I know it doesn't feel amazing right now because the Spurs just lost an ugly game in Charlotte, but there's still a reason to be excited about where this team is right now. Think back to last January, and remember how the season completely came apart when they ran into the tougher schedule to start 2025, followed by Victor Wembanyama's DVT diagnosis.
San Antonio was a game over .500 entering the new year but went 4-8 that month. There wasn't much for the fans to be excited about with so few contests and losing so many of the ones they had. This season was back to normal, as they made 15 appearances this month and went 8-7.
We were so very close to 9-6, but after how last year went, I'll take 8-7 with a smile on my face. I'm more optimistic about how this season is going to finish than some of my fellow Spurs fans, but I have very good reasons for that. So, let's talk about them.
The Spurs are adversity-tested
The Silver and Black were only projected to win about 43 games this season, but that looks like a gross underestimation now. They're currently on pace to win about 52-54 games, and if they get on another roll, that number could easily go back up again to the 58-win pace they were on about a month ago.
The difference between this year and last was the adversity they faced. This young team had to battle through losing, not just an ordinary coach, but a legendary one, and one of the greatest this league has ever seen. That's no small thing for a squad to deal with, and there had to be several feelings of disappointment to go right along with the fear for Gregg Popovich's health.
Wemby wanted to be coached by the GOAT, and Pop made that commitment to do so by signing a five-year deal when he was already on the other side of 70 years old. Unfortunately, Vic only got a little over a year with the five-time champion. To put it plainly: that sucks.
There was likely a similar vibe from Chris Paul, who spoke about the chance to be coached by the Great Popovich when he joined such a young team, but he barely got that opportunity. Next thing you know, Wemby is out for the year; they trade for De'Aaron Fox, and he opts for surgery after less than a month.
It was the right decision for Swipa to get his hand taken care of, so don't get me wrong. I'm just laying out what the team had to deal with last season. That kind of adversity builds up the calluses that young teams usually don't get so early in their journeys, but they're ultimately necessary to evolve into a championship team.
Shared experiences of collapse, tragedy, and/or failure are what strengthen teams. These are sports, so usually in this context, we're just talking about losing a playoff series or something, but these guys had to deal with real-life stuff, and they did it together. That's why they've had the fortitude they've shown this season, and it's why I believe they'll figure this out and finish the season just as strong as they began it.