Game 60: San Antonio Spurs (44-13) @ Los Angeles Lakers (19-40) - 3:30 PM ET

[aaron_gray]

I was never the most optimistic in Randle and have basically refrained from critiquing his game most of the season, but hard to imagine even the most optimistic fans not being concerned with how limited he is at so many facets of the game.

His mid-range has actually improved quite a bit, though I think fans would prefer to seem him do something with his right hand other than the occasional open layup.

[RingsDontLie]

I was never the most optimistic in Randle and have basically refrained from critiquing his game most of the season, but hard to imagine even the most optimistic fans not being concerned with how limited he is at so many facets of the game.

Randle can still be a monster at times. If he can be a 10 point ~10 rebound double double energy guy kind of like Draymond that would be awesome. You need energy guys like Randle come playoff time that can fire other guys up. He also has the ability mess with the opponents head. He's a bruiser. That would be the perfect role for Randle so I would be very disappointed if we traded him.

[TyCobb]

Randle is the odd man out. His body language, his cluelessness on offense, his lack of offensive moves, his inconsistent man-to-man defense, his matador fastbreak defense, etc., is not good for this Lakers team. Russell has clearly taken another step with his offensive assertiveness since Lou got moved. Ingram is growing everyday. Nance and Zubac get along and can play with everybody. Clarkson is the gunner off the bench.

Randle is a great person, but where is his focus?

[danfantastk32]

I agree that his focus is prob the biggest concern. I kinda feel that way about most of the team.

Russel: 1.3 points, 1.4 assists, .4 rebounds growth from last year. <-----is that good? Doesn't seem like it.
Randle: 1.6 points, 1.7 assists, -2.1 rebounds growth from last year. <------doesn't seem like much to me.
Clarkson: -1.8 points, -.3 assists, -1.1 rebounds growth from last year. <-----wrong way my man.
Nance JR: 1.4 points, .8 assists, .7 rebounds growth from last year. <------not much. 5.5 points to 6.9 is not a splash.
Black: 1.5 points, .3 assists, 1.3 rebounds growth from last year. <------little growth from a low starting point.
Ingram: 8.0 points, 2.0 assists, 4.1 rebounds. Rookie year <----anything jumping out at you? 28mpg...no excuse there.
Zubac: 6.0 points, 0.5 assists, 4.0 rebounds. Rookie year <----14mpg....is this our brightest prospect?

I mean....that's our "youth" right there. Some damn small steps taken this year.....I'm not gonna lie, it's pretty unimpressive all around. 8 points, 2 assists, 4 boards from the "next Durant"? (Durant had 20.3 ppg his rookie season BTW)

I hope next year brings a better harvest. Cause if we're looking at this "Growth" again next year......we have major problems. And that's all around. I don't see anything half-resembling impressive from anyone's numbers. It's single-digit-city all up in here. Nobody's lighting it up in any aspect.

19-41 about sums it up...wouldn't you agree?

[Landsberger]

I agree that his focus is prob the biggest concern. I kinda feel that way about most of the team.

Russel: 1.3 points, 1.4 assists, .4 rebounds growth from last year. <-----is that good? Doesn't seem like it.
Randle: 1.6 points, 1.7 assists, -2.1 rebounds growth from last year. <------doesn't seem like much to me.
Clarkson: -1.8 points, -.3 assists, -1.1 rebounds growth from last year. <-----wrong way my man.
Nance JR: 1.4 points, .8 assists, .7 rebounds growth from last year. <------not much. 5.5 points to 6.9 is not a splash.
Black: 1.5 points, .3 assists, 1.3 rebounds growth from last year. <------little growth from a low starting point.
Ingram: 8.0 points, 2.0 assists, 4.1 rebounds. Rookie year <----anything jumping out at you? 28mpg...no excuse there.
Zubac: 6.0 points, 0.5 assists, 4.0 rebounds. Rookie year <----14mpg....is this our brightest prospect?

I mean....that's our "youth" right there. Some damn small steps taken this year.....I'm not gonna lie, it's pretty unimpressive all around. 8 points, 2 assists, 4 boards from the "next Durant"? (Durant had 20.3 ppg his rookie season BTW)

I hope next year brings a better harvest. Cause if we're looking at this "Growth" again next year......we have major problems. And that's all around. I don't see anything half-resembling impressive from anyone's numbers. It's single-digit-city all up in here. Nobody's lighting it up in any aspect.

19-41 about sums it up...wouldn't you agree?

We suck but not as much suck as last year. That about sums it up.

Some of the numbers above are straight stats but how about the expectations that Russell was going to explode in year 2 because he now has his system and his coach? He's also still shooting below 40% overall. Randle has taken a sideways step at best. I'm always suspect of freak athletes at this level. They typically get here with little of the basic fundamentals needed to be highly successful. Clarkson is what he is... which is a scorer off the bench. This system is not his best fit it seems. Ingram has the potential to be a very good fill in the box score guy but he doesn't have the look of a first option scorer. Zubac is a pleasant surprise and seems to be a guy who can grow but how much does a team basing itself on GS's offense need or even want a post scorer?

All in all the numbers you have up there track the increase in scoring and possessions from last year to this year. We're 7 points per game more than last year so those numbers aren't even tracking the change in scoring the offensive system has brought.

[Danny Darko]

perhaps some of the lack of growth is just that they started with a coach who hates rookies and ran no system while making no attempt to actually develop anyone. Then even when you get Luke in there it's a new system and they have not had the kind of nurturing other guys have.

Look the spurs can turn crappy pick after crappy pick into great players because they develop guys. We might be looking at a reset button year (where they did actually win more games already) and next year might be the turning point.

My only real beef is that a few of these guys don't look like they are really trying to get better or dominate-

Randle didn't keep his promise to consistently shoot the 15-20 footer and he's not very actively engaged anymore
Russell isn't super aggressive (which we would also complain about) and he's a crappy leader
Nance hasn't stayed healthy but is shooting better
Clarkson seemed to be playing some bizarro role but maybe the last games will show he doesn't always have tunnel vision

[danfantastk32]

Darko, and Landsberger: I agree with what both of you are saying. I do think it's unfair to just throw some stats out and paint the picture. I really do.

But we can all agree that at 19-41...with nobody really standing out....that there's a certain uncomfortable truth to the stats. As Darko points out: My only real beef is that a few of these guys don't look like they are really trying to get better or dominate.

Hence the low stats..low wins, right? I mean....that's my beef too. I just kinda feel like nobody's really being challenged here.

I admit....I don;t know what it all means. Im frankly disappointed that this team is where it's at. I really thought we'd be a bit better than this. Deng/Moz aside...I really thought the young crew would be better. And while I understand that youth is youth.....I also don't wanna give a free pass.

We can throw stats around left, right and center........but at the end of it all, I guess it comes down to this: 19-41. Is anyone here HAPPY with this year's "growth" as a team? I'm pretty disappointed.