Old As They May Feel, San Antonio Spurs Still Experiencing Growing Pains

The San Antonio Spurs dropped their third game in four tries Sunday evening against the Minnesota Timberwolves, exposing some growing pains they're still managing as they navigate life in Year 2 of the Victor Wembanyama era.

Dec 29, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; San Antonio Spurs interim head coach Mitch Johnson looks on against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second half at Target Center. / Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

SAN ANTONIO — Even in Year 13, Harrison Barnes still experiences a handful of firsts. Sunday evening was one of them.

During his pre-game meal a few hours prior to facing the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center, Barnes received a text relaying the details of a delayed tipoff.

Paint was coming off of the hardwood — an issue discovered by the San Antonio Spurs at morning shootaround — and as such, a 7 p.m. start became 8 p.m as the Timberwolves worked to install a new court fit for play.

"First time seeing that in the league," the veteran shooting guard said.

As the saying goes: The show must go on. And on it went. The result? Another close loss for the Silver & Black after a missed 3-pointer from Jeremy Sochan hit the right side of the backboard as time expired.

READ MORE: Spurs' Late Rally Falls Short Against Timberwolves

At their peak, the Spurs had Minnesota by 12 points, though that came in the first quarter before the contest flipped in favor of the home squad. By halftime, San Antonio was down by the same amount and took the entirety of the third quarter to even the score.

In the fourth, it once again played from ahead.

Once again, it couldn't finish the job.

"Turnovers, offensive rebounds, getting to our spots quickly or giving ourselves time to let things play out," Barnes said, reflecting on his team's third loss in four games. "Those are little things we can key in on."

Dec 29, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes (40) drives to the basket and passes the ball over Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley (10) in the first half at Target Center. / Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Barnes' point, which came as short and sweet as his entire press conference, encapsulated the issues the Spurs have been plagued with all year, despite a more experienced roster. The obvious hope was that they'd get back at Anthony Edwards and Co. after a blowout loss on their home floor.

READ MORE: Spurs' Anomalous Performance Won't Rob Them 'Pleasure' of Fitting In

That didn't happen, but neither did any of the small victories. San Antonio was out-rebounded, outscored in the paint and even out-blocked despite Victor Wembanyama towering in the paint.

Perhaps that's what stung the most.

"We felt what road NBA basketball looks like against good teams," Spurs acting coach Mitch Johnson said. "They did a good job. They're physical. They're big. They're athletic."

Because of the Timberwolves' daunting size, Johnson's nine-man rotation grew in size. Both Charles Bassey and Zach Collins logged minutes in an effort to play up to the physicality the Spurs were up against, though neither provided much.

The pair combined for just four points and two rebounds and finished far on the wrong side of the plus-minus spectrum, which seemed to provide a few answers for Johnson.

"It's just a numbers game," the coach said, "and it's hard. Sometimes, you make calls or decisions and you don't know if you're right or wrong until the results tell you. And that still doesn't mean you're right or wrong."

READ MORE: Spurs Not 'Overreacting' with 9-Man Rotation

Another culprit might have been Sochan, shooting a lowly 26 percent from 3 on the season — the lowest of players averaging at least 17 minutes a game — bearing the weight of the night's final shot.

It also could have been Devin Vassell reacting too slow for a potential game-tying put back under the basket. Maybe Wembanyama should have tried his luck from beyond 30 feet.

The list is extensive, but as Barnes pointed out, so is the number of plays leading up to the final possession; each of them as important as the last.

"You can always dissect the last play," Barnes said, "but it's all the other plays that lead up to it that really matter. Our second quarter could have been better, our third quarter — even parts of the fourth.

"(The last play) isn't where the game is won or lost."

As old as they may feel, the Spurs are still learning and growing. Sunday evening was a microcosm of the issues that presented themselves throughout the early months of the season, including a Christmas Day loss and a three-game skid to open December.

There isn't much reason for concern — such growing pains were expected — but there is something to be said of the recent woes stemming from varying rotations and a franchise cornerstone yet to turn 21 years old.

If losing to the Timberwolves for the second straight game showed anything, it was that those pains are front and center heading into the New Year.

And, maybe, that Barnes is someone to emulate.

But that deduction is certainly no first for teammates of the 32-year-old.

"He was excellent from the get-go," Johnson said of the veteran during the Spurs' loss. "He was one of the few guys that matched their physicality."

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