The San Antonio Spurs’ offense is stuck in the past

The San Antonio Spurs have made the most two-pointers in the league. They also have made the fewest three-pointers in the league. How’s that for balance?

In fact, the Spurs are so good from inside the arc that they lead the NBA in total field goals despite the lack of treys. Yet, they rank 15th in points per game and are currently the 12th seed in the Western Conference.

This is particularly troubling as it comes after an offseason in which the team looked to be fixing their long-running woes from deep. They acquired Doug McDermott in a trade with Indiana, signed stretch forward Zach Collins, and drafted Joshua Primo and Joe Wieskamp.

Those additions have worked out, especially the McDermott move. He’s currently owning career highs in three-point makes (2.1) and attempts (4.9). However, the problem isn’t making threes, it’s taking threes.

The San Antonio Spurs Offense is stuck in the past.

The ball movement that Gregg Popovich’s teams have always been known for is still there. San Antonio is averaging 27.5 assists per game, second to only the Warriors, a team who is atop the Western Conference standings thanks to their long-range dominance.

Their refusal to step behind the arc is confusing given the fact that they don’t run through a ball-dominant post scorer like Joel Embiid or Karl-Anthony Towns. Perimeter wings and guards are at the forefront of most of their plays.

Well-designed pick plays and consistent cuts will only get you so far. Maybe they can ride those to get back to the play-in tournament, where their season ended last season, but with the mix of an old-school offense and the lack of a true superstar, this team is cruising for the lottery once again.

It’s clear that you need a consistent deep game to survive in today’s league and the Spurs’ coaching staff simply refuses to adapt. Take a look at the leaders for three-point makes.

The Jazz, Warriors, and Bucks are averaging the most right now – three teams that are all expected to contend for the title. The San Antonio Spurs, despite having some talented shooters on the roster, are stuck in no man’s land both on the court and in the standings.

Rotational changes could benefit more than a refresh to the playbook. As mentioned, their pair of rookies are both talented snipers. In his final season at Iowa, Wieskamp shot 46.2 percent from beyond the arc, and this season in the G League, Primo is draining 2.4 triples per game. Neither are playing much outside of garbage time right now.

It’s time to rethink the offense, dial-up some triples, and hope for the best. If not, the team will likely only continue to drift further away from the playoff picture – no matter how many mid-range jumpers they make.