Endlessly frustrating Spurs trend comes with immediate silver lining

With the NBA Cup behind them, the Spurs will get back into the swing of things and resume their quest towards the top of the conference. Coming off back-to-back playoff-like matchups against the Oklahoma City Thunder and New York Knicks, things will get a whole lot easier on Thursday night.

After falling dramatically to the New York Knicks, the Spurs will be able to right the ship against the Washington Wizards. Matching up against the league's worst team, the Wizards should be absolutely frightened by what San Antonio might do. Filled with rage, the championship losers will be seeking to avenge their troubling loss.

The Spurs need a dominant performance

Have you ever lost a big sporting event and headed home to destroy everything in a video game? That's a lot like what the Spurs will be doing on Thursday. On the heels of some of the toughest basketball they will play all year long, they are gifted the easiest matchup in the entire NBA.

Fueled by defeat, the Spurs should completely clobber the Washington Wizards. The mercy rule is not in effect here. San Antonio holds the advantage in nearly every category and should impose their will in all aspects of the game.

Coming off what was a lesser game for Victor Wembanyama, I anticipate an angry Frenchman taking over in this one. In fact, the Alien played one of his best career games against Washington in 2024, dropping a staggering 50 points against weaker competition. Don't be surprised if he puts together a similar performance.

San Antonio must put a focus onto the glass

Beyond the expected offensive dominance in this matchup, the Spurs need to refocus on the defensive glass. The group brutally struggled to flip possessions on defense, allowing the Knicks to assault them all night. The lack of attention to rebounding the ball was the primary reason the Spurs lost the championship game.

With no prominent big man to speak of in Washington, the Spurs need to treat this game like practice. Without any threat heading their way on the glass, the squad has no excuse to give up offensive rebounds. They must use this time to work on their positioning and hammer in the idea that they need to protect their possessions.

While I don't want to sound too cocky, this matchup should be a breeze and treated as an opportunity for lessons. The Spurs learned a lot from their NBA Cup experience and can now put it into action. Even if the game is as easy as it can be, they can't let their foot off the gas. Go out there and embarrass the Wizards. I expect nothing less.