SAN ANTONIO -- The San Antonio Spurs responded to their most successful regular season in franchise history with the greatest turnover in Gregg Popovichs two decades with the team.Tim Duncans retirement played a large role in the reconstruction, but so did losing in six games to Oklahoma City in the Western Conference semifinals.Duncan is gone along with veterans Boris Diaw, Matt Bonner and late-season additions Andre Miller and Kevin Martin. While San Antonio added another veteran in Pau Gasol, they also brought in a lot of youth and athleticism as they prepared for life without Duncan, the power forward who led the franchise to five NBA titles in 19 seasons.Right now we dont know what were going to miss on the flr because we havent been through the season yet, Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard said. (But) just knowing hes not here, his personality isnt here. Jokes that he makes during practice, thats the things Im missing right now.Duncan will be with the team occasionally as an unofficial assistant coach, but San Antonio is placing the team squarely in Leonards hands. The 6-ft-7 forward finished second in MVP balloting after averaging a career-high 21.2 points and 6.8 rebounds last season. He also was named Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight season.After spending his first five seasons adding a pull-up jumper and honing his 3-point shting, Leonard spent this offseason working on something else: Just becoming a leader. Just making sure I know whats going on on the flr at every position. Just getting ready to get my mentality of just leading the group this year.Leonards evolution as a leader should be aided by Gasol. The 17-year veteran won two NBA championships while with the Los Angeles Lakers.One thing that makes me feel a little better with (Duncans) loss is Pau Gasol, Popovich said. He is a very intelligent man and he understands how to play and hes played for a lot of gd people. Thats going to help us in that loss, but having said that, it will take time to get all the new guys to understanding exactly how we play and who goes with whom.Gasol averaged 16.5 points and 11.0 rebounds for Chicago last season while earning his sixth All-Star appearance. Duncan averaged 8.6 points and 7.3 rebounds in the final season of a Hall of Fame career.Gasols numbers will likely drop this season, though, as San Antonio will continue to develop around Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge.It starts with me and L.A. first, Leonard said. If we win a championship, its going to be up to us to lead the group.The duo earned All-Star berths last season while leading San Antonio to a franchise-record 67 victories. But the Spurs dropped four of five games to the Thunder in the West semifinals and San Antonio knew changes were needed. The Spurs drafted 6-ft-5 point guard Dejounte Murray and brought in 2011 second-round pick Davis Bertans at forward along with signing 7-ft center Dewayne Dedmon along with David Lee.Some other things to know about the Spurs, who open the season Tuesday night at Golden State:BACKGROUND NOISEAldridge struggled to fit into the teams offense in the first half of last season, but closed strongly to lead the team in rebounding and finish second in scoring. He said he was not bothered by reports San Antonio was willing to trade him.(Popovich is) a pretty direct person and this organization is first-class, so if that was the issue, I would have known way before the media knew, Aldridge said. So, I wasnt worried about it at all.BIG TWO?Point guard Tony Parker suffered a drop in scoring for his third straight season, which is a product of the teams evolution rather than any decline in his game. The 6-ft-2 guard averaged 11.9 points last season, but he had a career-low 1.8 turnovers per game and shot 49 percent from the field. It was the third time in four seasons that Parker has shot 49 percent or better from the field. He also shot 42 percent on 3-pointers, marking the second straight season he has shot over 40 percent on 3s. Fellow veteran Manu Ginobili said he will not decide if this his last season until after its done.BOUNCING BERTANSAfter averaging 7.9 points and shting 47 percent on 3-pointers in 15 games for Baskonia in the Euroleague last season, Bertans is averaging 5.4 points and shting 31 percent on 3-pointers in five preseason games for the Spurs. He has astounded his teammates with his leaping ability especially after right ACL surgery twice in the past three years.I think in the second ACL they put something special in there, Bertans said.FOUL TROUBLEDedmon is expected to be one of the teams primary frontcourt reserves if he can stay on the court. The 7-fter has struggled with foul trouble in his career, averaging 2.1 fouls in just 13.1 minutes per game. He is averaging 3.2 fouls in five preseason games, including fouling out in 22 minutes in San Antonios preseason opener against Phoenix.STEPPING INGasol has stepping into Duncans spot in numerous ways, not just in the starting lineup. Gasol has taken Duncans spot standing next to Parker and Ginobili during the national anthem and is also handling tip-off duties.Blue Jays Jerseys 2020 . Artturi Lehkonen, Joni Nikko and Ville Leskinen had the other goals for Finland (1-0) while Juuse Saros stopped 28 shots. Tim Robin Johnsgard had the lone goal for Norway (0-2). Toronto Blue Jays Pro Shop .com) - The women will also have a new champion at the Australian Open. https://www.cheapbluejays.com/ .ca lks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Cheap Blue Jays Jerseys . 8 Iowa State on Saturday, sending the Cyclones to their third consecutive loss. The Longhorns (14-4, 3-2) got their biggest win of the season with their third in the row in the Big 12. Stitched Blue Jays Jerseys . DAmigo scored twice in regulation and added the shtout winner as the Toronto Marlies edged the San Antonio Rampage 5-4 in American Hockey League action.ARCADIA, Calif. -- Beholders career numbers are impressive.She has won 13 of 14 at Santa Anita, including the Grade 1 Zenyatta Stakes three straight years. She has won 17 of 24 overall, including 10 Grade 1 races, earned nearly $5 million, and will go down in history as one of Californias greatest female racehorses.Another Beholder number, however, is uncharacteristic. When she faces Stellar Wind and Taras Tango on Saturday at Santa Anita, Beholder is trying to end the longest losing streak of her career -- all of two races.At Del Mar this summer, Beholder finished second to Stellar Wind in the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes and second to California Chrome in the Pacific Classic.She ran into two very gd horses, trainer Richard Mandella said. I might have contributed to her getting beat the first time, might have been easy on her.As for Beholders second loss, no excuse required. No one beats California Chrome.California Chrome runs in race 7 on Saturday at Santa Anita. Beholder tackles Stellar Wind and Taras Tango in race 9, the 1-1/16-mile Zenyatta, a Win and Youre In for the Breeders Cup Distaff on Nov. 4 at Santa Anita.Taras Tango was an unexpected addition, but the Zenyatta was always the target for Stellar Wind, trying for her second upset over Beholder.The last one, I said whatever happens, its going to be a hell of a race, said Stellar Winds trainer, John Sadler. And this one, its going to be very similar. Theyre very close.Stellar Wind was making her second start of the season July 30, when she defeated Beholder by a half-length while carrying two pounds fewer (121-123). Both carry 125 in the Zenyatta.The race, Sadler said, will come down to two or three intangibles. Who draws where? Is there any speed to push Beholder?Stellar Wind got lucky on both accounts. She drew post 5 in the five-runner field, while Beholder is in post 2. And yes, there is speed to push Beholder. Vale Dori, a presser, is drawn directly to her outside. Taras Tango also has speed from post 4.Although Beholder is versatile, jockey Gary Stevens faces a dilemma -- roll to the lead even though her best efforts have been from off the pace, or somehow get to the outside of her two pace rivals.ddddddddddddOne of those is the Jerry Hollendorfer-trained Taras Tango, initially ticketed to the Spinster on Oct. 9 at Keeneland.We would love to win the Spinster, but the year-end goal is to be in a Breeders Cup race, Hollendorfer said. We thought it would be easier to prepare here and then decide what Breeders Cup race we want to go in.Taras Tango is a Grade 1 route winner and Grade 3 sprint winner. A decision regarding the BC Distaff or Filly and Mare Sprint will be made after Saturday.Thats going to be up to [owner] Barbara Banke, Hollendorfer said. But I would say she would go for the Sprint.Bankes Stonestreet Stables also owns the East Coast-based Distaff candidate Cavorting.Key ContendersBeholder, by Henny HughesLast 3 Beyers: 106-101-101B. Wayne Hughes owns Beholder, who won the 2015 Pacific Classic over males and was targeting the Breeders Cup Classic at Keeneland until she got sick. Her 2016 fall campaign is with fillies and mares.We were a very clear second, no excuses, in the Pacific Classic. We didnt run quite that gd a race this year [compared with 2015], Mandella said. Nothing wrong with the Distaff. I dont know that were picking an easy spot.Stellar Wind, by CurlinLast 3 Beyers: 102-99-98Her abbreviated two-start campaign this year was by design. Stellar Wind finished second to Beholder in the Vanity Mile in June at Santa Anita and upset Beholder next out.My filly is really gd this year, Sadler said. I thought her 4-year-old campaign would be better, which it has. We want to run well [Saturday], which Im very confident we will, and go on to the next one.Victor Espinoza rides Stellar Wind, who has won 6 of 10. Plans call for Stellar Wind to remain in training as a 5-year-old in 2017.Taras Tango, by Unbridleds SongLast 3 Beyers: 90-94-96She won the Santa Margarita in March at Santa Anita, finished third in the Apple Blossom at Oaklawn, and then was off four months prior to winning the Rancho Bernardo, a sprint, in August.Martin Garcia rides Taras Tango.-- additional reporting by Jay Privman ' ' '