Why Spurs' Anomalous Performance Won't Rob Them 'Pleasure' of Fitting In

The San Antonio Spurs had a woeful outing against the Minnesota Timberwolves, but despite it, they don't feel any less confident about their potential. And the Western Conference standings back them up.

Dec 15, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes (40) dribbles past Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid (11) in the second half at Frost Bank Center. / Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama had a few things to be grateful for Sunday night.

For one, his back hadn't bothered him in 48 minutes. Longer than that, really, but for the entirety of the San Antonio Spurs' home bout with the Minnesota Timberwolves, he was pain-free.

Secondly, the San Antonio Spurs, despite an unruly loss, were still part of the mass of teams in the Western Conference with at least 13 wins. They were still well in contention for a spot in the Play-In Tournament or better and a poor shooting performance hadn't changed that.

READ MORE: Spurs Sunk By Abysmal Shooting, Timberwolves Cruise to Victory

"Right now, I feel like we're part of the stacked West," Wembanyama explained. "It's a pleasure to be able to compete for (those) spots. To ride alongside those teams that have been big for a good amount of years."

That much was certainly different from a season ago. Despite Wembanyama's presence, the Spurs struggled to close out games, hold leads or perform well enough to play from ahead most nights. They certainly weren't in any position to utter the word "playoffs," either.

In other words, they finally fit in.

“It’s so much different than last year,” Wembanyama said with usual optimism. "It's a pleasure."

Dec 15, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) celebrates in the second half against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Frost Bank Center. / Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

Normally, a team lauding themselves as competitive and in the mix would be on an upward trend. Amid a slew of injuries — enough to prolong San Antonio's first "full strength" night of the season even further into December — and a bad looking loss to one of the West's top teams, it didn't seem that the Spurs matched such a description.

Unless, of course, they knew the loss wasn't representative of their potential.

"There's nothing that happened tonight that feels like the bottom is falling out," Spurs acting coach Mitch Johnson said, "or something that we know is not, for the most part, in our control."

Some of those things included winning the rebound battle, committing fewer turnovers — an issue that's plagued San Antonio since the beginning of the season — and simply making shots.

If all of those things contributed to an unsteady ship Sunday, it was the latter that sunk it.

"Everyone has the right intention," Harrison Barnes said. "Guys are trying to make the right plays ... (but) when you're playing in the half court, you have to fight for details. I thought we lost those tonight."

"It was still a good defensive performance," Wembanyama added. "We didn't make shots."

READ MORE: Slow Night for Spurs Pair Leads to Loss vs. Timberwolves

As ugly as the night got at times, there wasn't ever a sense of "danger," as the 20-year-old explained. And still without three key rotational pieces, the Spurs would rather a mixed bag than a total wash.

Still, an incomplete rotation doesn't fall into the bucket of acceptable excuses.

"It's going to be rare to have everybody at the same time," Wembanyama said. "We've got to make up for it."

Dec 15, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) pushes off San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) in the second half at Frost Bank Center. / Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

San Antonio is still a ways away from a completely healthy roster. Adding back Stephon Castle was a positive start, but with Zach Collins, Keldon Johnson and Tre Jones still working on returning, there'll be a heap of making up to do.

"In general, we have to be more organized," Barnes said. "We have a blueprint — a strategy. We kind of know what works ... Tonight was more of an anomaly of what we've been doing as opposed to any reason for concern.

"I don't think there's any concern. I think we actually like where we are."

Peeking ahead in the schedule, the Spurs face the Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trail Blazers and Philadelphia 76ers before their big-time Christmas Day game at Madison Square Garden.

Performing well in those contests could mean heading into the new year a few games over .500 just in time for a potential Gregg Popovich return, or at the very least, a new win streak.

READ MORE: How Spurs Can Clip Hawks’ Wings on Both Ends of the Floor

Shooting woes might follow, but San Antonio doesn't intend to let them bog it down. In fact, nothing seems to carry such power. Especially not an anomalous performance.

"Oh, no," Wembanyama responded when asked about the bottom falling out. "It never felt like we were in danger."

Luckily, another long rest between games gives Mitch Johnson and company a chance to continue to reset. The extended break might not be something they've experienced before, but it also comes at a favorable time.

The Spurs are ready to keep pushing; perfectly even they sit.

Fitting right into the Western Conference.

"It's just one more reminder that the very top is not far away," Wembanyama said. "It's a short way. A very tough one, but it's right there."

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