Spurs PF Zach Collins on Being Home, Extra Practice: 'We Need It'

The Spurs will face the Denver Nuggets at home to open their six-game stretch, and plan to use all of the time they can during practice to prepare themselves for success.

The San Antonio Spurs are finally back home. 

After the conclusion of their annual Rodeo Road Trip, coach Gregg Popovich's squad got a taste of being back in their home city before leaving for a brief road-trip to face the Houston Rockets in the second of a back-to-back series. 

Now, the Spurs are set to host six straight opponents in San Antonio, meaning more time in front of a home crowd, but also more practice time — a beneficial aspect of any home stand. 

"We need it," veteran forward Zach Collins said. "It's good for [our] young group to get more reps and learn more. Any time we can drill things out and work on things we've been struggling [with] in-game ... it's huge for us."

Collins spent three years with the Portland Trail Blazers before his tenure in San Antonio began in 2021, and his impact has been already proven major — the power forward averaging a career high 10.6 points on 35 percent 3-point shooting. 

The 25-year old has also experienced playing with league superstars like Damian Lillard, allowing him to pass along his expertise to the young guys on the Spurs, especially under a coach with a unique style. 

"We didn't practice much when I was in Portland during [the] season," Collins said. "It was more [if] we had a bunch of days off ... then we'd probably get a practice in, but it'd be very light."

Collins emphasized the beneficial aspects of the extra practice, especially as the Spurs prepare for four current playoff teams during their home stretch. 

"[It allows us] to have as many reps as we want," he said. "[We can] slow the game down and stop the game when we need to."

The Spurs will look to bounce back from their road-loss against the Rockets, first taking on the Nuggets — led by the potential three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, who enters the game averaging a triple-double on the season. 

"It's going to be fun," Collins said. "I love going against [Jokic]. As a big man, I love watching him and the way he plays the game.

"He's incredibly smart," Collins added. "He's a guy who, when you look at him, you don't think he'd be a potential three-time MVP, but he is." 

Last game, Collins tallied 14 points and 10 rebounds during the Spurs' loss to Houston, but made his presence felt, which the Spurs will no doubt need from him to compete with Jokic and the top-seeded Nuggets. 

Friday's tipoff from AT&T Center will be at 7:00 p.m. 

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