OffRtg: 118.8 (5) DefRtg: 112.5 (5) NetRtg: +6.2 (6) Pace: 100.7 (18)
The Spurs’ eight-game winning streak (in games that count toward the standings) came to an end on Saturday, when De’Aaron Fox missed their game against the Jazz. But they still have more wins against the Thunder than the rest of the league, having beat the champs on a neutral court, at home and on the road.
Three takeaways
1. The Spurs are now the only team that ranks in the top five on both ends of the floor. They knocked the Thunder out of the top five on offense by holding them to just 107.0 points per 100 possessions over three meetings in the last 16 days. That includes just 88.9 per 100 in Victor Wembanyama’s 70 minutes. The Thunder average 51.3 points in the paint per 100 possessions overall, but just 33.3 per 100 with Wembanyama on the floor.
2. The defense is aided by the Spurs’ lack of turnovers against the Thunder. Their two wins last week were two of the seven times that the Thunder have forced fewer than 14 turnovers per 100 possessions. Fox had a quiet night scoring (six points) on Tuesday, but he led the way with 29 points on Christmas, and he has an assist/turnover ratio of 16/2 over the three games. Overall, the Spurs’ offense has been at its best (119.4 points scored per 100 possessions) with Fox on the floor.
3. But the loss to Utah without Fox was more about the defense. Wembanyama was in the starting lineup for the first time since his month-long absence, but the Spurs allowed 127 points on 99 possessions, their worst defensive game of the 19 that Wembanyama has played in.
Coming up: The Spurs’ two losses against the Eastern Conference (one that counts in the standings, one that doesn’t) have come against the Cavs and the Knicks. They’ll have opportunities to avenge them both this week.