They came back from a 25-point deficit against the Clippers on Friday and somehow pulled off the win. 

This isn't some luck of the draw or some random occurrence. This team is closing games consistently and does so against all caliber of teams. There's a level of cohesion present not seen on any other NBA team this season. 

Wembanyama has repeatedly spoken of trust. How they all have bought in. How they all respect, support and trust each other to make plays.

It's becoming more and more evident by the day how true that is. The ball is popping, and even players who are new to the rotation, such as Carter Bryant — a rookie — is being trusted to take and make late-game shots.

Of course, this doesn't happen without Wembanyama.

Over his past six games, the 22-year-old MVP candidate is averaging 28 points, 11 rebounds, and 4.2 blocks in just 31 minutes of play. 

You'd think the nearly point-per-minute average was his most intoxicating trait, yet it's secondary to his defense, which is Earth-shattering. 

The Celtics hit just 37.5% of their shots in the fourth quarter last night. The Rockets 34.6% the game before, the Clippers 42.1% and the Pistons 36.8% in the final stanza.

That's an outrageously effective level of defense in the final frame of games, and the Spurs are pulling this off consistently. 

Second-year guard Stephon Castle won't wow you with raw numbers. His 1.3 steals and 0.3 blocks on the year won't make anyone look twice — yet he's among the most impressive young perimeter defenders in the game. 

He doesn't gamble for steals or chase blocks. Instead, his mission is to optimize his own defensive positioning and make life as difficult as possible for offensive players as he tries to funnel them toward Wembanyama. 

Often, teams will try to initiate plays away from Castle, as they know what he's trying to do, and that's probably the biggest compliment you can give a 21-year-old defender. 

At 6-6 and a sturdy 220 pounds, Castle isn't relinquishing ground, and his strength allows him to play single coverage on players taller than him. 

With the playoffs nearing, it's impossible to not consider these Spurs a genuine threat to win the title. 

The argument against them is their lack of experience. But is that concern overstated? 

Wembanyama has literally played in the gold medal game of the Olympics and has been to the Finals in the French league. Castle helped Connecticut win the national championship. 

This isn't to say their lack of NBA experience won't play a factor. It very likely will. But over the course of a best-of-seven series, with a defense this potent and a superstar that might be the most productive per-minute player in the world, it'd be outright foolish to dismiss them.