The San Antonio Spurs are 0-2 to open the 2026-27 season, and Dylan Harper isn’t interested in letting the panic spread.
After two games, the Spurs and the New York Knicks - the two teams from the 2026 NBA Finals - are both off to disappointing starts. That hasn’t exactly made for a calm beginning to the new regular season, even if the expectation is that both clubs will sort things out before long.
Harper knows the Spurs have not reached their best level yet. He and his teammates understand they’re still working through things with the group they have, and they’re treating the early losses as part of a long season rather than a reason to spiral.
That was the message Harper pushed when addressing the concern around San Antonio’s opening stretch. He made it clear the team hears the noise, but he also wants fans to keep some perspective.
"How many games are left? Exactly.
It's not going to be perfect from day one... Obviously, we're still figuring it out with the group we have, but I feel like if you're concerned this early, you need to have that type of poise and energy to get it right...
Long way to go," Harper said about the concerns about the Spurs.
The Spurs are under a brighter spotlight now after their surprising surge in the 2025-26 season, and Harper knows that comes with pressure. For now, though, the message from him and the team is the same: stay patient, keep working, and trust that the response is coming.
In Other News...
Spurs First Win May Have Changed Wemby's Backup Picture
The Spurs first win of the season came with a little extra intrigue in the frontcourt, as San Antonio topped Dallas 122-106 behind Victor Wembanyamas all-around effort. Wembanyama scored 23 points, grabbed seven rebounds and added five steals while setting the tone with aggressive work in the paint, the kind of performance that reminded everyone how central he is to everything San Antonio wants to do.
But the bigger long-term note for the Spurs may have been the debut of Tarris Reed, who got into the rotation and logged six minutes in the middle. Reed finished with two points and three rebounds, a small sample but enough to hint at a possible path as a backup option for Wembanyama, which is the sort of development San Antonio will be watching closely as the season settles in. [Read more 🡒]
Wemby Showed Up But Spurs Already Have An Early Problem
Victor Wembanyama did enough to give San Antonio a chance, finishing with 25 points and 13 rebounds, but the Spurs still came up short in a 114-110 loss to Houston. The Rockets got the last word when Amen Thompson blocked Wembanyamas final shot attempt, a play that summed up how tight this one was and how little margin the Spurs had to work with down the stretch.
San Antonio is only two games into the season, so there is no reason to overreact, but the 0-2 start does put an early spotlight on the details that decide close games. The Spurs have talked about being encouraged by their progress, and Wembanyamas production is clearly part of that, yet this loss also showed how quickly a promising night can slip away when one late possession goes against them. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Get A Big Opening Against Dallas But One Threat Looms
The Spurs are heading into their matchup with Dallas in a good spot health-wise, with no surprise injuries and a roster that is almost entirely intact. Tobias Harris and Jayden Quaintance are the only names not available, giving San Antonio a chance to lean on its usual rotation against a Mavericks team that is dealing with a much longer injury list.
Dallas is already dealing with multiple questionable and out designations, and Cooper Flagg has been ruled out with a shoulder injury, leaving the Mavericks shorthanded before the game even tips. The bigger swing factor for San Antonio may still be whether Kyrie Irving is available, because his status could change the look of the matchup even with Dallas carrying so many absences into the night. [Read more 🡒]