3 Critical takeaways after Spurs' demoralizing blowout loss to upstart Pacers

2.) San Antonio's second unit needs a massive boost

San Antonio currently has the 24th-ranked bench unit in the NBA. They have not performed well on offense or defense thus far. Some patience should also be used here, with the lineup still building cohesion. Tre Jones started last season, Malaki Branham barely played, Cedi Osman was a Cavalier, and Charles Bassey received almost zero burn after fracturing his kneecap. The only player who came off the bench was Doug McDermott. Now that unit is disrupted with Vassell out. It's not ideal.

The ball movement the second unit plays with has shown itself on the stat sheet. They have the eighth-best assist percentage in the NBA, but they still turn the ball over too much and do not score at a high enough rate to make up for their other shortcomings. The solution to the problem may be a suggestion fans have made since before the season started. Bring Keldon Johnson off the bench and let him cook opposing reserves.

Bringing KJ in as the sixth man may be a more difficult decision right now with the absence of Vassell, but it just might be the long-term solution to a myriad of problems once the recently extended wing returns. At the very least, San Antonio may want to consider ensuring Johnson is on the court when Wemby sits until Vassell returns. They cannot afford to have dry spells on offense when their superstar rookie takes a breather.