San Antonio is 1-2 after a 62-20 season, and the early evidence points to a rotation still being sorted, not a team that lost its footing. Tuesday's game against winless Sacramento is the first chance to see a settled group.
Is the 1-2 start a real warning sign?
Three games is a thin sample, but the results are uneven. The Spurs lost 116-104 to the Thunder and 114-110 to the Rockets, then won 122-106 at Dallas. Their ratings are 110.5 on offense and 111.3 on defense, a net of minus 0.7, for a team that finished 62-20 and ranked third on both ends. The pace projects to 27-55, which is arithmetic, not a forecast.
Is the starting lineup the real problem?
It is the loudest open item. Jared Weiss's notes on October 23 returned to a three-guard look with Wembanyama, Fox and Keldon Johnson, and an October 19 report listed Harris, Donovan, Wembanyama, Harper and Gillespie. Neither names a starter. Harris, part of one version, changed status four times this week and is listed Out with calf trouble. A group that cannot stay healthy or named cannot build habits.
Is there a case that this is only a slow start?
Yes, and it rests on the scorers. Harper had 18, 20 and 22 points. Wembanyama scored 25 with 13 rebounds against Houston and 23 at Dallas. Fox is averaging 17.3 points and 8.3 assists, and Castle 19.3 points. The offense produced 122 points in the win. The core is producing; the open job is arranging it.
Does Dylan Harper's rise change the math?
It changes who gets minutes. Harper's playing time and scoring have both climbed over three games with a teammate out, and Devin Vassell is playing nine more minutes a night than his season average while scoring 9.3 points. Both facts point to a rotation built around absences. When Harris returns, someone's minutes shrink. Jones Garcia, Gillespie and Quaintance still have no scoring line.
What can Tuesday against the Kings tell us?
Sacramento is 0-3 and comes in on a three-game slide after one day of rest, against two for the Spurs. San Antonio beat the Kings 126-97 on October 16. Zach LaVine is scoring 29.0 a night and Domantas Sabonis has 17.3 rebounds. If Harris returns on the listed October 27 date, it is the first look at a full rotation. San Antonio also owes its 2027 first-round pick to Sacramento.
Who do the Spurs play next?
They host the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday, October 27, then visit the Jazz on October 28. The Kings are 0-3 and on a three-game losing streak.
When is Tobias Harris expected back for the Spurs?
The latest update lists him Out with a calf injury, with October 27 as the target return date. That is the night the Spurs host the Kings.
