Spurs Weekly Breakdown: Grit, Growth, and a Statement Win in Denver
Week 6 was a rollercoaster for the San Antonio Spurs - and not just because they’re navigating life without Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle. With two key young stars sidelined, it was the veterans and rising contributors who stepped up, helping the Spurs go 2-1 and punch their ticket to the quarterfinals of the NBA’s In-Season Tournament. The week featured a pair of gritty road wins, a tough loss to a surging Minnesota squad, and a deeper look at what this team is becoming without its 7'4" anchor in the middle.
Let’s dive in.
Week 6 Record: 2-1 (Overall: 13-6, 5th in West)
Game 1: Spurs 115, Trail Blazers 112 (In-Season Tournament)
Key Takeaway: De’Aaron Fox is doing exactly what a veteran leader should when the franchise phenom is out - taking over.
Fox dropped 37 points in Portland, matching Deni Avdija’s big night on the other side, but the difference came in San Antonio’s depth. Devin Vassell kicked off what would be a standout week with 23 points, and the Spurs got double-digit scoring from three other players.
Also encouraging: Dylan Harper returned from a calf strain and gave the team a much-needed boost off the bench. With Wemby out, the Spurs are leaning on their collective identity, and it’s paying off.
Game 2: Spurs 139, Nuggets 136 (In-Season Tournament)
Key Takeaway: This was the Spurs’ signature win of the season - and maybe one of the best team performances across the league so far.
Facing Nikola Jokic and the defending champs in Denver - down 18 points at one point - the Spurs clawed their way back behind a monster night from Vassell. He poured in 35 points on a scorching 12-for-17 shooting, including 7-of-9 from deep. Two of those threes came in the final 90 seconds, both off dimes from Luke Kornet, sealing the win and the Spurs’ spot in the In-Season Tournament quarterfinals.
Defensively, San Antonio didn’t stop Jamal Murray (game-high 37), but they made Jokic work. They turned the MVP into more of a facilitator than a scorer - a tactic many teams have tried with Wemby this season - and it was just enough to tilt the game in their favor.
This was a statement. Beating Denver in Denver, without Wembanyama, is no small feat. It’s the kind of win that can galvanize a team.
Game 3: Timberwolves 125, Spurs 112
Key Takeaway: The legs finally gave out.
After two emotional, high-energy wins, the Spurs ran into a buzzsaw in Minnesota. They started strong and looked like they might sweep the week, but the Timberwolves caught fire in the second half, led by Anthony Edwards. Once the threes started falling for Minnesota, the game slipped away.
Still, Fox and Vassell combined for 47 points on 20-of-35 shooting, and the bench showed up again with Keldon Johnson (22 points) and Harper (17 points) providing real punch. But the defense couldn’t hold up, and the Spurs’ hot shooting from earlier in the week didn’t travel.
What We’re Learning About the Spurs
1. Wemby’s Absence Is Felt - Especially on Defense
The Spurs are 5-2 without Wembanyama, which speaks volumes about their depth and leadership. But defensively, the drop-off is real.
With Wemby off the floor, opponents are averaging nearly 50 points in the paint per 48 minutes - compared to just 33 when he’s on. That’s a massive swing.
Their games in Denver and Minnesota were their two worst defensive showings of the season from a statistical standpoint.
2. The Offense Has Found a Groove
Even without their offensive cheat code, the Spurs are humming on that end. Over the last seven games, they rank sixth in offensive efficiency.
Fox is averaging 26.1 points and 7.1 assists during that stretch, and Vassell is showing he’s more than a complementary piece - he’s a closer. His performance in Denver was All-Star level, and the chemistry with Kornet in crunch time was a pleasant surprise.
3. Dylan Harper’s Return Adds a New Layer
After a 10-game absence, Harper returned and immediately made an impact. He scored 17 points on 8-of-12 shooting against the Timberwolves and continues to show flashes of two-way potential.
He and Fox have only shared the court for seven minutes since Harper’s return, but those minutes were a bit rough defensively - the Spurs gave up 18 points on 13 possessions. Still, the sample size is too small to draw conclusions, and the upside of that pairing remains intriguing.
Power Rankings Roundup
- NBA.com (John Schuhmann): 8th (unchanged) OffRtg: 118.0 (7th) | DefRtg: 113.5 (13th) | NetRtg: +4.5 (10th) | Pace: 99.9 (26th) Schuhmann notes the Spurs’ comeback in Denver as their best win of the season - hard to argue with that.
- The Athletic (Law Murray): 7th (up from 9th) Luke Kornet’s steady presence in Wemby’s absence has been key.
No flash, just screens, rim protection, and smart play. Sometimes that’s all you need.
- Clutch Points (Brett Siegel): 7th (up from 8th) The Spurs’ ability to shift their identity without Wemby - playing faster, spreading the floor - has made them harder to scout and more versatile.
Looking Ahead
San Antonio is in the thick of a road-heavy stretch, with eight of nine games away from home. The lone home contest comes Tuesday against the Grizzlies - their first home win over Memphis since 2019 came just last week, so there’s a little something to prove there.
Then it’s back on the road, including a tough back-to-back in Orlando. The Magic have been on a heater despite missing Paolo Banchero, and the Cavaliers - while inconsistent - have enough talent to make any game dangerous.
Bottom Line
The Spurs are showing us something. They’re not just surviving without Wembanyama - they’re evolving.
Fox is leading, Vassell is ascending, and the supporting cast is stepping up. The defense still misses its anchor, but offensively, this team has figured out how to share the load and stay dangerous.
And with a spot in the NBA Cup quarterfinals now locked in, the Spurs aren’t just building for the future - they’re making noise in the present.