Spurs Close Season with Comeback Win, Signs of Growth
The Spurs defeated the Toronto Raptors Sunday 125-118 at the Frost Bank Center to close out the 2024-25 season.
Keldon Johnson had 23 points, Stephon Castle added 20, and the Silver and Black rallied from a 22-point third quarter deficit to beat the Raptors.
Harrison Barnes had 18 points and Chris Paul chipped in 15 for the Silver and Black. Barnes and Paul along with Julian Champagnie were the only Spurs who played every game this season.
Rookie guard Stephon Castle, a leading contender for Rookie of the Year, added eight rebounds and six assists to finish out his rookie year.
While the team fell short of a playoff spot the season was not a wash from a standpoint of improvement. At 34-48 the Spurs won twelve more games than in each of the last two seasons which saw the team post a 22-60 record both seasons.
I predicted prior to the season that the team would win 40 games, and would contend for a play-in tournament spot in this year’s playoffs. When you look at this year’s Western Conference playoff seedings, a 40 win season gives the Spurs at least a nine seed. The team seemed on its way especially after acquiring De’Aaron Fox before the trade deadline, however, VDub’s DVT diagnosis put the kibosh on those hopes.
The Spurs were 13-23 this season without their phenomenal sophomore.
All-in-all the season could’ve been worse but it is my opinion that the team did make progress with their rebuild process. In the upcoming week’s we’ll take a look at what the team should do going into year #3 of the VDub era.
