Spurs' glaring improvement should be impossible but it's actually happening

There's nothing better than watching a team prove they're built for the playoff stage. We're seeing that with the Spurs, specifically with their three-point shooting. They're draining a blistering 42% through their first-round series against the Blazers.

This is an elite number, one that places them at the top of the postseason in that category. Even more impressive? Their shooting from beyond the arc is even better than in the regular season, where they ranked 15th in the league at 35.9%.

We're witnessing a young core adjust to an unfamiliar playoff situation while improving drastically in an area where they were solid throughout the regular season. It's a part of what makes them such an anomaly compared to other squads across the league.

Julian Champagnie deserves his flowers

There are so many underrated performers for this Spurs team, but one of the most important of this bunch is Julian Champagnie. Through the regular season, he was one of the NBA's premier long-distance threats, making 38% of his attempts and a team-high 195 total made threes.

That's carrying over into the playoffs for him. In the series, he's making 57% of his looks, providing much-needed spacing to open up San Antonio's scoring attack against Portland's aggressive defense.

Champagnie is one of the players that every contender needs: a reliable catch and shoot option who's smart with his positioning and can hit timely buckets. Denver had it during their title run, as did Boston and Oklahoma City. Adding this archetype is imperative, and it's another box the Spurs can check off on their title contender to-do list.

The Spurs' three-point shooting is another reflection of Wemby's importance

Victor Wembanyama's offensive impact has been a topic of conversation all season long. Pundits came to realize that his scoring output isn't the only thing that makes this Spurs' offense work, but also his gravity. The attention he commands when he barrels towards the rim draws in help defenders, leaving long-distance shooters open for easy opportunities.

That's exemplified through this series. In each game Wemby was fully available for, the Spurs shot well over 40% from downtown. Contrast that with Game 2, where he went out early with a concussion. San Antonio's offense struggled to adjust to his sudden absence, and their three-point percentage dipped to 29%. They also saw a decline in attempts.

Now, they were able to adjust in Game 3 without Victor due to better game planning, but it's still apparent that their spacing is fully optimized when he's present. It's a trend that we'll definitely see through the rest of this series and the postseason as a whole.

There's nothing better than watching a team translate their elite-level play from the regular season into the playoffs. It's even better when they're able to use the postseason stage to become even better, and for the Spurs, it's their leap as a three-point shooting team.

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