The San Antonio Spurs have undoubtedly been one of the best stories of the NBA season so far. After Victor Wembanyama went down with a calf injury, it was unclear if they could stay afloat in a grueling Western Conference. However, they have maintained a top-five spot in the West and have a 8-3 record without Wemby.
Yes, they lost to the Cavaliers on Friday, but they bounced back and beat the Pelicans on Monday and there's no denying that the Spurs have been impressive without their 21-year-old superstar. And once Wemby returns (which could be as soon as this upcoming week), this team will be a force to be reckoned with. In a conference with the Oklahoma City Thunder, it would be foolish to predict that the Spurs will win a championship this year.
Nevertheless, I could see this team finishing as a top-three seed and being a really tough out in the playoffs. This stretch has proved that it's not just Wemby who makes the Spurs dangerous, it's their entire supporting cast.
The Spurs being this good without Wemby is stunning
To me, the most surprising part of the Spurs' success without Wemby has been their offense. For the season, the Spurs rank eighth in offensive rating per Cleaning the Glass. Without Wemby, though, they rank seventh. That's right, without their 7-foot-4 Alien, who is averaging 26.2 points, their offense has actually been better.
What's more? Stephon Castle has only played in two games during this stretch.
This shouldn't be a demerit on Wemby or Castle; they're both incredible, and no, the Spurs aren't better without them. Instead, I view this as a testament to the Spurs' all-around offensive talent. De'Aaron Fox has been nothing short of amazing, averaging 26.8 points, 6.8 assists, and netting 39.8 percent of his 3-pointers during this stretch. He also ranks second in clutch-time plus-minus during this stretch.
De'Aaron Fox in clutch time since missing the game-winner vs. Golden State:
— Josh Paredes (@Josh810) December 5, 2025
• +28 plus/minus (2nd in NBA)
• 19 pts (14th)
• 3/6 from 3
• 8/8 FT
• Spurs 4-0 pic.twitter.com/fVhZogzt5X
Fox's play, paired with the contributions of Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Harrison Barnes, and Dylan Harper, has kept the Spurs afloat. Guess what? Harper has also missed six games in this time, and the Spurs found a way to go 4-2. I would also be remiss to not mention Luke Kornet, who is holding the defense down, averaging 2.1 blocks.
The Spurs' recent success is a rare example of the next man up mentality we rarely see in the NBA. Mitch Johnson, who is in his first full season as the Spurs' head coach, deserves a ton of credit.
The best is yet to come for the Spurs
What really makes the Spurs dangerous in my eyes is that this team is just scratching the surface. Fox and Wemby have played in just four games this season and nine total games. As they develop more on-court chemistry, this duo could become the most unstoppable pairing in the league. Fox's elite speed and downhill scoring make him a perfect complement to Wemby. This stretch should remind everyone that Fox is a capable No. 1 option and one of the best No. 2 options in the league.
Much was made about how Fox, Castle, and Harper would fit together so far, so good. In my eyes, you can never have enough playmaking and preimter creation. Furthermore, each guard gives the Spurs a slightly different element.
More importantly, though, Castle is a second-year player, Harper is a rookie, and Wemby is in his third year. If the Spurs are this good already, what will they look like in a few years? It might not happen this year, but the Spurs are shaping up to challenge the Thunder for the rest of the decade.
The Spurs are also one of the main teams that have the assets to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo. At this juncture, it's too early to tell if the Spurs will truly be in the mix for Giannis or if he'll even be traded. However, if the Spurs do pull off a Giannis trade, their timeline will be accelerated, and they could be the team best positioned to challenge the Thunder.
At the very least, nobody will want to face the Spurs in the playoffs, given their combination of size, length, and star power.