Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images Looking at the results of Pounding the Rock’s latest survey. Lately, it seems like the San Antonio Spurs and their fans are oscillating between “it’s so over” and “we are so back.” Every Spurs loss sends the fans into a frenzy, and every win has the expectations set higher. At 13-13, the Spurs are winning just enough to stick around in a tough Western Conference. According to the latest Pounding the Rock poll, San Antonio is right where the fan base expected them to be. Only 2% of fans said they failed to meet their expectations, and even that feels like a mis-click. San Antonio was projected to win around 35 games this season. If the current pace keeps up, they are well on their way to exceeding that total. One of the big reasons for the Spurs’ success is the unexpected NBA-readiness of rookie Stephon Castle. The UCONN product is averaging 11.7 points and 3.9 assists in 25 games this season. His defense and physicality have been above where most rookies are entering the league. With Jared McCain going down for an extended period of time, Castle is firmly in the lead for the Rookie of the Year award. Julian Champagnie has also surprised Spurs fans, earning nearly a quarter of the vote. The wing has plugged into the starting lineup well, playing solid defense and knocking down shots. He’s averaging 12.8 points and 5.2 rebounds while shooting 35.6% from three. So, what are the expectations for the Spurs moving forward? If they continue to play this well, the Play-In Tournament seems realistic. That’s what 69% of voters think, anyway. San Antonio is 11th in the West, just a game behind the Los Angeles Lakers, who are in 10th. The Spurs have a lot of competition for the top 10 spots in the West. You’d have to think that the Sacramento Kings will factor into the playoff race at some point, meaning there will be 12 teams realistically vying for 10 spots. San Antonio will be a factor in the playoff race, and that’s more than they’ve been able to say in the last two seasons. Making the Play-In would be a huge step for a young team that is steadily improving.