Post#63 » by G R E Y » Mon Mar 11, 2024 1:29 am
4TH Q: SPURS 101 ROCKETS 114
A missed opportunity. We started well early, couldn’t sustain it, and some good spurts were interspersed with too many slow and slogging, error-filled moments.
Another game, another 18TOs which cost us 28 points. Considering that the opponent had 15 steals, that’s a lot of ball pressure that we were too often too slow to react to.We had a solid 2ND Q but came out flat to start the second half and were chasing the deficit much of the way.
Wemby got into foul trouble and sat for half of the 3RD Q and we had to expend a lot of energy patching up holes in our game. We got beat up inside for 70-44 PITP.
He finished with 10 points, 11 boards (2 on O), and 7 blocks(!), but also had 6TOs. You could tell his shoulder was bothering him. And we later learned he had also tweaked his ankle. He left the court to tend to either or both. While the opponent game planned for it, we didn’t do a good job finding him in the post. He got pushed and shoved and doubled and we were too slow in getting him the ball as the rest of us got pushed and shoved as well. Wemby’s been handling physicality better as the season has progressed but he still has trouble with opponents who go at his mid section (which for many is around their shoulders if they crouch a bit, their area of strength) and he still has trouble keeping his balance when smaller more aggressive opponents get in his physical space. For the latter he really just has to lift the ball up and stand there lol but he was bothered by both. Something to learn from going forward. We also know that this will be a blueprint for opponents unless and until we find ways to work around it, besides just making more 3s.
And so even though we made three more 3s and got to the FT line better making 7 more, it wasn’t enough to overcome the 18 fewer FGAs, these from all those TOs, steals against, and losing the O boards 16-12. And of the shots we took, we put up 40% from the arc, about 10% more than we’ve been taking in the games in which we do a better job generating a transition game and getting to the rim.
Devin did a terrific job doing just that, leading us with 22 on 9-19, 1-5 from 3 with 8 boards (2 on O), 3 assists, 1 block, 3TOs. Six of his FGAs were in the restricted area and he made all but one. He had three other paint shots, making two of them. He did a much better job playing through physicality, figuring out tough defenders, and making quality shots through them.
Sochan got a frustration F1 tech for tripping an opponent after driving and getting hit and not getting a call, and then a scrum ensued. It was a one-point game at that moment and while his stirring things up is usually a catalyst, this time it was but against us. He struggled his way to 15 points on 5-14, 1-6 from 3. There’s a reason he got a lot of open shots from the arc – Sochan shot a woeful 19.4% from the arc in February and the opponent played to percentages. He did make 4-4FTs (good), grabbed 8 boards (team high 3 on O), 3 assists, 2TOs but was also team low -17.
He guarded multiple positions and was effective versus bulkier opponents with the physicality he brings and can absorb. I don’t love the big falls with legs and arms flailing dramatically and slowly getting up. It’s a weird habit I hope he gets out of. Bigger players get up more quickly. It’s not a game changer, but it can be for us if he isn’t taking time making a point with it in live game action. But the hustle and physicality and effort were there. Shot selection has to be better, especially the 3s. He has to work his way to earning these. We can ill afford open misses, or his being targeted to take them from the arc. If he’s struggling from the arc, over 40% of his shots should not be from there.
Tre also struggled pretty much from everywhere for the second consecutive game. He combined for 6 points in the last two, this after scoring very efficiently in double figures in 4 of 5 games before that. Sure, small sample size, but when we’re not getting nearly as many shots up, we have to make the ones we do count, and so his going 2-7, 0-3 from 3, with 4 boards (1 on O) and 5 assists is tough for us. The last two months he was at or just under 40% from the arc, but considering he averages 2.3 attempts from the arc per game, it’s not enough when he makes them and too costly when he doesn’t. We need a PG who is a floor spreading threat from 3. And it’s weird Tre’s not considering he’s our second best FT shooter at 87.5%.
Julian. 0 points and 2 boards in game-low 10 minutes. He has had one double digit scoring game from the beginning of February till now. I know he doesn’t play starter minutes, but we’re going to have to consider making changes given that we have basically 4 on 5 on O to start games. We need more cohesive juice than having either a player like Keldon who needs the ball in his hands or Julian who is, to put it bluntly, too often an afterthought. Cedi is more consistent and doesn’t need the ball in his hands either, but is great off ball, more experienced, a good cutter, and a floor spreading threat.
It’s compounded by the fact that we basically don’t have consistent floor-spreading 3s shooting at the 1, 3, and 4 spots. Starters combined for 4-20 from 3 this game. Oof.
Right now our starting five is all our own draftees/undrafted signed players. It was also the case when Keldon was starting at the 3, and when Branham got the starting spot last game (he’s started 22 times for us this season). I get development, I understand getting our guys lots of minutes to grow through mistakes and reps, but at some point (like when we moved on from Sochan at the 1, Collins at the 5, and Keldon at the 3) we looked at the data and adjusted.
Julian’s FG efficiency is poor at 39.8%. Only Graham averages lower efficiency, and given he’s only played in 12 games, it means Julian’s is the lowest on the team, and the only one in the 30s percentage. Cedi’s FG is 47.1% and his 3s efficiency is 37.8% - currently best on our team – compared to Julian’s 35.9%. They’re both very close in total FGAs per game and that the majority of them are from 3.
With 20 games left in the season, I doubt we make any starting lineup changes unless we have to like we did last game. But just saying, this is a big role for Julian, and the results are what they are and they differ from when he started 15 games towards the end of last season. Even Branham with his 43.2%FG efficiency is just above Julian’s but Branham is a far more advanced scorer. It just feels like there’s a push-pull with Julian. He was supposed to be the off-ball relief that gave us more O movement but too often we’ve had to overcome his inefficiencies. It’s not good that he doesn’t shoot many shots nor that he does not make them at a decent rate. If other players who have struggled got sent a message, why not Julian?
We got terrific bench output which scored 50 points spread among four players. The bench unit was led by Branham’s 20 on 8-14, team-high 4-7 from 3, with 1 board and 2 assists in 26 minutes. He’s coming along in the way we’ve wanted on O – getting his shots in a more team-oriented way. The ball still does tend to stick with him as an end point like it used to with Keldon when he first got green lit to score, but less so than previously and there are signs of D life, at least attention and more energy on that end. Hopefully he doesn’t think he can trade good O for bad D. It’s what got him in the January dog house and we need him to stay out of it.
Keldon followed suit with 18 on 5-12, 3-5 from 3, team-high 5-6FTs, 6 boards (1 on O), and 2 assists in bench high 34 minutes. He’s getting a bit more old Keldon with the ball also ending with him shooting, but considering Branham took more in fewer minutes, they’ll have to figure out playing more within the team concept together. The bench unit combined for 10 assists, but five of those (bench high) were by Blake alone. So the other five were spread among four players. Blake did not score (0-2 in 12 minutes) but he facilitated well and we frankly need others to keep the ball moving. Still, in three of the last four games, Blake’s had 0% efficiency. We don’t expect Branham level scoring, but we do hope for better than this.
Cedi chipped in 6 on 3-4, 0-1 from 3, with 4 boards (1 on O), and 1 steal in 15 minutes. He’s our best 3s shooter. Let’s get him more chances at the arc.
Collins also scored 6 on 2-4, 1-1 from 3, 1-2FTs, with 6 boards (bench high 2 on O), 1 assist, 2 blocks, and 3TOs. So our Cs combined for 9 of our 18TOs. Clearly they were the target of defensive pressure and we couldn’t get around it fast enough.
This was a winnable game but we got mired and imposed on with a physical game plan. The cohesion we showed in two impressive home victories were left there, or more accurately, the mental approach was. We know where teams will target us. We know they will go hard at us. We know we can respond better. It’s the consistent execution of what we know that we need to strengthen for a stronger, higher floor as a springboard for a higher ceiling.
