Even with several new faces on the roster and in the rotation, the Spurs still have an entire organization, and two-plus decades of excellence, on which to call. They will need Leonard, of course; if he’s not out for long, they still have a chance, even if Aldridge is out for a while. But no one can predict how someone will react after one concussion, or if they’re more susceptible to more concussions after having one.

They can’t win without Leonard and Aldridge. But they will always compete. It’s how they could come back from 27 down against the Sacramento Kings last Wednesday, with Leonard and Manu Ginobili getting the night off to rest, and still persevere -- a win that Popovich acknowledged was more than the ordinary regular season victory, for him and the team.

“It’s really as advertised,” said David Lee, who signed in San Antonio last summer. “It starts with the great leadership at the top, with R.C. and Pop. As you know, Pop’s definitely the one in charge here. That really simplifies things. They’re really careful, being a smaller market team, in who they trust to be their leaders and their max players. And that’s why they’ve been so consistent. It started with David Robinson and Timmy, and Manu and Tony, and now with Kawhi and LaMarcus. All those guys I mentioned are great character guys and great team guys, and guys that show up to play every day.”

Lee was on the Warriors’ title team in 2015. He was in Boston and Dallas last season. He’s seen winning teams do it in very different ways the last few years.

“We were in Golden State, we listened to music before the game in the locker room, everyone’s laughing, everybody’s playing cards on the plane, everybody’s going out and having a drink together,” Lee said. “It was a very, very loose atmosphere, and when it came down to it, we got the job done and we won a championship. Here, they’ve been very successful, in a completely different way. On the plane, everybody has their own headphones, all the shades are closed on the plane, assigned seats on the plane, assigned seats on the bus. Everything is, guys don’t really do a whole lot with each other off the court, and that’s not in a bad way. But it’s a more veteran team. A lot of the guys have families. But the chemistry is just as good.”

That it has all come together so quickly, with Dewayne Dedmon starting at center and Lee coming off the bench, and rookie Dejounte Murray filling in for Tony Parker at the point several times this season, is a surprise, even with all the experience that Parker and Ginobili and Gasol have, and all of the skill that Leonard and Aldridge display in their primes.

“It’s a statement that Kawhi and LaMarcus, the stability that they and Tony and Manu provide,” Buford said, before Aldridge’s ailment was detected. “And I don’t know that we can underestimate the impact -- we’re at the gym this morning, and there’s Tim out there running script with them.”

Indeed, Duncan still is at the Spurs’ facility many days, with that same arm he throws around the young guys, telling them exactly how to run the play and why Popovich is yelling at them. Every new player knows it’s coming, but it still has to be endured.