Crucially important stat explains Spurs' raging early season success

The San Antonio Spurs have experienced a breakout year in 2025. After a 126-119 win against the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday, the Spurs stand at 14-6 and are tied for 4th in the Western Conference.

What’s most remarkable is that they continue to thrive despite facing numerous injuries throughout the season. With Victor Wembanyama still recovering, De'Aaron Fox, Devin Vassell, Dylan Harper, and others have been instrumental in leading the team.

The Spurs have been winning games due to their maturity, composure, and strong performances in the closing moments. This ability to excel in critical situations is reminiscent of their success during their prime years from the early 2000s to the 2010s, which established them as one of the most successful franchises in all of sports.

The Spurs are playing well beyond their years

Before this season, the Spurs' struggles in the fourth quarter played a significant role in their downfall. However, in 2025, they have made a substantial leap and are playing with remarkable maturity. As a result, they are no longer an easy team to beat and must be taken seriously in the league.

Fortunately for the Spurs and their fans, there are statistics to support these claims. Clutch situations are defined as the last 5 minutes of a game when the score difference is close, typically within four to five points. This overall improvement is significant, highlighting the Spurs' remarkable progress this year.

The team has Fox and an improving combination of role players to credit for this progression. Fox's ability to control the game's tempo has been a driving force behind these late-game heroics. Known for his high-energy play style, he has maintained that approach since joining San Antonio. Fox can be relied upon to handle the ball during critical moments, and he will likely continue to take charge even when Wemby returns.

According to StatMuse, Fox ranks 12th in the NBA in fourth-quarter points per game at 7.3, just behind the Los Angeles Clippers' Kawhi Leonard. During Tuesday's game against Memphis, Fox continued these efforts, scoring 11 points in the fourth quarter to help secure a victory.

What makes this whole situation even better is that it is occurring during a "prove-it" year for the Spurs. The 2025-2026 season was expected to be the true coming-out party for the Silver and Black; it has turned out to be even more significant than anticipated. In a recent segment on Amazon Prime's "NBA on Prime," Udonis Haslem let it be known that San Antonio's youth is no longer their Achilles heel.

"Their youth is a superpower, and offensively, they are discovering their identity, particularly late in games," Haslem stated. "They are not letting teams off the hook anymore, avoiding bad shots, and they are getting after it," Haslem concluded. They say that teams are defined by what they do in big moments, and so far in 2025, the Spurs can make a case for being one of the league's most dangerous units.

The Spurs will be on the road for the next week and a half, making stops in Orlando, Cleveland, and New Orleans before their NBA Cup quarterfinal matchup against LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and the Los Angeles Lakers.