After taking their lumps early, the San Antonio Spurs have responded with two blowout victories over sub-.500 teams. San Antonio will look to make it three in a row as the Spurs travel to Salt Lake City to face the struggling Utah Jazz in the second game of a back-to-back.
San Antonio has seemingly gotten its groove back, especially on defense, where they've increased their ball pressure and forced more turnovers. That's allowed them to get out in transition and score easy fast-break buckets. They'll face a Jazz team that has turned the ball over nearly 17 times per game in their first four contests.
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The Jazz will be without key players like Jaren Jackson Jr., who was recently diagnosed with an MCL tear and is expected to miss several months. Utah's front court is thinning fast, as Lauri Markkanen and Jaxson Hayes are questionable. The Spurs could be facing a Kyle Filipowski and Mo Bamba front line on Wednesday night. Utah will make up for that with some stellar guard play from Keyonte George and Darryn Peterson.
A win over the Jazz would put San Antonio above .500 for the first time this season. Another dominant victory, on the road, would be a signal that the Spurs have shaken off some early-season rust.
October 28th, 2026 | 8 PM CT
Watch:DAZN | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)
Spurs Injuries: Reported by 1 p.m. CT
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Jazz Injuries:Trey Alexander – Out (G League), Kobe Bufkin – Out (G League), Jaxson Hayes – Questionable (shoulder), Harrison Ingram – Out (G League), Jaren Jackson Jr. – Out (knee), Lauri Markkanen – Questionable (wrist), Jusuf Nurkic – Out (foot)
What to watch for:
Wembanyama to the rim
Victor Wembanyama had 29 points on 14-for-21 shooting in San Antonio's 130-103 win over the Sacramento Kings. He did most of his damage as a roll man or by driving to the basket. Wembanyama is shooting just 25% from three this season. He's been at his best when he gets to the rim and finishes over defenders. The Spurs have been doing a better job of finding him in the pick-and-roll, or getting him the ball on pick-and-pops inside the arc for easy mid-range looks. The Jazz are banged up on the interior, which means Wembanyama should thrive if he can continue to get to the rim.
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Perimeter defense
One area where the Spurs have struggled at times is defending the perimeter. Teams have been able to get easy looks around the rim, particularly when Wembanyama isn't in the game. They've also been prone to giving up open looks from deep. The perimeter defense is at its best when it is applying pressure at the point of attack. De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper have done well creating turnovers and scoring on runouts. If San Antonio can apply that pressure consistently, they'll be able to slow down Utah's guards.
Pace of play
The Spurs offense has been at its best when it's playing fast. Whether it be running off a turnover or a missed shot, the offense has worked more efficiently when they can get the ball up quickly. Utah has been one of the slower teams in the NBA to start the season (19th in pace). San Antonio must control the pace and speed up the Jazz to win on the road.
