The Spurs need a real challenge before anyone can call this team a contender

I have good news and potentially bad news for Spurs fans. The good news is the Silver and Black have moved into the top five in offensive rating (117.1), defensive rating (108.1), and net rating (+9.1). The potentially bad news is that we don't actually know if they're this good because, ever since the Rockets game, the schedule has been weaker than pre-Super Soldier Serum Steve Rogers.

The Spurs haven't had a real challenge in two weeks

San Antonio opened the season with OKC and Houston. Since then, they've played the Mavericks twice, the Kings twice, the Jazz twice, and the Timberwolves, minus Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert. From the top of the mountain to the bottom of the barrel with nothing in between.

Utah and Sacramento have two wins between them. Dallas is one game over .500 (5-4). Playing Minnesota without Ant Man and the Stifle Tower isn't anywhere close to the team we expect they'll be once healthy. These aren't the challenges you hope will reveal character and force growth.

The "you can only play who's in front of you" saying always applies, but that doesn't mean two things can't be true. What's most important in games like this is playing to your standard and showing those lowly teams they don't belong on the floor with you. The Spurs have done that for the most part. They've blown a few of these teams out, and that's what you want to see.

That doesn't mean you want too many stretches to be that way. SA needs real challenges, at the very least, sprinkled in here and there to check their pulse. Are the Silver and Black really back to being the kind of dominant team that can make another postseason run, or are they just playing tomato cans? We won't know until they move up in weight class.

The Spurs’ next real test is a week away

The Trail Blazers are next on the docket tonight. Both teams are on the second night of a back-to-back. Portland lost a close game to the Lakers. But they're still not really on even ground because San Antonio's next opponent is without Ja Morant (hamstring strain), and they were forced to play starters deep into a tight game 24 hours ago.

The Spurs got to play the lowly Kings and sat guys early in the fourth. How are we supposed to get a clear picture of our team's trajectory under those circumstances?

If the Spurs win, they beat a compromised team, and if they lose, it's just a bad look. Golden State (6-3) is the next opponent on the schedule worth getting excited about. Steph Curry's Warriors have been playing some great basketball to start the year. That game isn't until next Friday, with the Suns (2-5) and the Bulls (1-7) sandwiched in between.

I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade, but I am asking everyone to watch the forecast. If a downpour comes, it won't be because I asked if what we're watching is real. It will be because the Spurs gave us reason to believe they were ready for the storm before ever having to weather one.

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