San Antonio severely sabotaged before NBA season began in October

Every team has adversity to get through in an NBA season. It's the nature of the business. Some have to deal with more than others, though, and their success depends on how well they can weather the storm. It's unclear whether the basketball gods have been punishing the Spurs this season or if it's tough love, but if this is an example of giving the toughest battles to your strongest warriors, it needs to stop.

We're tired.

San Antonio started the season without Devin Vassell and with a rusty Victor Wembanyama. Shortly after the season began, Coach Gregg Popovich had a health scare, sidelining him for the season. Then Jeremy Sochan got injured and missed a few weeks, and it hasn't felt like there's been a ton of consistency since. Those things were tough enough, but the NBA did the Silver and Black no favors.

The Spurs 2025 schedule has been absurdly brutal

This is a team that won 22 games last year, so 2024-25 was bound to be an uphill battle all season long. Now, they're not completely off the hook. Some of the guys have disappointed fans. There was an assumption that they were working hard to be better players, and I won't say that wasn't the case, but it hasn't translated in any tangible, consistent way.

That being said; San Antonio has been forced to play the same team two times in a row way too often this season. A young team will struggle more than a veteran-led ball club in those circumstances. It's just more difficult for the inexperienced group to make adjustments that quickly and execute them to the same degree.

In January, the Spurs played nothing but playoff teams, and that included a trip to Paris, which forced SAS to take off 3-4 days before and after the trip, disrupting their rhythm. Once February began, things didn't get easier since it was time for the Rodeo Road Trip and it's been the longest one in recent memory.

I'll say this again: games played in Austin are not home games, and if anyone needs any more evidence of that, go back and listen to the crowd during the Phoenix game. It was lackluster. That could be because Kevin Durant went to college at UT, splitting allegiances but whatever the reason, it was unacceptable.

They already have to deal with different locker rooms, further travel, etc. but not knowing if the fans will be all in should be the nail in the coffin for those on the fence about playing games in A-Town.

The Spurs haven't played a game at the Frost Bank Center since February 1st and won't return until March 2nd. That's very hard on a team trying to find its way. Whereas just about every other team in the league plays 41 home games, San Antonio only plays 38, and many of them were front-loaded.

Also, because of the odd scheduling due to the travel in January, San Antonio's season is also back-loaded with back-to-backs. Following the All-Star Break, there were 30 games left on the schedule with eight back-to-backs. They've already played one, and we saw how that went.

Not having Coach Pop and Victor Wembanyama are issues that nobody could have seen coming, but the league did the Spurs no favors when constructing this year's schedule. Hopefully, it leads San Antonio to draft Cooper Flagg or Dylan Harper, but there's no telling how the draft lottery will go, no matter where the team finishes.