The Spurs' lineup experimentation is getting a wake-up call against elite opponents

The San Antonio Spurs haven't gotten off to the start they wanted, missing the chance to make a statement against the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets. Their experimentation with new lineups and rotations could be a huge reason behind that. As they're trying to get a feel for what works, it's come with a negative side effect of sacrificing some early-season wins.

You couldn't even eavesdrop on a conversation about the Spurs without hearing about the three-guard lineup. It was the talk of the offseason: how would Mitch Johnson make Dylan Harper, De'Aaron Fox, and Stephon Castle fit on the floor together? Asking that million-dollar question is still enough to garner loads of engagement on social media.

Sure, that lineup had some impressive moments at this early stage of the season, but it has created some ripple effects that have impacted their performance against a few of the most elite teams in the West.

The Spurs have struggled to get off to hot starts

The Spurs struggled to set a strong, early tone in their matchups with the Thunder and the Rockets. They trailed in the first quarter in both of those games, and a big reason behind that was the offense. While Harper, Fox, and Castle shared the court, it took a while for them to really get into a rhythm and flow.

This is to be expected, though. Getting them acclimated on the floor will come with some passiveness and hesitancy to shoot while everyone tries to find their footing at the beginning of games. Fox and Castle were also used to starting alongside Julian Champagnie and Devin Vassell last season, so there's a real adjustment to be made.

But the problem is that elite teams will take advantage of those slow starts. The Thunder and Rockets punished them for those early-first-quarter issues, so the Spurs have been forced to clean up a lot of those errors and fight back into games more than they want to.

Things have been a bit tougher for the rest of the team

The Spurs' lineup experimentation hasn't just impacted their three guards; it's also taken a toll on others. The odd rhythm of those games against the Thunder and Rockets has made life difficult for players like Carter Bryant, who's had little room for error since this team has had to play from behind so much.

While he had great moments last season, he's still very much a project who's learning on the fly. It's tough to live with his mistakes- be it missed shots or defensive missteps- if the Spurs are trying to erase leads and claw their way back into games.

Devin Vassell is also trying to fit into a newer role. In that starting lineup he's a power forward, so he's found himself tussling with big bodies, which has led to some foul issues. He committed four personal fouls in those two games against the Rockets and Thunder.

Now, each of these problems is fixable with time. I don't think they'll last for the entire season, but if they want to give these new lineups and rotations time to develop, they may end up sacrificing some big wins against elite teams.

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