Zach Collins Adapts, Spurs Surprise No One & Miss Victor Wembanyama: 3 Takeaways
SAN ANTONIO — Sitting two seats to the right of Victor Wembanyama with a backwards cap and warmup gear on, San Antonio Spurs center Zach Collins watched as his rookie teammate dapped up Keldon Johnson.
The trio were the most important inhabitants of Fiserv Forum Tuesday morning, as it stood otherwise empty seven hours prior to tipoff between the San Antonio Spurs and Milwaukee Bucks.
Wembanyama was out for the matchup, and Collins could sense his frustration — he wasn’t going to be able to help his teammates earn a road win.
“I think Victor is frustrated he can’t play,” Collins said. “I can’t speak for him, but he’s a competitor. He wants to be out there.”
Out there or not, facing the Bucks was not an easy task, especially for a team fresh off of an 18-game losing streak. But regardless, San Antonio stepped up the challenge.
It came up short, but it made the most of its shorthanded-ness. It tried.
Here are three takeaways from Tuesday’s loss to the Bucks:
Dec 19, 2023; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Zach Collins (23) shoots during the third quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum.
© Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Zach Collins Stepped Up When Needed
Zach Collins has made his rounds in the Spurs’ rotation.
After showing out as the starting center following last February's trade deadline, Collins proved himself as a reliable scorer and a strong replacement for Jakob Poeltl. From there, he earned the starting lineup role and embraced it well.
Collins was an uncontested starter for the first 20 games of the season, playing a traditional five spot to allow Wembanyama to play freely as a power forward, but once it became apparent that it wasn't working, Popovich moved him to the bench.
Stepping into a new role wasn't anything of concern for the center, but it was a change of pace. Coming off the bench gave him a chance to bring some instant offense for a team needing continuous production even without Wembanyama. He did that, but Milwaukee presented a different situation.
With the rookie out, Collins would need to step up and produce offensively as a primary big. And again, he did that. Collins finished with 22 points, a pair of blocks and eight rebounds to cap off an efficient night. Without Wembanyama, San Antonio had little to no chance at pulling out a victory, but had it not been its slow start, it might have. Collins was the reason for that as he stepped up into the role he needed to.
Just like he has all season.
Defeating Milwaukee On the Road Was Never Expected
Losing a player is always a tough way to enter a road environment looking for a win.
That goes for all role players, bench pieces and even glue guys that bring the team together behind the scenes. But what about the stars?
Each of them plays a role in fostering success. Role players are pivotal to bench production while starters ensure a strong start and strong finish — but that's self explanatory. For the Spurs, going on a road trip to Milwaukee without their frontman was almost certainly going to be a loss barring extenuating circumstances.
No Wembanyama meant losing a rim protector and a scorer — more on that in a second — but it also meant an incomplete team. And when facing a fully healthy duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, that isn't a recipe for success.
Whether it was a slow start, a blowout loss or a buzzer-beater, San Antonio entered the game knowing the tall task that waited for it. And while no player or coach chalked in a loss, there wasn't much surprise when things didn't swing their way.
Yes, dropping a game to the Bucks marks a second straight loss, but it isn't something for the Spurs to be concerned with. As Popovich said, there were a lot of good things to look at — and right now, that's where the Spurs' focus should be.
Victor Wembanyama Was Greatly Missed
Since he was drafted with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs have been all about Victor Wembanyama.
He not only brought size to both offense and defense, but he also brought a level of hope for a fanbase desperately needing it. That was, if he could stay healthy.
The biggest concern regarding the rookie was whether or not his slender frame would allow him to remain on the court. He made it his personal goal to not miss a single game — and while that was a stretch, it was a good mindset to have. Prior to the Milwaukee game, the rookie had only missed one game prior, that one also not for any serious injury.
Playing all 82 games of an NBA season is certainly a hard mark to attain, which is why Wembanyama's health thus far in the season has been a major plus.
