The 2022-2023 San Antonio Spurs schedule is officially here.
Coinciding with that of the team 50th anniversary, this year’s lineup will be memorable for several reasons. In addition to early debuts of rookies, there will also be new jerseys and themed nights. A handful of games will be played outside the AT&T Center, a decision that has been met with mixed feelings.
Outside of giveaways and promo nights too, here are the games we’re circling on the calendar.
** Fan Sweepstakes: Limited Edition Spurs x NBA Paint Collaborative Jersey to celebrate Manu Ginobili becoming a Hall of Famer.
The new Spurs season is officially announced on October 19, 2022, the second day of the 2022 NBA season. With LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets, the franchise will begin a year-long celebration of the team’s move to San Antonio in 1973 and all the rich history that has followed.
Head coach Gregg Popovich will coach his 2,046th regular season game, putting him just four games away from tying Bill Hitch for the third most in NBA history. Of course, last season Popovich passed Don Nelson for the most regular-season coaching wins in NBA history, a record that now stands at 1,344. The team will also celebrate its latest Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer, Manu Ginobili, a member of the 2022 class.
One of the brightest moments in Spurs history is the title in 2014, which doesn’t come without the NBA Finals MVP contribution of Kawhi Leonard. While the animosity toward Leonard has faded in recent years, the matches against “The Klaw” are nonetheless noteworthy, as he asks fans to ponder, “What if he didn’t leave ever?”
Now with the Los Angeles Clippers, Leonard did not play last season as he recovers from a torn ACL in the 2021 NBA playoffs. Still, signs point to a return to the track for the forward, which could see him play against Spurs in November. With Dejounte Murray seemingly taking over as “Public Enemy #1” in San Antonio, and expectations low for the Spurs, it will be interesting to see if the anger of the fan base is still there.
The Los Angeles Lakers are a historic rival of the Spurs, and the rivalry each year comes with a little extra fervor. If you’re itching to get the showdown, November is your chance to make it happen. The teams only meet four times in the regular season each year, and three of those games will be in a six-day window this year, with home games on Nov. 25 and 26.
Spurs will have 3 games on NBATV: vs. Sixers, Wolves, Heat
1 game on ESPN – vs. Warriors
— Paul Garcia (@PaulGarciaNBA) August 17, 2022
While the Lakers are quickly knocking the Spurs off the schedule early this year, that’s a good thing for San Antonio fans hoping to catch LeBron James in action. Now 37, he should still be in good health early in the season, although with the Spurs so young, there’s always the chance he’ll take the night off.
When the Spurs traded Murray in June, there were no hard feelings between the fan base and the player. Even from the team’s point of view, it was a bittersweet but necessary move if the team was going to accept the rebuild. In the weeks that followed, however, Murray quickly turned on fans, including cryptic tweets against the Spurs and jabs at people in comment threads who were egging him on.
With the relationship now sour, Murray will likely look to put on a show when the Spurs travel to Atlanta in February for the annual Rodeo trip. There’s a long time between now and then, but this game may reignite feelings of animosity ahead of Murray’s return to San Antonio on Sunday, March 19 at 3:00 PM CST. Prepare the popcorn.
Gifts:
General admission tickets will be available for purchase on Spurs.com and the Spurs app. For exclusive pre-sale access and more information, fans can sign up for the Official Spurs Fan Club at Spurs.com.
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