Inside The Spurs

Counting Down on New Year’s Eve with Key Stats from Spurs’ Win

Celebrate New Year’s optimism with the San Antonio Spurs after a dominant win over the LA Clippers as rising stars like Wembanyama and playoff hopes make 2025 bright.

Taylor Hodges

The San Antonio Spurs Coyote performs in the second half against the LA Clippers at Frost Bank Center.
The San Antonio Spurs Coyote performs in the second half against the LA Clippers at Frost Bank Center. / Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images
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New Year’s Eve is a time to celebrate the previous 365 days, but also a time to look ahead and be optimistic about the next 365 days.

San Antonio Spurs fans have plenty of reasons to be optimistic about their team in the new year. The Spurs ended 2024 with a 122-86 win against the LA Clippers and are the No. 9 team in the NBA’s Western Conference teams (which would put the Spurs in the play-in tournament).

READ MORE: 'Short-Term Memory': Spurs Get Big Lift from Stephon Castle in Emphatic Victory

The Spurs also have one of the game’s most-promising players in Victor Wembanyama and one of the favorites for this season’s Rookie of the Year award with Stephon Castle. They also have a treasure trove of draft assets that allows the Spurs to, basically, do whatever it wants with trades and the draft.

That’s plenty of reasons for every coach, player and fan to look at 2025 optimistically.

So, with it being New Year’s Eve, here’s a countdown using key stats from the Spurs’ big win over the Clippers:

5

That’s how many turnovers the Spurs forced from Clippers’ guard James Harden. That’s pretty much what Harden has averaged this season (4.8) but forcing the team’s best player into turnovers is always a good strategy.

4

That’s how many San Antonio players scored more than 10 points. Wembanyama led all players with 27 points, Keldon Johnson had 17, Stephon Castle had 15 and Harrison Barnes had 11.

3

That’s how many steals veteran Chris Paul had against the Clippers. One of those steals led to one of the game’s most impressive highlights.

2

That’s how many games Harrison Barnes has posted a double-digits point total. Barnes had 11 points against the Clippers and 24 on Sunday in a 112-110 loss to Minnesota. If the Spurs are going make the playoffs, Barnes being a major contributor will help make that easier.

1

That’s how many three-pointers Wembanyama made Tuesday night. The 7-foot, 4-inch center made just one of his six three-point attempts. But he was 10-of-18 from the field which helped pile up a game-high 27 points.

0

That’s how many minutes LA led the Spurs by on Tuesday night. Webanyama scored the game’s first points on a 9-foot hook shot a little more than a minute into the game. The Clippers closed the gap shortly to 8-6, but that was the closest they’d get to leading the Spurs.

San Antonio Spurs On Sports Illustrated

'Short-Term Memory': Spurs Get Big Lift from Stephon Castle in Emphatic Victory

Victor Wembanyama, Spurs Bounce Back with Blowout Win Over LA Clippers

Development Years: How Are Spurs' Turnover Numbers Faring This Season?

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Taylor Hodges
TAYLOR HODGES

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