Little has come easy for the Spurs this season, a notion that’s likely to continue in its final months given the gauntlet of a remaining schedule, the cluster of teams fighting for playoff spots, and no promise of a return to full strength.
For the first time since the turn of the century, their anointed floor general is not Tony Parker, so often the metronome of stability during shaky stretches. And things have felt particular shaky, with Kawhi Leonard appearing in more headlines than games thanks to an injury situation that none of us can get our heads around, and Gregg Popovich forced to roll out 21 different starting lineup combinations.