5 Teams that will give the Spurs the most trouble in 2023–24

Keldon Johnson
Keldon Johnson / Thearon W. Henderson/GettyImages
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4.) Golden State

It's been a while since the Spurs and Warriors were playoff rivals, but they could both compete for a spot in the play-in tournament as well as the NBA Cup. The Spurs will be in the same bracket as the Warriors, and it will be an early test to see how good this young Spurs team will be. They could be competitive against a veteran team full of championship experience but may struggle to keep up with their offense.

The Warriors scored 5.4 points more per 100 possessions last season, and even factoring in that the Spurs were tanking, there will likely still be a big disparity due to the gap in 3-point shooting. Part of the reason the Warriors struggled last season was because superstar Steph Curry missed significant time, but assuming that he has better health, they could be tough to beat. Even if they aren't, Golden State is deeper than they were before, after adding Chris Paul to their second unit.

The Spurs do have a few things that work in their favor, like having two versatile defenders in Devin Vassell, and Jeremy Sochan who can hopefully slow down Curry and Thompson. They also have height, with both Wembanyama and Collins listed at 7'3 and 6'11, respectively. Warriors power forward Draymond Green would be even more undersized against San Antonio, though that hasn't stopped him from being a difference-making playmaker and defender.

In this matchup, he'll likely guard center Zach Collins, while center Kevon Looney will guard Wembanyama. Looney is a good defender and can be dominant on the offensive glass, even helping the then-defending champions upset the Sacramento Kings in the first round last postseason. He may give the Spurs all they can handle, keeping him from creating extra possessions.

Still, the Spurs may have an offensive advantage in the front court when adding Keldon Johnson to the mix, though their backcourt certainly doesn't. If Curry and Thompson are splashing threes, San Antonio would probably have a hard time beating Golden State.