The Spurs are in the midst of a new narrative, an expectedly weird first chapter without their franchise bedrock. To watch them on either side of the ball early on is to see a group of guys improvising, coping, and building chemistry in real time, and it hasn't always been pretty.
San Antonio’s currently 13th in the league in defensive rating, a precipitous drop from last year’s historically dominant D. The Duncan/Pau trade-off has strained rotations and resulted in an uncharacteristic frequency of breakdowns and open looks for opponents. Offensively they’re better — sixth in Off Rtg -- but still seeking an identity, still figuring out how they can best feature superstar Kawhi Leonard.