Rockets Opponent Season Preview: San Antonio Spurs

For the first time since the 1996-97 season, the Houston Rockets will be facing a rebuilding San Antonio Spurs franchise.

Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

HOUSTON — After years of being mediocre at best, the San Antonio Spurs have finally accepted their fate. 

The Spurs, who finished 10th in the western conference with a 34-48 record last season, departed from their all-star guard Dejounte Murray in June, and his jettison has left the franchise with one of the NBA's less talented rosters. 

San Antonio is entering the pre-stages of its rebuild, but next season will be an opportunity for rookies Jeremy Sochan and Blake Wesley to find their niche early on an NBA level. The sooner Sochan and Wesley can start making an impact, the quicker the Spurs can begin establishing a new culture around their young corps.

The Houston Rockets are in a great position to win their four-game regular season series against the Spurs for the first time since 2019. 

Following a season where the Spurs averaged 113.2 points with an offensive net rating of 111.9, the Rockets' enhanced play on the defensive side of the ball should not have a problem contributing to the Spurs' inevitable struggles on offense.

And after two consecutive seasons of being a subpar defensive team, the Spurs could have problems trying to slow down Houston's offensive duo of Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. on the defensive side of the ball.

The Spurs are not expected to win too many games throughout the 2022-23 season. But if Gregg Popovich can prevent San Antonio from finishing with the league's worst record, 2023 could go down as one of his finest coaching campaigns throughout his historic career. 

But all is not lost should the Spurs finish with the league's worst record. The last time San Antonio (14-68) ended the season as the worst team in the league, their struggles resulted in the Spurs acquiring Tim Duncan during the 1997 NBA Draft. 

Could the Spurs' appalling play throughout next season end with Victor Wembanyama calling the AT&T Center his newest basketball sanctuary? Only time will tell in San Antonio.

Key additions: Malaki Branham, Gorgui Dieng, Isaiah Roby, Jeremy Sochan and Blake Wesley 

Key subtractions: Jock Landale, Dejounte Murray and Lonnie Walker IV 

2021-22 season series: Spurs 3, Rockets 1

2022-23 season matchups: Dec. 8 (Away), Dec. 19 (Home), Mar. 4 (Away), Mar. 5 (Home)

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You can follow Coty Davis on Twitter @CotyDavis_24

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