SAN ANTONIO – Over two weeks into the NBA’s regular season, the San Antonio Spurs seem to be right on schedule.
After sweeping the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 31 and Nov. 2, the Spurs (3-6) have fallen to a four-game losing streak, with the latest loss coming against Minnesota last Friday. The 117-110 loss to the Timberwolves (6-2) came with another big performance from rookie Victor Wembanyama, who dropped 29 points on 12 of 21 shooting.
The 7-foot-3 Frenchman was due for a bounce back performance. After dropping 38 points against the Suns in a 132-121 win on Nov. 2, Wembanyama came back to the mean, scoring 20, 13 and 14 points in the next three games.
However, that is not to say that the opening of Wembanyama’s rookie campaign is a disappointment.
As of Saturday, Wembanyama leads all rookies in points per game with 19.9, over three points ahead of Oklahoma City’s rookie Chet Holmgren. He is also first amongst rookies in blocks per game (2.6) and is second in rebounds per game (8.6).
The 19-year-old, who happens to be on the youngest team in the NBA, knows the early season struggles will propel the Spurs for later in the season.
“We’ve had ups and downs, but I think we’re fixing some stuff every time,” Wembanyama said. “We can get much better, but as the youngest team in the league, I think we’re already doing a good job with our intentions. But now we have to do good as a fact.”
The four-game skid has come in all phases for San Antonio.
Three days after the big win over Phoenix, the Spurs fell 123-116 to the Toronto Raptors in overtime. The team then turned around and lost by a combined 62 points to the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks.
Despite the four consecutive losses, San Antonio’s seven-point loss to Minnesota was a positive one for Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich.
“I was proud of them. I thought they did a good job tonight,” Popovich said. “It’s a totally different game than Indiana or New York. Nobody likes to lose, but there were all kinds of good things in this game and we just have to keep getting more disciplined, make fewer errors, execute better and it takes time. I felt totally different after the last two [games] than I feel [after Friday’s loss]. I was proud of them.”
The long 82-game season will give the league’s youngest team plenty of time to grow and develop.
The Spurs’ second and final home in-season tournament game will come against the Sacramento Kings. The game will tip off at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the Frost Bank Center.
