The San Antonio Spurs are no longer a rebuilding story. Behind the rapid rise of Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio has emerged as a legitimate contender to win the NBA title this season.
The Spurs enter this stretch with the league’s longest active winning streak at six games and sit just two games back of the Oklahoma City Thunder in the loss column. They also hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the defending champions, a detail that could loom large in playoff seeding conversations as the regular season winds down.
San Antonio‘s case as a contender is backed by measurable improvement on both ends of the floor. The Spurs have been the league’s most improved team in winning percentage and have made their biggest leap defensively. They are allowing 5.4 fewer points per 100 possessions than they did last season, a dramatic shift that has turned them into one of the more disciplined units in the Western Conference.
Wemby is a force in the paint
Much of that defensive identity centers on Wembanyama. Opponents shot 57.8% in the paint against the Spurs last season, ranking 19th in the league. That number has dropped to 54.6% this season, fourth-best in the NBA. With Wembanyama on the floor, San Antonio allows just 37.8 points in the paint per 100 possessions, with opponents shooting 51.3% in that area.
When he sits, those numbers jump significantly to 51.7 points per 100 possessions and 56.8% shooting in the paint. The on-off differential underscores his impact as a rim protector and defensive anchor. The Spurs have also established a clear identity early in games. They’ve been at their best in the first quarter, outscoring opponents by 12.1 points per 100 possessions in that frame.
At the same time, they have shown resilience, owning a 13-3 record in games in which they lost the first quarter, compared to 24-13 when they won it. That ability to adjust midgame has become another hallmark of their growth.
Now healthy and riding a six-game surge, the Spurs look different. The defense is tighter, the rotations are sharper, and Wembanyama continues to expand his influence beyond the stat sheet. With the Western Conference race tightening and San Antonio holding key advantages in the standings, the conversation has shifted. The Spurs are no longer a promising young team. They are firmly in the title picture.
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