What we learned from the Spurs loss to the Timberwolves

12/30/2024 10:55 AM

 The Spurs' offense remains a work in progress. 

It's been a strange year for me. And my consumption of NBA podcasts increasing to ridiculous levels was only one of many strange things that happened. But I would go as far as saying that I have developed an addiction of sorts — to the point that I probably spent more time listening to NBA podcasts than watching NBA games, which I find a bit absurd. Listening to NBA podcasts has cut deeply into the time I normally spend listening to music, which is legitimately worrying.

Music, in particular my preferred types of rock and metal, has been not just my longest-standing, but also my primary interest. When I was nine, a neighbor six years my senior introduced me to Iron Maiden. I was sold on the spot. Ever since, music has been more than an interest to me. I think of music less like a pastime, and more like fuel. As an car's engine runs on gasoline, I run on music. Listening to just the right song on my headphones when I leave the house in the morning energizes me for the entire day.

Much as I appreciate them, Nate Duncan and Danny Leroux discussing the worst contracts in the NBA doesn't have that effect. Not even Ben Taylor and Cody Houdek ranking the 25 best players under 25 – and these two are far and away the most eloquent and charming podcasting duos I'm aware of. (They might also be the smartest.) And yet I've been routinely listening to NBA talk on my way to work instead of a healthy dose of distorted guitars.

Today, I was given a figure that shows how deep NBA podcasts have cut into my music consumption. In my spare time, I write album reviews for a small webzine, a hobby project. One of the guys each year after Christmas provides us with a spreadsheet – total reviews written by each contributor, average grade given, stuff like that. Normally, I write about 100 reviews per year. This year, it was 57.

I'll see if I can step up in 2025 and clear out the non-mandatory content from my podcatcher. Some pods will remain necessary listening, in particular when the podcast focuses on the Spurs, or when listeners ask questions about them. One such question has popped up again and again and again this year in the podcasts: Who among the current roster not named Victor Wembanyama will be part of the next great Spurs team?

The answers provided by different podcasters were very similar – and, frankly, a bit disheartening from a Spurs fan perspective. Whether it was Nate Duncan or Ben Taylor who shared their thoughts, or André Voigt, Germany's number one basketball journalist, or any other trusted voice: None seemed perfectly sure that anyone on the team is locked in for the long haul. Many said Vassell had a good chance. And Stephon Castle has recently entered the frame. I didn't sense much love for anyone else, though.

In the German-language "Jeden Tag NBA" Podcast, Tobi Bühner, who is a very good analyst and a Spurs fan, suggested last week that trading Sochan might be a good idea – on the basis the Spurs had a 108 offensive rating (28th in the league) until 4 November, when Sochan got injured, a 116 offensive rating (10th in the league) when he was sidelined, and a 110 offensive rating (21st in the league) between his return on 2 December and Christmas.

Barnes' Player of the Week award was, as Bühner argued, helped greatly by a set the Spurs frequently used: Barnes sets a screen for CP3, while Wemby curls off-ball around a screen by Champagnie, who then cuts into the corner, where he is guarded. Wemby, meanwhile, moves into mid-range territory, where he draws so much attention that Barnes is either open below the basket, or, if not, cuts out to the perimeter for an open three on a Wemby dime. Replace Champagnie with Sochan in the starting lineup, and Barnes is no longer open.

That doesn't mean Sochan won't be part of the Spurs long-term. It only means the Spurs right now are probably not playing their offensively most potent starting lineup. And that's okay. Winning as many games as possible isn't the Spurs top priority yet. And so it doesn't matter all that much they didn't win last night. No matter how close they were to pulling it out.

Takeaways

• The rapid development of Victor Wembanyama continues to amaze: He finished his first season (and started his second) as a mid-volume/low-percentage shooter from deep, he's now a high-volume/high-percentage flame thrower, having converted more than 40% of his almost eleven attempts per game over his most recent 18 games. Compared to his rookie season, he also upped his efficiency from mid-range by a whooping ten percentage points to 43%. Consider him the first three-level scoring DPOY big man in the history of the game.
• Devin Vassell had a good game. Not only did he confidently take over the role of the situational number one option when Wemby sat during the second half of the third quarter — he delivered big time, creating and converting shots for himself, which led to the Spurs taking the lead after being 15 down at halftime. But it wasn't just shot creation, Vassell played aggressively on both ends, also determinedly grabbing a number of contested rebounds.
• Harrison Barnes' usage and production had dipped significantly since Sochan's return from injury, but the veteran reminded Spurs fans he's still able to put up big scoring performances. He had a super-efficient game, scoring 24 on 8/9 from the field (3/4 from deep), grabbing five boards and never turning it over in 33 minutes. In fact, over his last 5 games, Barnes has logged exactly one turnover.
• The scoring efficiency from Wemby, Vassell, and Barnes couldn't hide that the Spurs remain an offensively challenged team. For the second game in a row, they had a quarter in which they barely made it into double digits. Coincidence? Not entirely. The Spurs offense managed to stay in the game because of Wemby and Vassell taking and making an awful lot of awfully difficult shots. These won't always go in, as the second half made all too clear. And even when they do, the Spurs have to work hard for those buckets. They lack a recipe for easy buckets.
• There was also little scoring help from the bench: In a combined 58 minutes, Keldon Johnson, Tre Jones, Julian Champagnie, Zach Collins, Charles Bassey only managed to contribute a total 19 points, with 13 coming from Keldon. KJ had some nice power drives to the basket, but his long-distance shot seems to hibernating for the moment. Like Tre, Castle, and Sochan, he's shooting well below 30% from deep this season. One thing is for certain: Whomever will be on the roster next to Wembanyama in the future, the next great Spurs team won't be able to afford four non-shooters in their top eight or nine rotation.
• One player who won't be part of the next great Spurs team is Chris Paul. In fact, he could be gone within weeks. If he wants to join a contender, I can't see the Spurs standing in his way. But I'm somewhat hopeful that's not what he wants. I think he'll stay. To be perfectly honest, I hope he'll stay past the current season. He's no longer the dominating floor general of earlier days, but take him away, and the Spurs' floor drops. His on/off plus-minus per 100 possessions is a teriffic +15.2 (team-best). May CP3 stay a Spur in 2025, and may all you Pounders have a happy new year!