What we learned from the Spurs' loss to the Mavericks

Before the game I was talking to a friend and he asked me how I thought the Spurs would do this year. I played it cool. “They're probably going to be rough out of the gates and need some time to find their footing before they come on strong in the second half. “It's going to look a lot like last year.”

I embody the role of the seasoned basketball observer I like to pretend to be: rational, smart, and just a touch of cynicism to keep things spiced up. The kind of person whose opinion you would respect. But deep in my heart I knew that attitude was a lie. I didn't believe it at all. I had a sneaking suspicion that they would come out of the gate full of fire and blow up the Mavericks, shattering any notion that this season would be anything but an unqualified return to the upper echelons of the Western Conference playoff hierarchy would be. Without any evidence, I was prepared for the Spurs to be a fully armed and operational battle station.

Right. So. Now that I've had a few hours to think after the cold wake-up call we experienced Thursday night, it's probably time to adjust expectations to better fit the facts. This team is still pretty young, they're still getting to know each other, and the rest of the NBA is still very good. That's a pretty effective recipe for looking like an unfinished product on opening night, and boy, did the Spurs really look like that in that regard? They were decisively put in their place by a very good Mavericks team, and Luka Dončić showed Victor Wembanyama that, despite the hype surrounding his rapid rise into the NBA stratosphere, he still has some work to do.

Honestly, I don't know what's wrong with me. I know better than to get my hopes up like that, and yet I spent the entire summer devouring every piece of Spurs content I could find and driving myself into a frenzy. Stephon Castle would set the league on fire. Devin Vassell would take a leap. Jeremy Sochan would stop being a point guard. Chris Paul would be 28 again. With no real basketball being played, I thought up all sorts of fantastical ideas about what to expect next season, and for some reason I just gave in and believed it.

I say “for some reason,” but the reason is actually very obvious and very big: Victor Wembanyama is a miracle. It's a miracle that he exists, that he can do the things he does on a basketball court, and most importantly, that he's even a member of the San Antonio Spurs. Never forget that. We live in a timeline blessed by a group of basketball gods who have smiled upon us for some reason beyond our comprehension.

However, this fantastic existence is strange. It makes you think that anything could be possible. I didn't see any signs of this over the summer, but why couldn't Victor skip a few development steps and just become the best player in the league in year two? Nothing has stopped him so far. Maybe he shoots threes like Steph and throws dunks like Ant. Maybe he shoots balls like Luka and throws passes like Jokic. Shoot, maybe he'll take over Chris Paul's point guard duties by Christmas. Maybe Pop will retire and Vic will take over as player-coach! Once you live in dreamland, there are no limits to what you (think) you can achieve.

But yeah, back to the real world. We are now playing real games with real consequences. Our giant unicorn boy shoots 1-8 from three and is getting stripped left and right by an angry number of Mavericks. Our takeover from Chris Paul is fun, but it's also 39 years old. Jeremy Sochan didn't turn into Draymond Green overnight. Devin Vassell is still injured. These are facts and they are undeniable. There is still a lot to do.

Victor Wembanyama's very existence may be a miracle, but we can't wave a magic wand to turn this pumpkin into a carriage. You have to go to the lab and continue working. You need to shake off the rust. You have to develop. These first few games, weeks and maybe even months will feel like pulling teeth for those of us who may have inadvertently and endearingly set our expectations a little too high.

But that's okay. The guys in this locker room know who they are and understand the work that needs to be done. After all, they are the ones doing it. We can just sit back and watch the miracles happen at their own pace. My original prediction was probably correct: they'll probably struggle out of the gates and need some time to find their footing before really coming into their own in the second half. It will look almost like last year, but better.

Takeaways

• Despite the result, it was fun to get back in the ring and watch real NBA basketball again. This felt like one of the longest offseasons I can remember. I think I probably checked the premiere date once a week over the summer, and each time it seemed to get even further away.
• I know we saw it in the preseason and whatever, but damn, was it weird to see Chris Paul in a Spurs jersey during an actual live NBA game? In the first minute, he got the ball and charged straight into a defender's chest, flying to the ground and causing a foul. I instinctively jumped up from my couch to complain before I remembered that he was now using this kind of evil for good. This is really going to take some adjustments. Go, Chris! That guy mistreated you! Way to absorb the contact!
• Stephon Castle is obviously not a finished project and probably won't be a big difference from day one. But! I really enjoyed watching him out there. He didn't seem afraid to be involved, and he didn't seem out of place on an NBA court. He's tough and physical and still does all the fun little jumps and spins in the lane that he showed at UConn last year. At one point he performed a fun, athletic floater and I thought, “Oh! I can tell from the YouTube compilations I've been watching!” As you can imagine, I spent a lot of time on the “abrasive tape” this summer leading up to the draft. Anyway, Stephon Castle – a great choice! I'm happy about it!
• I hope it was mostly rust, but I swear, if we have to watch this team turn the ball over 20 times a game another season, I will run into the ocean and stare pensively at the horizon for an indefinite amount of time time span. Don't test me, Spurs! I'm getting so thoughtful and you're not going to like it.

WWL post-game press conference

– How was the summer?

– Well, um, I don't know. I don't think I've processed it yet.

– You haven't edited it yet?

– Yeah, I mean, it just happened! How am I supposed to know what it was like? I didn't go in and study the specifics of my various comings and goings. I haven't written down my feelings from the trip I took in August. I didn't keep a diary about the sandwich I ate in July. I can't even begin to put into words how I feel about the weather in June. So, yes. I mean, how was my summer? I couldn't even begin to tell you.

– Some people would just say “good”.

– Some people have the emotional range of a snail.