Devin Vassell is not holding back: the San Antonio Spurs, just coming off a stunning run to the NBA Finals last season, are already “a little bit drunk off the success of last year.” That’s a pretty wild statement from a seven-year pro, especially when his team is sitting at a disappointing 1-2 after the first week of the season. The defending Western Conference champions, who fought their way to 62 wins and fearlessly battled the New York Knicks in a five-game Finals loss, are facing a serious gut check.
Last Year’s Magic Is ‘Out the Window’
Vassell was a huge part of last season’s Finals run, hitting clutch shots, blocking 7-footers at the rim, and providing serious poise and leadership. But he’s adamant that all of that needs to be put in the past. “We did what we did last year,” he told reporters after Monday’s practice. “That’s gone and out the window.” It’s a tough message, but one he clearly feels is necessary. The Spurs’ early showing isn’t “befitting of a team with championship aspirations,” and Vassell isn’t sugarcoating it. They lost 114-110 to the Houston Rockets on Friday and also took a loss to Oklahoma City, another Western power. Even their win against Dallas saw them “pretty lax,” according to Julian Champagnie. Vassell’s message is clear: “We got to become the hunters again.”
This Team Needs to Punch First
The biggest problem? A glaring lack of intensity. The Spurs have given up 30-plus points in the first quarter of *each* of their games so far. That’s just not going to cut it. Vassell pointed out that they can’t just “jog our way through the season” or “walk into a game and feel like we’re just going to win a game because we’re San Antonio.” He says the fix means getting back to “throwing the first punch, being more physical, not letting teams get to their spots, pushing them off their spots.” His teammate Julian Champagnie agrees, saying they’re “not playing to our standard” and “not coming out with the level of intensity we need to.” Champagnie believes it’s all about mindset, not schemes, because “everybody on the court can guard,” and they proved it last year. Coach Mitch Johnson clearly saw the same issues, lighting into the Spurs after they gave up 31 points in the first quarter against Dallas.
The Spurs have a goal, and they’re “far away from that goal” right now. They can’t afford to be resting on laurels, not with a new season and a new team identity to forge. They need to put last year’s glory in the rearview and get hungry again. Their next chance to prove it comes Tuesday night at home against the winless Sacramento Kings. This is a crucial game to show they’ve taken Vassell’s words to heart and are ready to hunt.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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