They got a steal in the draft in the form of Dejuan Blair, a second round draft pick who should have been picked up a lot earlier. They have the ever-improving Hill, Bonner and Mason.

So why are they struggling?  What went wrong? Why are they losing against teams that matter? Have they lost their legendary identity as defensive giants? The way they have played so far this season is a pale reflection of their ability.

Their biggest defensive strength over the past decade is sorely missing. Spurs had a set formula during crunch moments in games – choke the other team by defense and give the ball to Timmy in the post on offense. But they have failed on both counts recently.

Tim Duncan, though still a great player, is no longer the player of a few years back. He has slowed down. Also his jump is not that high anymore, the toll on his knees of the last 10 or 11 years beginning to show.

In addition, the number of quality big men in the league has improved by leaps and bounds. Players in general have become better at shooting the basketball. And Tim sorely misses that dependable second big guy alongside him.

Blair is a rookie. Antonio is still adjusting to Pop’s system. Plus the injuries to Tony and Manu. Hence Tim has had to take all the pressure on himself to keep the Spurs competitive.

Tony Parker had a career season last year in terms of points. But he had a busy off-season. He was playing for the French national team in Europe and has had no rest.

This has been showing in his performance this season. His speedy fast breaks haven’t been that frequent or that effective. He is also a step behind on the defensive end of the floor.

But he is experienced and should be ready when the business end starts. He will pick up pace once we get into March and April, but it is important for Parker to up his scoring and assist numbers if Spurs have to go long in the season.

The third, and probably the most important, cog in Spurs' contention for another title is Manu Ginobili. If he plays well, they are an altogether different team. If he is down, they are just an above average team.

Ginobili spent most of the last season on the sidelines in his street clothes. His injuries occurred at the wrong time for the Spurs last season.

But he has been slowly getting into his rhythm this season. He again had an injury hiccup at the start but he has been looking good lately. It is imperative for Ginobili to be at his dazzling best if the Spurs are to stand a chance.

Then the others. They have to step up and set the ball rolling. So far this season Mcdysse has been a spectator on court most of the time. He needs to become the difference-maker in a few games. This will ease the pressure of Timmy a little bit.

RJ needs to up the ante on both ends of the floor. He needs to share the scoring burden from Manu and Tony and he needs to start commanding double teams so that Mason and Bonner can benefit at the perimeter.

The Spurs, on paper, still look like the best team to challenge the Lakers. But they need to pull up their socks and start showing some of their hard grinding defense on the floor.

Another important aspect for them is to keep their core fresh and healthy for the post season. If they have a healthy Duncan, Parker and Ginobili on the floor with the supporting cast that they have, they will again be a force to be reckoned with.

They've been there and done that. And as everyone in the NBA says about the Spurs: ‘They Spurs know what it takes to win a championship. For them the season only starts in April.’

One more, just one more in the Tim Duncan era. Make it Five – Go Spurs, go!