Game Preview: San Antonio Spurs vs. Brooklyn Nets

On By Littum

Sometimes there’s something particularly cruel about NBA schedules. Fresh off a Christmas Eve day at Madison Square Garden, the Spurs are now being asked to drag their bodies to Brooklyn to face the Nets and another New York crowd.

However, the basketball gods have a sense of humor. Victor Wembanyama, still buzzing from a 42-point Garden debut that had New York fans checking their phones to see when the Spurs will visit next, gets to match Nic Claxton, another impossibly tall big man, that makes guards reconsider their life choices on edge.

The contrast should be fascinating: Claxton, the more traditional rim-runner, against Wembanyama, who spent his Christmas launching threes like a 7’4” Steph Curry impersonator.

The Spurs are still searching for consistency in everything except their ability to make games interesting. They’ve shown flashes of brilliance, usually coinciding with Wembanyama doing something that breaks the physics of basketball, but they’re still learning to turn those moments into wins.

If the Spurs want to avoid their second three-game losing streak of the season, they will have to find answers to some tough questions: Can they keep the red-hot Cam Thomas from getting to his spots? Does their defense hold when Wembanyama sits? Can they avoid the turnover bug that has bitten them of late?

Of course, as we saw in the garden, all these questions sometimes become unclear when Wembanyama decides to put on a show. And after that viewing, you can bet a lot of people will be tuning into this one.

San Antonio Spurs at Brooklyn Nets

December 27, 2024 | 6:30 CT

Watch: FanDuel Sports Network Southwest |Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)

Spurs Injuries: No

Net damage: Bojan Bogdanovic – Out (Foot), Trendon Watford – Doubtful (Hamstring), Cam Thomas – Day-to-Day (Hamstring), Ziaire Williams – Day-to-Day (Knee), Dorian Finney-Smith – Day-to-Day (Leg)

What to watch out for

Vacation fantastic

It’s vacation! If I have to sell you on reasons to lie on the couch and watch this game, you may have clicked on the wrong website.

For the Nets’ fans’ perspective, visit NetsDaily.

PtR’s Game thread will be up tonight for those who want to chat through the game. You can also follow the action throughout PtR’s Twitter feed.