Sochan’s absence has opened a glaring hole in Spurs’ new offense

The San Antonio Spurs’ offensive rebound troubles have become more noticeable with Jeremy Sochan on the sidelines. Sochan fractured his thumb in the November 4th loss to the Clippers, a game in which San Antonio saw a comfortable 26-point lead slip away, ending in a deflating defeat.

He missed the second half of that game and hasn’t suited up since, and his absence has quickly highlighted some of the more critical weak points in the Spurs’ game.

The Spurs lost valuable possessions when Sochan was injured

San Antonio’s offensive rebound numbers have plummeted from 12th in the league to 24th in the three games since Sochan’s injury. His average of 2.4 offensive rebounds per game was invaluable for a team that’s struggling to maintain their possessions.

The Silver and Black are, once again, one of the worst in the league when it comes to turnovers, which has given opponents four more field goal attempts per game on average. When you look deeper, the Spurs average 84.8 FGA, which is good for 28th in the league, again making each possession more valuable.

Though Devin Vassell’s recent return should help alleviate some scoring issues, the Spurs have made things difficult for themselves in other areas. They’re not hitting from beyond the arc at the rate everyone had hoped quite yet, and their offensive efficiency is suffering because they’re also struggling to get to the free-throw line.

When they do reach the charity stripe, they’re converting at 81.8%—third-highest in the NBA—but they’re not generating enough attempts to make it a difference-maker. Add frequent turnovers into the mix, and suddenly, Sochan’s offensive rebounding contributions appear even more significant.

It's only going to get harder from here

With The Polish Prince out, the Spurs’ issues are magnified by their schedule. While this recent stretch was seen as relatively manageable, tougher matchups are looming.

They’re about to face the Los Angeles Lakers, followed by a back-to-back with the Mavericks and then the Chet Holmgren-less Oklahoma City Thunder. If they can't secure offensive rebounds and keep possession of the ball, they risk dropping all of these games.

Physicality has been a primary tactic opponents use to disrupt the Spurs. As one of the NBA’s youngest teams, San Antonio is occasionally overpowered by stronger, more experienced players. If they can match their opponent’s physicality and intensity, they can better control the boards, limit turnovers, and improve their scoring opportunities.