The Spurs won four titles between 1999 and 2007 behind the strength of their defense. With the team aging, they are no longer as dominant defensively and will try to win a title with the strength of their offense.

“We spend more time working on offense these days, because our defense won’t be as good as it used to be in the past,” Gregg Popovich said. “It just won’t.”

“You have to score a lot more points now,” Tim Duncan said. “I don’t think it’s the league of old, where you can score in the 80s and defend your butt off and still win championships.”

“It’s good we can do it both ways,” Manu Ginobili said. “I think we’re trying to be more the other (defensive) kind of team, the way we won championships. The last few years, we’ve scored more but we haven’t won it.”

The Spurs officially signed Patty Mills on Tuesday.

Mills made his debut on the same day, playing four minutes in San Antonio's 107-100 win over the Suns.

The Spurs made multiple impact moves this month, acquiring Stephen Jackson via trade, as well as signing Boris Diaw and Patty Mills.

“We knew we were going all-in,” Manu Ginobili said.

San Antonio is now seen as a legitimate title contender.

“They are loading up for a run,” Rick Carlisle said. “They are like a lot of us. They see this thing is pretty wide-open, and they have a great shot.”

Cory Joseph, on assignment to the Austin Toros from the San Antonio Spurs, has been named NBA Development League Performer of the Week for games played March 19-25. 

Joseph, who is in the middle of his third assignment from the Spurs to the Toros, averaged 19.0 points, 9.3 assists and 9.0 rebounds last week as Austin went 3-0. He shot 57 percent from the field and 33 percent from three-point land, scoring an NBA D-League season-high 25 points in a 113-103 win over the Iowa Energy on March 21. He became the ninth NBA D-League player this season to record a triple-double when he tallied 15 points, 17 rebounds and 12 assists in a 112-82 win over the Maine Red Claws on March 23.

Boris Diaw signed with the Spurs for the remainder of the season on Friday.

Diaw was in uniform with San Antonio hours later and played 16 minutes in the team's 104-87 win over Dallas.

Diaw was waived by the Bobcats on Wednesday.

T.J. Ford will join the Austin Toros of the D-League as a volunteer coach.

"I'll look at it from another perspective," said Ford. "I'm really starting at the bottom. I'm not sure where I'm headed. But I'm headed in the right direction."

Ford ended his NBA career due to chronic injuries in early March.

The Spurs are the frontrunners to sign Boris Diaw if he clears waivers, according to sources.

Diaw agreed to a buyout with the Bobcats on Wednesday.

Boris Diaw and the Bobcats have agreed to a buyout of his contract for the remainder of the 11-12 season.

Diaw will have an opportunity to sign with a contender for the playoffs.

Tony Parker, a close friend of Diaw, spoke openly about how he would be a welcome addition for the Spurs.

The Bulls and Celtics are not interested in Drerek Fisher, according to sources.

Fisher is expected to hold conversations with the Heat, Thunder and Spurs to discuss "ideas and concepts."

The San Antonio Spurs have re-assigned guard Cory Joseph to the Austin Toros, the Spurs’ NBA D-League affiliate.  

This is Joseph's third D-League assignment of the season.

Joseph (6-3, 185) returns to the Toros following two previous assignments.  During his first two stints with the team, he averaged 10.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 30.0 minutes, scoring in double digits on four occasions.  He scored an NBA D-League career-high 16 points in a 111-88 victory over the Erie BayHawks on Jan. 10.