San Antonio's newly established identity can be described with one word

As the NBA regular season nears a quarter of the way through, the San Antonio Spurs are trending in the right direction. San Antonio now stands at 11-10 on the season, which is tied for the franchise's best start since 2018-2019. The Spurs' 11 wins are light years ahead of last season when they did not collect their 11th win until February 12, and their added grit is the reason.

The guys are coming off a tough 104-93 loss in their final Emirates NBA Cup Group play matchup against the Phoenix Suns. On a night where Victor Wembanyama struggled, and Suns guard Devin Booker stole the show, the Spurs still have a lot to be happy about.

The Silver and Black are currently positioned as the 10th seed in the Western Conference. The team is in a good place concerning its growth and chemistry, as early-season adversity has ultimately pushed them to improve. Despite facing significant challenges throughout the season, the Spurs have managed to stay afloat and are beginning to show signs of better performance.

Victor Wembanyama is entering the MVP conversation for the first time in his career, showcasing an expanded offensive skill set. The rest of the team has been equally impressive.

Devin Vassell and Jeremy Sochan, when healthy, have played with great confidence, while Keldon Johnson and the bench players continue to provide crucial boosts during games. What stands out the most, however, is how committed the team is to a key principle rooted in Spurs culture: defense.

The Spurs' grit can be found in every win this season

The San Antonio Spurs were once recognized for their exceptional defensive performance, but in recent years, they fell to the bottom tier of the league defensively. In 2024, however, thanks to a revamped roster, the team has turned back the clock and made defense a focal point once again.

Currently, the Spurs rank 12th in the league's defensive efficiency rating, a significant improvement from being one of the bottom teams defensively last season.

When watching the Spurs play defense, it becomes evident that the team prioritizes winning games through their defensive effort. Basketball enthusiasts understand that strong defense often translates into easy offense, and the Spurs have achieved success in scoring largely due to their ability to make stops on the defensive end first.

So far this season, the Spurs have excelled in defensive rebounding, which has allowed them to quickly transition to fast breaks and create scoring opportunities on the offensive end.

Players are getting to the right spots on defense, being vocal as a unit, and forcing the ball inside the paint where Wemby plays clean-up. This method seems to keep the Spurs one step ahead of the opposition most times. Weeks ago, guard Tre Jones had this to say regarding the team's defense early in the season.

"We do our jobs on the perimeter and Victor will do his job in the paint," Jones said. "We know that we cannot make the same mistakes in years prior and we are starting to use our strengths to our advantage and that is Victor down low," Jones finished.

These efforts have pushed the Frenchman to capture this season's first Defensive Player of the Month award. He is on great pace to take home the Defensive Player of the Year award when the season ends.

The signings of Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes were meant to bolster the teams' basketball IQ, bring more leadership, and limit boneheaded mistakes. After two months of the season, it is safe to say it was money well spent.

Paul and Barnes have been able to put their teaching caps on and guide the younger Spurs' to the mindset of doing the little things on defense, to win games. Of the team, Stephon Castle in particular has seemingly taken in most of the veteran advice.

Castle's pest-like defensive instincts make him one of the catalysts of this defense. He switches effortlessly, fights through screens like a veteran player, and seems to always be one step ahead of opposing offenses.

Steph has also been fearless when it comes to guarding some of the top players around the league. What sets him apart when he is in lockdown mode is that he does not succumb to being over-aggressive, which is something that most rookies struggle with. Castle stays glued to his assignment and is a wizard at disrupting offensive rhythm.

The rookie's efforts on defense have been contagious as players around him, young or old, have matched his motor, making the defense lethal as a whole.

Interim Coach Mitch Johnson also deserves some credit for the team's perseverance on the defensive end. He has seemingly adopted Coach Gregg Popovich's hard-nosed approach, maintaining high-intensity levels to keep players on their toes.

Whether it's calling timely timeouts, providing one-on-one guidance, or adjusting lineups to better suit specific matchups, Johnson's coaching style has been effective for the Spurs. This approach is particularly evident in their commitment to having strong defensive performances every night.

Win or lose, the Spurs' will likely stick to this method as the season goes on. Scoring will always be there, especially as players start finding their groove. However, keeping a focus on team defense is what can be the difference for these "gritty" Spurs.