The San Antonio Spurs are in the thick of a brutal stretch in their schedule, and they’re not backing down. With another matchup against the Houston Rockets looming in just over a week, the Spurs-led by De’Aaron Fox, rookie standout Stephon Castle, and rising superstar Victor Wembanyama-are embracing the challenge like a team with real postseason aspirations.
This is the kind of run that tests a team’s mettle. Since December 23, the Spurs have squared off against a gauntlet of contenders: the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder (three times), the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, and the Minnesota Timberwolves-twice.
That’s a murderers’ row of opponents, all of whom are sitting comfortably in the top four of their respective conferences. And yet, the Spurs haven’t flinched.
Fox, who’s been the steady hand guiding this team through the grind, put it plainly: good teams don’t shy away from stretches like this-they lean into them.
“Whenever you're trying to position yourself to have home court advantage in the playoffs, you're not looking at it like that,” Fox said. “You’re not thinking, ‘We’ve got a tough road trip’ or ‘We’re playing too many top teams back-to-back.’
You treat it as a measuring stick. These are the moments that show you where you really are.”
And he’s right. This part of the season is where contenders separate themselves from the pack.
Fatigue starts to set in. Injuries pile up.
And the schedule doesn’t let up. But for the Spurs, currently sitting second in the Western Conference, this is exactly the kind of crucible that can forge a team’s identity heading into the back half of the season.
The Rockets, now nipping at San Antonio’s heels in the standings, are well aware of what’s at stake. But for the Spurs, the focus isn’t on the standings-at least not outwardly.
Game Day
— Hector Ledesma (@HectorLedesmaTV) January 20, 2026
"When you're a bad team looking at it: 'Oh, we've got to do all of this and trying to get to All-Star break.' When..you're trying to position yourself (for) home court (playoffs), you're not looking at it like that"⬇️
-talked w/De'Aaron Fox about #Spurs current stretch pic.twitter.com/jOSDcH1SNW
They know the playoff picture is beginning to take shape, but there’s no panic, no scoreboard watching. Not yet.
“I think we all pay attention to it, but not really try and focus on it, if that makes sense,” said one Spurs player after their recent game.
That balance-staying aware without getting distracted-is key for a team trying to build something sustainable. And it’s clear that this group, even with its youth and new pieces, is learning how to do just that.
Wembanyama, the reigning Rookie of the Year, is already showing the kind of maturity that bodes well for San Antonio’s future. After a recent win, he admitted he wasn’t even aware the Rockets were breathing down their necks in the standings.
“I didn't know that they were right behind us coming into the game,” he said. “Just knowing we were number two in the West, knowing we dropped a couple games there that we should've won, just wanting to take it game by game and make sure we came out with energy for this one.”
That mindset-from the veterans to the rookies-is what’s driving this Spurs team forward. They’re not just trying to survive this stretch; they’re using it as fuel. And if they can maintain this level of focus and intensity, they won’t just be in the playoff picture-they’ll be a problem when they get there.