After losing by 16 points to the Rockets on Tuesday, the San Antonio Spurs fell to 10th place in the Western Conference. They are officially in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time in 20 years.
The Spurs have fallen to 10th in the West
Kawhi Leonard hopes to return to action on Thursday, but will it be too late?
Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
San Antonio has lost its last three games and dropped 11 of its last 14. The Spurs’ recent slump is uncharacteristic of a franchise that has been synonymous with sustained excellence, having won five NBA championships since 1999.
The Spurs have a 37-30 record and are in a virtual four-way tie with the Nuggets, Jazz, and Clippers.
How did we get here?
The Spurs started the season without Kawhi Leonard, whose lingering quadriceps injury kept him sidelined for the first 27 games. San Antonio went 19-8 to kick off the year, and they welcomed Leonard back to the rotation with open arms in the middle of the season.
But Leonard never got back to his all-star form. He only played in nine games and didn’t have the same lift as we’ve seen from one of the best two-way players in the NBA. Leonard eventually shut himself down, separating himself from the team to seek answers for his nagging quad condition.
From the moment Leonard returned to the last game he played, San Antonio went 10-7 and had a 29-15 record. The Spurs have gone 8-15 ever since.
Leonard’s injury wasn’t the only one that plagued the Spurs. Rudy Gay missed 23 games with a heel injury. Pau Gasol has missed three games in recent weeks, and LaMarcus Aldridge has missed four games since late January. Popovich also opted to start Dejounte Murray in favor of Tony Parker. The rotations haven’t been intact all season.
That could change soon
Leonard is expected to finally return to the rotation on Thursday, and the timing couldn’t be any better. Aldridge is battling right knee soreness, and if he misses any more games, San Antonio could fall even further behind.
The Spurs’ upcoming schedule is unforgiving. They’ve got a game against the Magic on Tuesday before Leonard’s debut against Anthony Davis and the Pelicans. Then it’s the Timberwolves, Warriors, Wizards, Jazz, Bucks, Wizards, Thunder, Rockets, Lakers, Trail Blazers, Kings, and Pelicans. That’s 11 games against teams competing for a playoff spot in San Antonio’s final 14 games.
Luckily for the Spurs, 10 of those games are at home, and equally as lucky for the Spurs, their ex-NBA Finals MVP could be returning soon. Leonard averaged 25.5 points on 48.5 percent shooting from the field and 38 percent shooting from three last season. In the playoffs, he averaged 27.7 points.
The Spurs will need primetime-level Leonard if they expect to claw back up the West standings. They might be tied for 10th in the conference, but they’re only four games behind the Trail Blazers for the third seed. That’s how tight the playoff race is this season.
And with Leonard coming back — even if he’s just 80 percent — the Spurs can’t be counted out just yet.
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