They were dubbed the “laughing stock of the league.” Vegas odds had them at 1.5 total wins for the season, the lowest of any team in the league. Clearly, expectations for the 2022 San Antonio Spurs were set very low immediately following draft day.

The media tends to voice their opinion, but by no means does that make them any more correct. In this case specifically, the critics were dead wrong. So far this season, the San Antonio Spurs have played three games, and have won all three, as they currently sit atop the standings as the sole 3-0 team in the league.

Led by former GM of the Year & 3-time champion Andrew Owers, San Antonio has thrived off the underdog mentality. Owers never doubted his team either, making the bold statement that they would not only beat the Bucks in their season opener, but actually blow them out. The Spurs ended up winning by 18 points, the largest margin of victory by any team this season.

Over the Spurs’ next two games, they would prove to be a team that could perform in the clutch, coming up victorious in two one-possession games. Heading into their Week 2 game versus the 76ers, Andrew Owers was listed as ‘probable’ with alarm clock issues. It turns out that any fantasy owners who started Andrew that day ended up severely disappointed, because the big guy’s extended afternoon nap ended up causing him to miss nearly 75% of the contest. However, the Spurs players rallied despite the absence of their leader, and some players even utilized it as an opportunity. Second-year player Adam Lapikas scored a team-high 11 points, proving he could step into a bigger role on an as-needed basis. The Spurs would secure the victory in the defensive slugfest against their rival, the Philadelphia 76ers.

Many thought the Spurs’ Cinderella run would end here, with the defending champion Memphis Grizzlies lined up next on the schedule. However, the doubters were yet again proven wrong, this time in miracle fashion. With just 2.6 seconds remaining in regulation, a clutch Chris Starling layup knotted the score up at 45-45. Following an intense timeout that concluded with Coach Owers slamming the clipboard on the courtside floor, the team would set up for the final moments. A broken play would result in Owers heaving an inbounds pass to teammate Collin Grill. Stuck in the corner, Grill would be forced to chuck a contested desperation three-pointer up while fading away. The ball was clearly going to be short of the rim, but a savior would emerge. As Pat Ekey simply put it, “See ball…catch ball…shoot ball,” and that’s exactly what Pat Ekey did. A textbook boxout would put Ekey in perfect position to grab the ball in mid-air and put it right up through the basket as the buzzer sounded. The Spurs would rejoice in an epic conclusion to the league’s 2022 Father’s Day Special.

There’s no telling where the Spurs can go from here, but drinks are on you if you hammered the over on 1.5 total wins for the season. “We love being the underdogs,” commented early MVP-candidate Al Starling. However, the Spurs may have separated themselves from the “underdog” label after their performance through the first half of the season.

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