Although Unpopular, Rockets' Fred VanVleet’s Take About the Spurs was Correct

Fred VanVleet has become the poster child for the San Antonio Spurs fanbase. At least, on social media.

However, it can be useful for checking the pulse of a collective group or to gauge the thought process on a specific subject or item. VanVleet has always been public enemy number one in the eyes of that fanbase.

Well, dating back to 2019, during the Toronto Raptors' championship parade when he said some...rather unpleasant things about NBA legend and famed Spurs iconic coach Gregg Popovich. In that same instant, VanVleet also compared the city of San Antonio to the city of Toronto, telling Kawhi Leonard, longtime Spurs wing that "it wasn't like this in San Antonio."

Naturally, those fans have had an ax to grind with the 2019 NBA champion and All-Star point guard. So the reality is that anything he says, especially when aimed the Spurs' way, will draw the ire of beloved Spurs fans.

But what he said about not being in a rush to crown this year's Spurs ball club was actually not erroneous. Not at all.

In fact, it was logical. VanVleet lived it himself with the Rockets last season.

His premise was simple and accurate -- don't crown a team, based on how they fare in the regular season. What's wrong with that?

Let's see how they fare in the playoffs first, before deciding if they are the next big thing.

The playoffs are a different beast. And oftentimes, well most of the time, younger, inexperienced teams don't reach the mountaintop during their first attempt of reaching the Promised Land.

It's possible, but not always likely. For example, the Spurs' wily veteran is..De'Aaron Fox? Much love to the Houston native and Cypress Lakes standout but even he has just one postseason appearance under his belt and that was a first-round exit, albeit a seven-game series.

Call it a valiant effort.

Also, regular season success isn't always a gauge of how a team will fare in the postseason. So again I ask, what's wrong with what VanVleet said?

It's not personal. It's logical and sensical. VanVleet even gave this Spurs ball club their credit, noting that "they beat our ass."

VanVleet was obviously referring to the nationally televised game between the Rockets and Spurs on March 8th, in which the Spurs won 145-120. You could also use January 28th as yet another illustration, as the Spurs beat the Rockets 111-99, in a game that didn't even feel that close.

As it pertains to VanVleet's overarching point, the Rockets are actually an example, in particular the 2024-25 iteration of the team. Houston jumped off the porch and surprised everyone last season.

A 52-win season. Second-place finish in the dreaded Western Conference. Even without a superstar on the roster.

Tough out in the playoffs, too. Valiant effort, even. But there's just no substitute for that inexperience, as a collective.

Again, if you already held a grudge with VanVleet from seven years ago then anything he says would draw your ire. But as it pertains to this point, he's right.

And it shouldn't be controversial.