The San Antonio Spurs have dazzled their way towards a monstrous 8-3 start to the NBA season. The electric start puts the Spurs tied for second in the Western Conference and well in the mix to make the playoffs early to start the season. Yet still, despite their success, they continue to be disrespected.
In NBA.com's most recent power rankings list, the Spurs were placed 7th overall, and most notably, they were placed behind the 6-3 Houston Rockets, whom they had already defeated. It seems that there is a worry with this Spurs team that I am not picking up. Something is not right.
The Spurs have proved they need to be taken seriously
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If you want to say that the Spurs haven't played hard enough talent to prove their worth, that is simply wrong. Through their eight wins, the Spurs have taken down a handful of formidable opponents. Whether it be the red-hot Miami Heat, the surprising Chicago Bulls, or the giant Houston Rockets, the Silver and Black have rattled off some impressive victories.
Most impressive of their eight victories was the win over the Rockets. In a high-stakes matchup during the NBA Cup, [the Spurs handled business](https://airalamo.com/dirty-sengun-play-reveals-poor-character-jealousy-rockets-are-familiar-with) against a team that many thought was better. The Rockets' height and hard-nosed defense were no match for the Spurs, showing that they genuinely can't be messed with.
In all their games, the Spurs have consistently demonstrated a level of toughness, grit, and skill that can only be found in the best teams. Their elite defense alone should be enough of a reason to consider this Spurs team one of the five best in the NBA. [Sprinkle in a bit of De'Aaron Fox](https://airalamo.com/spurs-granted-de-aaron-fox-the-one-wish-he-s-waited-years-for-wembanyama-finals) and you've got a team nobody wants to face.
The Spurs need to maintain consistency to finally be respected
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As unfortunate as it is, the truth is that the NBA media has yet to catch up to the Spurs' dominance. It is hard to see why this team is not one of the five best in the NBA right now, but to each their own, I guess.
So with that, the Spurs will have some work to do if they want to finally capture the hearts of the people over at NBA.com. With two games against the imposing Golden State Warriors and a selection of other difficult matches on tap, this presents an opportunity for the Spurs to further prove who they really are.
The Spurs can't hold off on anyone; they need to keep their foot on the gas at all times. The sheer amount of disrespect they still receive should be all the motivation they need to keep going and absolutely destroy their inferior opponents.