Spurs Schedule Revealed: 6 Takeaways, National TV Games, More
The San Antonio Spurs are in for another tough, yet exciting season.
As the NBA tipoff draws closer, every bit of additional info only increases the hype surrounding basketball season, and Thursday afternoon was no exception. The NBA released its entire 2023-24 schedule, giving fans a chance to anticipate big matchups for their team and again, making the Spurs no exception.
Now that Victor Wembanyama resides in San Antonio, the Spurs are back on the map in the Western Conference, but while that means more media coverage, it also means higher expectations. Wembanyama and company will have plenty of chances to prove themselves, but whether or not they will remains to be seen.
Either way, San Antonio has a lot to look forward to this season, including numerous nationally televised matchups and several big-ticket home games, so, ahead of the regular season in October, here are six takeaways from the Spurs' schedule reveal:
1) People will be watching the Spurs again
If the Spurs were concerned about the amount of media attention they'd be getting with Wembanyama, they'll have to think again. Now that one of the greatest NBA prospects of all-time resides in the Lone Star State, primetime matchups for coach Gregg Popovich's squad are certainly in order — 19 to be exact.
Beginning on Oct. 25 and finishing on March 31, San Antonio will be on the big screen across the country, facing the Mavericks, Suns, Knicks, Thunder, Kings and Lakers among others on their way back to the top of the Western Conference, and all eyes will be on them.
Being nationally televised does come with extra scrutiny, especially when dealing with a player being deemed "the next LeBron James." Luckily for San Antonio, Wembanyama and the rest of the players have ample time to prepare before tipping off against the Mavericks for their home opener.
2) No Christmas Day in San Antonio ... yet
An early Christmas Present for San Antonio fans certainly would be a home game on Dec. 25, but unfortunately, the Spurs aren't there just yet.
Playing on what's become a national holiday for NBA fans — apart from the literal one — is more of a privilege than anything else, unless you're the Los Angeles Lakers. The Spurs have been towards the bottom of the league in recent years, making them near the bottom of the pecking order for Christmas Day games, which ended up being reserved for playoff teams anyways.
The Spurs may not be playing on Christmas this season, but with Wembanyama and an ever-developing young core, it certainly is a possibility for the new future ... people will be watching, after all.
3) Spurs vs. Thunder: A new rivalry?
New this season is what the NBA is deeming "Rivals Week," where new and old rivalries will be showcased during the days leading up to All-Star break.
Typical rivalries that are decades old, such as between the Lakers and Celtics or the Knicks and Nets are featured, but there are relatively newer rivalries set up as well.
The Kings and Warriors — West First Round foes from last season — are slated to play nationally on TNT, while Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets will take on Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers in what's become an entertaining battle of the bigs in recent seasons.
Apart from those, a rather new "rivalry" seems to be brewing ... or at least the NBA seems to think so. The Spurs will take on Chet Holmgren and the Oklahoma City Thunder once again in front of a national TV audience, marking the beginning of a young core face-off.
The Spurs and Thunder haven't had too much history in the past, but setting up a rivalry game every season could mark the start of a new era in San Antonio.
4) Wembanyama's health will be tested
One of the most physically demanding things in all of professional sports is playing NBA games on back-to-back nights. Obviously, the typical two-day break between games isn't too much longer, but it does make a difference, especially given the lack of recovery time that players have in between matchups.
That being said, Wembanyama will be facing that as a unique challenge this season. With Metropolitans 92, he did remain healthy for all of his team's games, but there were significantly less of them, and no back-to-backs at that.
That all changes this season, as the Spurs are slated to play 11 back-to-backs over the course of the year, meaning Wembanyama's health will be put to the test. That could spell trouble for San Antonio, but if he continues to be healthy, it also could mark the next step towards Wembanyama's storied career.
5) Austin's "Annual" I-35 Series: Spurs' Next Step?
Speaking of next steps, the Spurs' franchise as a whole will be renewing its I-35 Series in Austin, scheduled to face the Denver Nuggets and Brooklyn Nets in mid-March.
InsideTheSpurs.com spoke with Brandon James, the Spurs' SVP of Strategic Growth, about the team's desire to reach the Austin market, which he says would be a big step towards growing the team's relevancy.
“If we are able to puncture Austin in the way that we think we can, we move to a top-10 TV market," James said. "That changes the paradigm of how we look at ourselves, how other teams look at us [and] how the sports world in general looks at us.”
It's safe to say that the Spurs' are viewed differently around the NBA already now that Wembanyama is in town, but adding an Austin fanbase — some of which already support San Antonio's G-League affiliate — would be even more helpful, even if the Spurs don't win the games in town. Bringing Jokic to town is enough on its own, meaning the Spurs should be seeing an influx of viewership from Central Texas.
6) "The Extraterrestrial" and "The King"
Arguably the most anticipated matchup for the Spurs this season will be against the only other player to experience the kind of hype that Wembanyama has dealt with since being drafted.
No, LeBron James didn't throw out a first pitch, but he was being nationally televised as a high schooler, and told that his performances could make or break his potential as a future NBA superstar. High expectations for a kid not even old enough to vote, isn't it?
Luckily, Wembanyama was a little older when he started to be recognized nationally and noticed for his height by media across the country. Still, it made for a strange dynamic between him and his passion for the game, which he says was a major reason he decided to "disappear" from the media.
Now that he's back — and with a new hairstyle — he'll be ready to hit the court against another Nike athlete with a signature name. "The Extraterrestrial" and "The King" will face off three different times this season, with two coming in San Antonio during back-to-back matchups in December. Regardless of who comes out on top, there will be plenty to breakdown between James and Wembanyama — which may be one of the most historical face-offs to ever take place given the situation.
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