Spurs’ fall arriving sooner than expected

The Spurs reconstructed themselves to play faster, freer and far less dependent on Duncan. They had no choice, but San Antonio suddenly seems far more constructed for the long run of the regular season than the grind of the playoffs.

Spurs owner Peter Holt always insisted: He was going down with Duncan. It was admirable, fitting and just. Only now, the time has come.

The Spurs are going down with Tim Duncan.

One year ago this week, Holt watched the Spurs sputter through most of the regular season, cling to the seventh seed and still beat an old rival, the Dallas Mavericks, in the first round of the playoffs. It was a magnificent victory, validating for the Gregg Popovich and RC Buford regime because it convinced them they were justified in staying with the program.

“We looked at the history of all this, and asked, ‘Should we try this or not?’ ” Holt told me. “And we realized – it’s worth it. Let’s keep doing it – transitioning without crashing. That’s what we’re trying to do, but also our goal is to win a championship this year so we said, ‘Let’s go after it again.’ ”

There’s dignity to a dynasty dying in basketball, no ceremony. Holt always said he would go down with Duncan, and just maybe that’s the case now for the Spurs. Through it all, your heart still tells you there’s a final stand in the Alamo City on Wednesday night, a celebration of the black and silver that won’t allow them to go down so easily to an eighth seed.