Secret recipe to Spurs' raging success is better than you think

The Spurs are one of the best fourth-quarter teams in the entire NBA. What a refreshing thing to be able to say again. It's the reason they've been able to stave off comeback attempts after going up by double digits. They've pushed their leads to 10 points or more in the majority of their games, but holding onto them has been a bit of a challenge. Regardless of that, they still win them, and this is why.

San Antonio has made strides in late-game execution

Let's dig further into how good they've been and how far they've come. Last season, the Silver and Black were actually pretty good offensively in the final 12 minutes of a ballgame. They had a 115.8 offensive rating, and that ranked seventh in the league. The problem was how horrendous the defense was.

The 2024-25 Spurs had a 117.4 defensive rating, ranking 27th in the league. It put their net rating at -1.6, and it's hard to win games like that. This year, they've completely flipped their script. Let's start with the season-side view 15 games into the year.

Their fourth-quarter defensive rating this campaign has skyrocketed to 110.4. That's good for eighth. Their offensive rating is even better at 121.8. That's fifth. It's given them the fifth-best net rating in the league at +11.5.

But then you start to wonder about how they've won their past three games with so many players injured. Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle have been so good, especially at the end of games, that you would think that the team would take a step back without them on the court.

While that's obviously the case for much of the game, as you see them working harder for their results, it hasn't been when the game is on the line. During the recent three-game winning streak without Area 51, the Spurs have a 98.6 defensive rating (5th) and a 129.2 offensive rating (4th). It's raised their net rating to +30.5

Spurs are keying in on details in most high-stakes moments

How does one explain losing two of the team's best defenders yet getting better on defense during the most important quarter of a game? Well, quite frankly, it helps when you play two of the worst teams in basketball. The Sacramento Kings and Memphis Grizzlies are pretty horrendous right now, so running circles around them wasn't too difficult.

The Hawks are a step up in class, but they didn't have their veteran playmaker, Trae Young, on the floor, and without him, they're relying on a bunch of young guys to take them there. Jalen Johnson has been playing well, but it takes more than that when you're going up against a well-coached team with a real closer at their disposal.

The offensive jump is even simpler to explain. His name is De'Aaron Fox, and he only gets better when the game gets tight. Shout out to Harrison Barnes, too. He's stepped up in a major way and deserves a nod here. It's fair to say that Swipa is the engine, though.

This is a huge credit to Mitch Johnson and his coaching staff. His reality is that he will always be compared to Coach Popovich as his successor, and Pop was a master at getting the best out of his guys, even when they were shorthanded, and executing in the fourth quarter was a staple. So far, Johnson is checking those boxes, and that should excite Spurs fans everywhere.