SAN ANTONIO - In the best of times under coach Gregg Popovich, the Spurs always won as a team. When a player, coach or front-office member won an individual award, they were quick to share credit with others.

Now that their fortunes have changed in dramatic fashion, the Spurs are determined to handle adversity in the same manner – as a team.

"Whatever we go through, we have to stay together as a team, as a unit," forward Dante Cunningham said. "We can't start fracturing just because we've had some bad losses back to back."

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In losing by 39 points to Minnesota on Wednesday and by 31 to Houston on Friday, the Spurs sank to 14th in the West at 10-12. They haven't been that far down in the standings this late in the season since the end of the 1996-97 campaign, which prompted the drafting of Tim Duncan No. 1 overall after a franchise-worst 20-62 showing.

"Guys feel embarrassed and deflated," said guard Patty Mills, the longest-tenured Spur on the roster.

"It's the big picture. It's who we represent when we put these jerseys on. It's much bigger than that, and we need to understand we are here just for a short time in this organization that will be here for a lot longer than we are, and we've got to take pride in that."

Like Cunningham, Mills preached team unity in the wake of the devastating setbacks.

"We will all stick together because we are all good people," Mills said.

Cunningham agreed.

"We have great character guys," he said. "We have no problem child or issues or anything like that."

Popovich shouldered some of the blame after the 136-105 loss to the Rockets, but forward LaMarcus Aldridge said the players must also be accountable.

"It's on everyone," Aldridge said. "It's a team sport. We all have to try to be better, do better and figure it out."

That process began with a 90-minute practice Saturday that include a lengthy off-the-court session.

"We had a lot of things to talk about," forward Davis Bertans said. "I think everybody under-stands we can only go up from here. We had a couple of really bad games, so it can't be worse than that. We just have to go out there and compete, that's the key."

The Spurs' first chance to put their words into action will come at 6 p.m. Sunday when they host Portland, which is 13-9 after losing 113-112 to Denver on Friday. The Blazers downed the Spurs 121-108 in the season's second game when they shot 53.6 percent from the floor and 46.9 from 3-point range.

"The morale changes when you get a good win," Aldridge said. "Portland is a good team and they've been playing well. They have a lot of talented guys. To bounce back and get a win tomorrow would be great for us."