Spurs Preview: 2024 Rodeo Road Trip Reveals Daunting Stretch

One of the more formidable parts of any NBA team’s schedule, every year the San Antonio Spurs take nearly the entire month of February and pack up for the “Rodeo Road Trip,” when the Frost Bank Center hosts the Stock Show and Rodeo. 

This year, the rodeo takes place from February 8-25, and the Spurs will be traveling for nine games between the Feb. 7-27.

Last season, the Spurs lost eight of the nine games on their trip, including a demoralizing double-overtime loss in Detroit. Their lone win came in the last game of the trip, in Salt Lake City. This season, with rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama in town and time to develop their young core, the Spurs should at least be able to post a couple of wins.

Unfortunately, this year’s iteration of the Rodeo Road Trip is a lot more challenging. In 2023, the Spurs played eight different teams – and Utah twice – who combined for a winning percentage of .445, and only two teams they played, Atlanta and Cleveland, even made the playoffs.

This year, the Spurs will have a much more difficult task. They have to travel to Miami, then stay in Florida to take on the Orlando Magic, then play the Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors, Dallas Mavericks, Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Lakers, Utah Jazz, and Minnesota Timberwolves before returning to San Antonio. Last season, those teams combined for a winning percentage of .504, which doesn’t seem like a huge leap.

However, the Heat is a very good team and could add Damian Lillard. The Magic is just getting better building around Paolo Banchero, and the Raptors, Mavs, Lakers, and Timberwolves all underperformed last year. Even the Kings are good now, which boggles the mind of any long-term NBA fan. The only “cakewalk” will be against the Jazz, but even Utah played better than expected last year.

It’s true, I might be selling the Spurs short. Jeremy Sochan will only get better with experience, Devin Vassell played lights-out when healthy, and Victor Wembanyama is the most intriguing prospect, well, ever. On top of that, we have yet to see any team play a game together since June, so the overperforming Jazz and Kings might fall back to Earth.

I’m not calling for Spurs’ fans to write off the season before it even starts, but one of San Antonio’s most difficult traditions might remain a lofty challenge, even with the arrival of a budding superstar.