Spurs Starter, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025: New Year, New Spurs

Your daily briefing on what's going on with the San Antonio Spurs, including news, draft and more.

Dec 31, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) shoots over LA Clippers guard Amir Coffey (7) in the second half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images / Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

The San Antonio Spurs celebrated the start of the New Year in emphatic style, demolishing the Los Angeles Clippers 122-86 on Tuesday night.

The dominant performance was a statement victory for a young team eager to find some consistency as they navigate a competitive Western Conference.

“Definitely, we’re in a tough conference. We’re battling every night, so I’m proud of our record,” Victor Wembanyama said after the game. “It’s nowhere near enough, but I’m proud of it. We just came off a road trip where we lost three games, and I looked at the standings this morning, and we were in the play-in. It just tells you how hard it is to be at the top in this league and this conference, especially. So yeah, tonight was a big one.”

The win pushes the Spurs to 17-16, a significant boost after a rocky stretch to close out 2024. The team has hovered around .500 for much of the season, but Tuesday’s performance may signal a fresh start and brighter days ahead.

Mitch Johnson, still leading the team from the sidelines in the absence of Gregg Popovich, continues to guide San Antonio’s young roster toward improvement.

Development is evident across the board, and players like Wembanyama and Stephon Castle have begun to embrace the challenges that come with it.

The New Year represents a clean slate, and the Spurs seem determined to take full advantage.

After navigating ups and downs and battling through growing pains, they'll now aim to string together the type of performances that will solidify their playoff position in a loaded Western Conference.

Now, onto the headlines.

The News

1. READ: Victor Wembanyama, Spurs Bounce Back with Blowout Win Over LA Clippers

The San Antonio Spurs returned home from their trip North with a win and two losses, but got back on track at home against the LA Clippers as Victor Wembanyama logged another impressive performance.

Check out the full story at the link above.

2. LOOK: Victor Wembanyama Rises in MVP Rankings After Stellar December

The San Antonio Spurs' center is quickly playing his way into not only the conversation, but serious contention for the award given to the league's best player.

Check out the full story at the link above.

3. READ: Spurs Fall in Power Rankings After Challenging Road Trip

The San Antonio Spurs dropped three spots in the latest power rankings after losing three games last week.

Check out the full story at the link above.

Today's Schedule

No games scheduled. Happy New Year!

The Full Schedule

The San Antonio Spurs played their first game of the year on Oct. 25, kicking off the second season of Victor Wembanyama's young NBA career. Now that it's through, here's a preview of some upcoming dates and times (all in CST) throughout the season to watch for:

San Antonio Spurs Regular Season Schedule

Jan. 23-25: Paris Games vs. Indiana Pacers

Feb. 3: Rodeo Road Trip Begins at Memphis Grizzlies

Feb. 14-16: All-Star Break

Feb. 20: Spurs Get Moody vs. Phoenix Suns
Feb. 21: Spurs Get Moody vs. Detroit Pistons

March 21: Longest Home Stand Ends vs. Philadelphia 76ers

April 6: Final Road Trip Begins at Portland Trail Blazers
April 13: Final Home Game vs. Toronto Raptors

On This Date in Spurs History ...

January 1, 1956: Mike Mitchell was born in Oklahoma City, Okla.

Quote of the Day

"When nothing seems to help, I go and look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock, perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that last blow that did it—but all that had gone before."

- Jacob Riis, Spurs team motto

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