Why the San Antonio Spurs Can Make the NBA Play-In Tournament

The San Antonio Spurs can make the NBA Play-In Tournament following the conclusion of the NBA’s 2025-26 regular season. Here’s how.

San Antonio Spurs Can Make NBA Play-In Tournament

It’s early in the NBA regular season, but the San Antonio Spurs can make a surprising run to the NBA Play-In Tournament. There is a full season left to be played, and the final standings can look drastically different by April 2026.

If San Antonio stays healthy and limits turnovers, there’s a chance. San Antonio’s head coach is no longer Gregg Popovich, but Mitch Johnson. Johnson, 38, previously served as the team’s interim head coach after Popovich, 76, stepped down after 29 NBA seasons and transitioned into the team’s President of Basketball Operations in May 2025. The Hall of Fame coach suffered a stroke in November 2024.

Spurs’ Outlook

San Antonio’s outlook in the 2025-26 NBA regular season appears to be bright. For the third year in a row, Victor Wembanyama opened the season against the Dallas Mavericks in front of a national audience. Wembanyama, 21, dominated with a final stat line of 40 points, 15 rebounds, and 1 assist as San Antonio cruised to a 125-92 win.

Wembanyama’s dominance was noteworthy, to say the least. The 21-year-old made NBA history against the Mavericks by becoming the youngest player with 40 points and 15 rebounds in a season opener, as well as the youngest center with five career 40-point games.

Aside from Wembanyama, other Spurs players who can contribute to the team’s success include De’Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper, and Stephon Castle. Basketball is a team sport, and all players should work together to hopefully become a winner this season.

Final Thoughts

San Antonio can make the NBA Play-In Tournament, but the team must be patient, trust the process, and focus on one game at a time. San Antonio’s star power can help the team on the road back to relevance.

The team’s top three ball handlers, Fox, Harper, and Castle, can fire up the offense with high-octane driving, but all three should strive to hit a good amount of three-pointers to keep the defense going, while contributing off the ball.

Wembanyama is being discussed as a potential top five player after suiting up for Wednesday’s game. Wembanyama is a game-changing player with great talent who can take the team to new heights. Cautious optimism might be necessary, but it’s safe to say that this season could be the beginning of a new era of success.