The Spurs lead the NBA with 18 victories.

A team playing without some of its best players can be a dangerous foe, something the Spurs proved when a roster missing Ginobili, Duncan, Parker and Danny Green almost defeated the Heat in Miami on Nov. 29.

“I’ve had a 17-year career (in Argentina, Europe and the NBA), and I’ve seen this situation probably 100 times, or more,” Ginobili said. “A team is lacking one or two of their best players. That team comes on a roll, and they get confident, and they are playing without pressure, and everybody starts making shots.

“It happens. It happened for us against Miami, and it happened today, too. It’s something that you know, and you talk about it, but it keeps happening.

via Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News