Spurs reached top of power rankings mountain right before insane stretch

The Spurs have climbed back to the top of the power rankings after slipping from their perch in late December. The NBA's John Schuhmann just dropped the new list, and San Antonio came in at number one, surpassing tonight's opponent, the Detroit Pistons.

The last time the Silver and Black were ranked higher than literally every other team in the league was about a month and a half ago. They had just defeated OKC three times in a two-week span, so, rightfully, they were elevated. Unfortunately, right after that, nearly the entire team had a cold spell that led to a higher losing rate and a tumble from the peak of the power rankings.

I'm here to tell you that now that they've finally regrabbed ahold of the number one spot, they're in danger of another tumble. However, whether they actually fall again or not will be in their very capable hands.

The Spurs' schedule is getting much harder

San Antonio is on an eight-game winning streak headed into Detroit tonight. They deserve all the credit in the world for racking up those dubs, but we also have to be honest about the competition. Those teams were either at the bottom of the barrel or they were ravaged with injuries. OKC, Phoenix, LA, and Golden State all went into those meetings without their best players or lost them during the game.

The Silver and Black took advantage of a weak and injured Mavericks team, a horrendous Kings squad, and the Magic, who are just... the Magic.

Tonight's matchup presents a much tougher challenge, as the Spurs must take down the number one seed in the East, boasting the number two defense in the NBA. Cade Cunningham, while he shouldn't be ahead of Victor Wembanyama in the MVP discussion, is a force, and he's going to be a handful.

After the Pistons, the Raptors get their rematch on their home floor. They're a team that hangs their hat on defense, and they've played well this year. That will be a battle, and it will be on the first night of a back-to-back. The following night is against the Nets, so the Spurs get a small quality reprieve, but they'll be on tired legs with the Knicks as the following game, making the meeting in Brooklyn a trap.

Their matchup with New York is followed by the 76ers, Pistons, Clippers, Rockets, Celtics, Nuggets, Hornets, and Clippers again. Now, LA isn't what they were since they traded James Harden and Ivica Zubac, but if Kawhi keeps playing like he has been, that game won't be a walk in the park.

The Spurs will be seeing superstar after superstar during this stretch. It's a perfect way to get ready for the postseason because it'll force them to stay on top of their game, but that doesn't mean they'll win each one.

Every loss puts them at risk of dropping in the power rankings, and while that ultimately won't matter in the Race for Seis, it would be undeniably awesome to hold onto that spot for the rest of the year.