10 things to know about the Spurs’ 10-game winning streak

10 things to know about the Spurs’ 10-game winning streak originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The San Antonio Spurs are on a roll. In his first season as the full-time head coach in San Antonio, Mitch Johnson has guided his talented, young roster to the second-best record in the Western Conference, including 10 straight wins dating back to the start of February. Here are 10 key facts behind San Antonio’s winning streak:

1. Their longest win streak in a decade

Prior to this streak, the Spurs had not won 10 consecutive games since the 2015–16 season, when they went 67-15 in the final year of Hall of Famer Tim Duncan’s legendary career.

2. NBA’s longest active win streak

No other team has an active winning streak longer than 2 games, and no team in the Western Conference has a better record than 6–4 in their last 10 games.

3. Winning season secured

The Spurs have officially clinched their first winning season since 2018–19, when the team went 48–34. Entering the year, win total projections for the Spurs hovered around 44.5, yet the Spurs already sit at 42 wins before the end of February.

4. Defensive dominance from Wembanyama

Over the past 10 games, Victor Wembanyama is averaging 3.6 blocks and 4.9 combined blocks and steals (“stocks”) per game: a full block and 1.4 stocks above his season averages at the start of the streak.

5. Improved scoring attack

San Antonio’s team-wide field-goal percentage has jumped from 47.3% before the streak (11th in the NBA) to 50.1% over the 10-game run (2nd). Their balanced scoring has been on display, with 6 Spurs averaging double figures during the stretch and Wembanyama leading the way at 23.6 points per game.

6. High-flying offense

Entering this run, the Spurs ranked 17th in the NBA in pace, averaging 100.40 possessions per 48 minutes. Over the 10-game winning streak, that number has jumped to 104.00, the second-highest mark in the league.

7. Stacking wins on the road

7 of the 10 games have been away, with the last 6 part of the Spurs’ annual Rodeo Road Trip. It should be noted that 2 of those games took place in Austin, where San Antonio was still the designated home team. Overall, the Spurs have won the 7 contests by an average of 15.9 points, showcasing their ability to shine in hostile environments.

8. Excelling against playoff-caliber competition

Of the 10 victories, 7 have come against teams currently in the playoff picture, with an average margin of victory of 14.4 points in those contests.

9. Satisfied Phil Jackson’s “40–20 Rule”

With their eighth win of the streak, the Spurs improved to 40–16, meeting the unofficial requirement for title contention coined by legendary coach Phil Jackson. The 13–time NBA Champion famously believed that reaching 40 wins before 20 losses was the mark of a true championship contender. Only 4 NBA champions since 1980 failed to accomplish this feat, and the Spurs are 1 of just 3 teams to reach it this season (Oklahoma City and Detroit).

10. Gaining ground in the West

Before the streak began, San Antonio trailed the conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder by 5.5 games in the standings. The Spurs have since cut that deficit to 2, making up 3.5 games overall and 4 in the loss column.

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The San Antonio Spurs (42–16, 2nd Western) will look to extend their winning streak to 11 games on Thursday evening against the Brooklyn Nets (15–42, 14th Eastern) in Brooklyn, NY. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 PM ET (6:30 PM CT).

10 things to know about the Spurs’ 10-game winning streak

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