Spurs just crushed the NBA's go-to strategy at stopping historic run in Pistons win

If you listen to the analysts and pundits describe what teams around the league think is the best way to stop the Spurs, you often hear them refer to physicality. That alleged strategy should go right out the window after what San Antonio just pulled off in Detroit. They secured their ninth straight victory and did it while brushing off the most physical team in the league with relative ease.

Devin Vassell was today's outlet, but the emphasis shouldn't be about one single player. This is a product of how this team has played all season. It doesn't matter who goes off. They'll find the hot hand and feed him, while the team plays great defense and other guys get their buckets opportunistically.

The Pistons focused much of their defensive attention on disrupting Victor Wembanyama and stopping the guards from thriving in the paint. They actually did a pretty solid job with those things, but it didn't matter one iota. Their physicality resulted in an 11-point loss on their home floor, and that should scare the NBA.

The Spurs keep proving they can play through physicality

The Pistons remind me of the Rockets in a way. Their plan is also to get incredibly physical with their opponent and impose their will. The Spurs are 2-1 against them, and in the one win they had, Reed Sheppard turned into Steph Curry in the second half. Their strategy has them sitting six games behind San Antonio.

What's crazy to me is that this game plan hasn't really been the root cause of most of the Spurs' losses. Usually they lose when they can't hit a shot or when they play lazy basketball. I've never really felt that they have been a soft unit, and let me tell you why.

Teams that rebound the ball incredibly well are usually not soft. Teams that block a lot of shots are usually not soft. Teams that get to the free throw line with high frequency are usually not soft. The Spurs check all three of those boxes, so that strategy never really made sense to me.

It felt like something opponents fell back on because San Antonio has a bunch of young guys, and sometimes it takes a while for athletes to get adjusted to the physicality of high-stakes basketball. Unfortunately for the NBA, that's not the case with this group. They're tougher than you thought and better faster than you imagined they would be.

Your best shot at beating them will be for them to make mistakes, and they're smart as hell. Mitch Johnson has these boys humming, and when their tune gets interrupted, they change the tone, and they still bring the house down. I'm starting to truly believe a championship is obtainable this season. You should too.