons appears to be right about the comparison between this version of the Spurs and the 2013 Warriors.
The Spurs may not be ready to contend just yet
----------------------------------------------
The Warriors began their ascent in 2013 when they made the second round of the NBA Playoffs and gave the Spurs all they could handle. In fact, they even looked like the favorites after Game 1.
Of course, that series changed when coach Greg Popovich made the brilliant decision to switch Tony Parker onto Harrison Barnes (ironic, I know), Danny Green onto Steph Curry, and Kawhi Leonard (boo!) onto Klay Thompson.
That coaching decision completely changed the complexion of the series. Green kept Curry in check after he went off doing the first two games for the series.
Leonard milk boxed Thompson, turning their second-best player into an afterthought, while former Warriors coach Mark Jackson made the foolish decision to try to exploit the Barnes-Parker matchup.
Barnes had the size advantage but wasn't exactly a post-up powerhouse. Golden State opted to try to exploit that matchup by frequently posting up Parker while taking the ball out of Curry's hands. As a result, Golden State's offense ground to a halt. That allowed the Spurs' offense to win out, ending a surprisingly strong season from the then up-and-coming Warriors.
Bill Simmons has a point about this season's Spurs
--------------------------------------------------
In Simmons defense, he isn't dismissing this version of the Spurs, just merely pointing out that this could be the starting point of a potentially great team. Just two years after losing to the Spurs in the West semifinals, Golden State won their first championship of the Curry era.
They then went on to dominate the West, winning four championships and making a total of six NBA Finals from 2015 to 2022. San Antonio could be in for a dominant run of their own, but that doesn't normally happen this fast.
After all, they had the eighth-worst record in the NBA last season. While they are on pace to win at least 50 games this season, they have very little playoff experience aside from players such as De'Aaron Fox, Harrison Barnes, Luke Kornet, and Kelly Olynyk.
On the other hand, Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper don't, and we don't know how they will look under the bright lights of the playoffs. With any luck they will be ready to play come playoff time, and the Spurs will far exceed postseason expectations.
However, if they struggle, then the team's younger players will at least gain valuable experience. Experience that could propel the Spurs into title contention next season and hopefully serve as the foundation for a dynasty.