Spurs new biggest problem has accelerated at an alarming rate

The Spurs have been an entirely different team without their superstar, Victor Wembanyama. While many expected a decline during the time without him, the Silver and Black ignored the doubt and have commanded an excellent 9-3 record in his absence. While the past few weeks have been nothing other than a success story, it hasn't always been pretty.

The Spurs have earned every one of their victories without Wemby, but it has become clear that this team still needs their hero. While the defense without Vic has taken a massive step back, so has the rebounding. They showed some improvement on the glass in their wins over the Pelicans and Lakers, but both of those teams are bottom ten in that category.

The drop in defense was always expected, given how amazing the Frenchman is on that side of the ball, but no one could have anticipated such a drastic drop in rebounding. Or maybe we could have.

Victor Wembanyama is extremely underrated in this category

Without Victor in the lineup, the Spurs have fallen from one of the best rebounding teams in the NBA all the way down to 20th in rebounding percentage. The Spurs have also dropped to the middle of the pack in total rebounds per game. This sudden fall is concerning. Was their amazing start due to Wembanyama, or was it simply a coincidence?

I would like to believe that Wembanyama is one of the most underrated rebounders in the NBA because, of course, he is. At 7'5", Wemby's job cleaning the glass is one of his easier assignments. The superstar was averaging a career-high 12.9 rebounds per game, proving he has mastered this aspect.

Now in his third season, Wembanyama has figured out how to properly position himself to be in the best possible spot to grab a board. Additionally, his added strength has allowed him to box out opponents more effectively and overpower them for rebounds.

I also can't forget to mention that defense and rebounding often go hand in hand. When a team is forcing more empty possessions, they will be getting more defensive rebounds. As the Spurs' defense has been giving up more points since Victor left, they have had fewer opportunities to grab rebounds.

So, fear not about the Spurs' rebounding numbers. Suppose the Spurs were struggling like this with Victor; then we would have a serious problem. But that is not the case. The Alien will return soon enough. When he does, the rebounding numbers will quickly return to where they were.