Losing now is different than it was just a few short weeks ago. The Spurs have played their way into high expectations. They may have dropped the ball to Utah, but that wasn't until after going on an eight-game winning streak, during which Victor Wembanyama and company beat some of the league's best. What they do next will determine how legitimate they truly are.
We've seen flashes in the pan before. Teams go on runs, and sometimes, their dominance spans over a few weeks. Eventually, there is a regression to the mean for the ones faking their contender status.