SAN ANTONIO – David West pinches his index finger and thumb together, leaving the slightest sliver of space between them. Small, he’s telling you. The smallest he’s ever been handed in basketball.

“The scouting reports are like this,” West told Yahoo Sports.

For everything he had suspected would await him upon surrendering $11 million to come to San Antonio, West had never fully understood the Spurs’ immersion into the Spurs. The dynasty’s genius is born of its simplicity, driven out of a relentless self-examination. The Spurs have transformed themselves again – bigger, stronger and once more the NBA’s dominant defensive team.

So, the Spurs beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 99-95 on Thursday night and finally meet Golden State on Jan. 25 for the first time this season. “In any other season in the past decade, we would be in the lead,” Manu Ginobili said.

View photos David West surrendered $11 million to play for the Spurs. (AP) More

Nevertheless, the standings barely register here. The Warriors and Cavaliers are defending conference champions, but speak to those inside the franchises and you’ll understand that they’re still measuring themselves against San Antonio. For the NBA’s elite, it’s more than muscle memory. It’s a renewable reality.

Golden State is a surreal 37-3, but still can’t be completely sure when – and then, how long without interruption – it’ll get Steve Kerr back this season. Beyond the complications of his back surgery, Kerr’s headaches remain, and no one can be sure when he’ll be able to withstand the job’s grind.

The Spurs’ Kawhi Leonard challenges LeBron James in ways no one’s ever been constructed to do.

Around the West, there hasn’t been so much instability in years. Sacramento and New Orleans have discussed a Rudy Gay trade, but the Kings are unwilling on a deal that would center on Eric Gordon and Alonzo Gee, league sources said. Phoenix has worked on multi-team trades that would unload Markieff Morris, including the Cavaliers as a facilitator in a deal, league sources said. Nevertheless, the Cavs have started to make calls on the market for Timofey Mozgov, who could appeal to Western Conference contenders.

San Antonio did its work in the summer, and its core unit, 35-6 start to the season, understands there’s nothing outside the room – not a coaching drama, not a deal, not a far superior team – that deserves its attention.

“One of the biggest adjustments for me has been the lack of focus on other teams,” West told Yahoo Sports. “It’s all about this group, and what we’re doing every day. Maybe we spend three minutes on who we’re playing that night. … We watch a few clips. Here, you just realize that it’s not really about anybody but us.”

The Spurs beat the Cavaliers for West in free agency in July, and Cleveland could pay a price in June. LaMarcus Aldridge made the move for a max deal in his prime, West for the minimum near the end. All around them, there’s evolution. Everyone adapts and conforms here, because, if nothing else, the peer pressure makes it mandatory. Coach Gregg Popovich sat West on Tuesday in Detroit, and West comes with 13 points and five rebounds to obliterate the Cavaliers’ bench on Thursday.

View photos LaMarcus Aldridge (L) and Tim Duncan made their presence felt against the Cavs on Thursday night. (Getty) More

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