It's beginning to look a lot like last season for the Spurs.(NBA)

The similarities are eerie: Massive roster turnover, player confusion, questions at the center spot and a ho-hum start. These were realities for the Spurs early last season, and those realities returned this year. The Spurs brought in a bunch of new players in 2002-03, struggled learning the defensive schemes of coach Gregg Popovich, watched David Robinson hobble through his final season and were just decent--28-15--by late January.

This year's start was nearly the same. There was another roster overhaul, and most of the new Spurs were lost on defense in the early weeks. New center Rasho Nesterovic, Robinson's replacement, was particularly confused, and because the Spurs rely on their big men to close down drives to the basket, Nesterovic's confusion was a considerable problem. At the end of January, the Spurs were 31-18--again decent, but not great.

Last year, the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo changed a decent season into a terrific one. And this year, it seems to be changing things again.

"We've been up and down all season" MVP Tim Duncan says. "Now, we're starting to get a feel for each other. It's happening at the right time."

Thanks to the rodeo, San Antonio went on a grueling nine-game road trip in late January and early February last season. The Spurs were 8-1 on the trip, bonding as a team off the floor and jelling on it. They lost just six regular-season games after the trip and went on to win the championship.

"That was when we came together," former Spur Steve Kerr says. "We were more confident and more sure once we went through that together."

The rodeo-induced trek began later this season and again was interrupted by the All-Star break, but the Spurs started it with five straight victories. They---especially Duncan--seem confident again, efficient on offense and stifling on defense. "The way things are going are much like last year" guard Emanuel Ginobili says.