The San Antonio Spurs are starting to look like a team that could make some real noise come playoff time. After notching their third win of the season over the Oklahoma City Thunder - a team many consider the gold standard in the West right now - the Spurs are building momentum. But even with the excitement swirling, there’s one thing San Antonio isn’t budging on: Victor Wembanyama’s recovery plan.
Wembanyama, who missed 12 games with a left calf strain, has been on a strict minutes restriction since returning to the court. He’s come off the bench in all seven games since his return, and while the minutes have been limited, the production hasn’t. On Thursday, the rookie phenom dropped 19 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in just 26 minutes against the defending champs - a performance that showed flashes of the two-way dominance he’s capable of.
But head coach Mitch Johnson made it clear before the game: no matter how good Wemby looks, the plan isn’t changing.
“I don’t know when it becomes unrestricted, but his minutes will be mindful for dot, dot, dot,” Johnson said, emphasizing the long-term view the team is taking. “There’s nothing that’s going to make us flinch or change on that. If this game goes into triple overtime, he will not be in the game.”
That’s not just coach-speak. It’s a philosophy rooted in protecting a generational talent.
Wembanyama missed time after last season’s All-Star break due to deep vein thrombosis in his shoulder - a serious condition that cut his rookie campaign short. San Antonio knows what’s at stake, and they’re not about to jeopardize his future for a few extra minutes in December.
Johnson said Wembanyama is fully on board with the cautious ramp-up, understanding that the team’s long-term vision includes him being healthy and dominant not just this season, but for years to come.
“None of that is going to allow us or dictate to us in terms of the big picture of what we want for that young man and for this team,” Johnson said. “You look at the injury, his unique anatomy, and all the things we want to accomplish - not just today, not just this year, but years to come - there’s nothing worth sacrificing or risking his long-term health.”
That kind of patience might be frustrating in the short term, especially with the Spurs playing their best basketball of the season. But it’s the right call. And it’s not like the rest of the roster isn’t stepping up.
De’Aaron Fox, in his first Christmas Day appearance, made sure to leave a mark. He came out firing, scoring 21 of his 29 points in the first half and setting the tone early against one of the league’s toughest defenses. Fox said he wanted to make the most of the moment - and he did just that.
“This being my first Christmas game, I just wanted to have a good game and come out with a win,” Fox said. “We did that, and we did it from the jump outside of the first couple of possessions. I think we were really good throughout the course of the game.”
The atmosphere inside the arena felt like a playoff game - and with good reason. This was the third meeting between the Spurs and Thunder in just under two weeks, and there was no shortage of intensity. Oklahoma City dropped to 26-5 with the loss, and according to ESPN, it’s the first time since the 1966-67 season that three of a team’s first five losses have come against the same opponent.
Wembanyama, as measured as ever, wasn’t ready to call it a statement win.
“Maybe it does, maybe it doesn’t,” he said. “But we’re focused on the rest of the season.
It’s very long. We’re not even halfway through, so I’m not really sure it’s… I don’t know the word - I’m not really sure it’s smart to think so far into the future.”
That mindset - locked in on the day-to-day - is exactly what the Spurs are preaching. And it’s not just the headliners carrying the load.
Thursday also marked a milestone for Keldon Johnson, who played in his 400th game with the franchise. He made it count, too, logging his 25th career game with 20 or more points off the bench. Johnson’s role has evolved over the years, but his approach hasn’t changed.
“That’s my job,” he said. “I take pride in doing what my team needs me to do.
And for me, it’s being an energy guy, being a leader, being whatever - being adaptable to whatever role I need to be in for my team to be successful. And I put my teammates first.
I put my team first.”
That kind of mentality - from the top of the roster to the bench - is why San Antonio’s early-season surge feels sustainable. They’re not just chasing wins.
They’re building something bigger. And if Wembanyama continues to grow within this system, the Spurs might not just be ahead of schedule - they might be a real problem in the West sooner than anyone expected.