Great article about the ‘new-look Spurs’ by Zach Lowe writing for Sports Illustrated:

Overall, only six teams are playing at a faster pace than the Spurs. Of note: It’s a trend that excludes Duncan, or at least marginalizes him to a role as a rebounder and outlet passer. He has been involved in just five transition finishes all season, according to Synergy, compared to nearly three-dozen each for Jefferson and Ginobili, and a whopping 64 for Parker. George Hill and DeJuan Blair have also shown they can thrive on the break.

Of course, if you watched Monday’s splendid San Antonio-Orlando game, you know Duncan is still a crucial cog. There were plenty of pick-and-rolls featuring the Duncan/Parker and Duncan/Ginobili pairings, and those plays continue to produce good looks for everyone. You could teach a course in off-the-ball movement by showing how Jefferson and Matt Bonner move around the perimeter while defenses swivel about to deal with Duncan-centered pick-and-rolls. The Spurs won’t continue to shoot a ridiculous 44 percent from deep all season, but they’ll stay near the top of the league.

The Spurs have managed to become a fast-paced offensive juggernaut, second only to the Lakers in points per possession, without coughing up piles of turnovers or sacrificing their trademark defense. The Spurs have allowed just 102.3 points per 100 possessions, the sixth-best mark in the league and one that would have topped the NBA last season. They’ve been this stingy even though opponents have hit 41 percent of their threes, and they’ve done so by protecting the rim and (as usual for San Antonio) forcing teams to take a ton of long two-pointers.

There is still a lot that could go wrong here, as there is for any team, particularly one with key players in their mid-30s. Duncan’s knees are slowly going, though he remains productive on both ends. In the past, injuries have robbed Ginobili of his wild-man drives to the hoop. Parker must avoid the foot issues that dampened his play last season. Tiago Splitter has to find his place, and both Hill and Blair must produce more. Blair is struggling to finish at the rim like last year’s version of Glen Davis in Boston.

But the big things are going right in San Antonio, and if that continues, the Spurs are legitimate contenders.