NBA gifted the Spurs the blueprint to stop Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on opening night

The San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder are set to renew their rivalry during the season opener, and the Spurs may already have the perfect way to slow down MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA). Despite having a middling Western Conference Finals by his standards, the Spurs are no doubt scheming ways to keep the two-time MVP guessing.

Fortunately for the Spurs, the NBA may have gifted them the perfect way to do so. The NBA recently announced new points of emphasis, and one in particular could help them slow down SGA.

The league announced that they are cracking down on offensive players extending their off-arm to gain separation from their defender. That could make SGA a little bit easier to stop and help Stephon Castle stay in front of him.

The Spurs can keep defensive pressure on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

If the NBA is serious about cracking down on push-offs, then SGA should be concerned. He is notorious for using his off-arm to push off for his jumpers and on his drives. To be fair, Castle is also among the worst offenders, and he too may struggle.

However, the trade-off could be worth it for the Spurs if they can make it a little bit harder for SGA to score. He already struggled against the Spurs last season with Castle hounding him and San Antonio having the best shot blocker in the league, Victor Wembanyama.

That will hopefully continue this season, though SGA is a top-shelf scorer. He'll find ways around the rule, hopefully just not against the spurs.

The Spurs can make a statement against the Thunder on opening night

If San Antonio can again beat the Thunder, it will be the ninth time in 10 tries dating back to the beginning of last season. That would be a dominant stretch and put the league on notice with San Antonio being the new team to beat in the West.

With San Antonio already being the Western Conference champions, that is already technically the case. Yet many still have them and the Thunder as being neck and neck in the West.

San Antonio will certainly welcome any potential edge they can get over SGA and the Thunder, and him not being able to push off could help them. However, more importantly, San Antonio still has another level to reach defensively.

Both Castle and Wembanyama could be even better defensively this season, as could Carter Bryant. Bryant is the Spurs' potential wildcard and could factor into a Western Conference Finals rematch should the Spurs and Thunder meet again in the NBA playoffs.

In the meantime, San Antonio can make a statement on October 20th when they face off against the Thunder to open the season.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow