SPURS GAME DAY! HOME AT THE DOME! GAME 43: SPURS VS. WARRIORS, 13-1-2023, 6:30PM (CT)

[G R E Y]

Yeah can we not allow the aged one to **** dunk on us??!

Again Sochan this time trailing behind and just watching allowing it to happen.

[G R E Y]

We now have Blake, Malaki, Diop, Stanley, and Roby in.

[imagump1313]

I forgot Wesley was on the team.......

[G R E Y]

Holy ****.

Pop calls the timeout and we get scored on in transition.

Film film film.

Or just burn this game.

[G R E Y]

Diop got burned by a back door cut after we failed to box out for the umpteenth time, gave up another second chance point, and a basket.

[G R E Y]

Roby nice D board and drive full court for the assertive layup.

[G R E Y]

Nice movement finishing with the Diop left corner 3.

[G R E Y]

Steal, fast break 3 on 1, pass back, dunk. Pure, simple basketball. Nice final play.

[imagump1313]

WHEW! That was a nail-biter!!

Great game guys! We are solid top 4 team at the moment. Washington is charging hard though and Detroit lost a close one...

PS:I hope that's the end of the stupid fiestas

[imagump1313]

This was pretty cool if you haven't seen it.

[G R E Y]

4TH Q: SPURS 113 WARRIORS 144

In a post-game broadcast, our commentators talked about how the event itself almost overshadowed the game. Pre-game, Pop talked about how this opponent’s movements and ability to find spaces would be a good test for us. Both true. My feeling was that there was so much hype about the event that I was a bit numb to the game itself and it seems like the team was a bit overwhelmed by the moment as well.

Regardless of our opponent’s woeful road record this season, they’re still the reigning champs, a team full of vets locked into their system and experienced in handling big pressure situations. We don’t have those experiences in our foundation, and with a can-only-get-better defense, things played out noncompetitively by us.

It’s one thing to allow four 30+ point Qs; it’s another when in two of them we give up at least 40. We gave up 74 points at the half. In the last ten games including this one, we have given up at least 70 points at the half five times; at least 60 points, three times; at least 50 points, once; under 50 points, once. Not surprisingly, we won the latter two, putting us at 2-8 in the last 10. But in those eight losses, despite the bleeding of points, we were competitive in most games (five of the eight), and the outcome wasn’t decided until late.

This was not one of those games. It happens. Usually we can at least depend on our shots to fall to compensate somewhat for mistakes on D. It’s not ideal, but it keeps us in games where we can continue to learn to deal with pressure situations and execute in them. But we were chasing our shots as much as we were chasing our opponent, and the results reflect it on both ends.

We had 88FGAs to their 101, so that’s 13 fewer chances. We also had 15TOs (nine of which were from steals against) to their 12TOs (six came from our steals) so that’s another 3 chances missed out on. And so we had to be super defensively and super efficient offensively to even cover those extra 16 chances, but neither was there consistently by us.

Communicating, rotating, and contesting 3s properly as well as running back in transition D have been issues for us. The first mostly comes with experience over time. I say mostly because once we’ve rotated properly, running out to contest fervently is about effort. And it’s also about effort when it comes to running back on D. These are the habits we have to keep ingraining into our foundation.

And we had plenty of chances to practice. Of their 101FGAs, 47.5% were from the arc. So we had 48 attempts from 3 to try to guard. When the arc is spammed like that, there will inevitably be rotation mistakes and late contests. That style is designed to break defenses down, all the more so versus a team still learning to consistently read and react defensively.

Side note: It’s also a hugely boring, circus style of basketball, even, perhaps especially, for a team that moves on and off ball so well.

By contrast, 25% of our shots came from the arc, so even though the efficiency was very close, the 18-8 made 3s was a 30-point deficit that aligns with the 31-point deficit by the end of the game. We were also down 21-13 in fast break points and 70-50 in points in the paint, so our usual means of scoring were bested as well.

What we did well was get to the FT line 35 times (great!), making 25 for 73.5% (work in progress). Our attempts here were led by Romeo, but he only made 3-8. He showed quite the determination to make something happen, especially considering he played only 18 minutes. Sochan was 0-2, but our other three starters combined for 15-15. Doug led the bench FT’s with 3-4, part of 7-9FTs in total from the second unit.

Although we made 36.4% of our 3s, we need to generate more chances for ours 3s specialists. Doug was only 1-3 from 3. Collins and Stanley didn’t have any 3s attempts. Keldon was only 1-2. And JRich, who led us with 5 attempts, made only 1. We were led by Tre’s 2-2 and Malaki’s 2-4 from the arc. Our bench made five of our total eight 3s, so that means only three were by the starters. All of these numbers, the 23 attempts - 6 of which were from the starters, the 8 total makes – three of which were from the starters, ought to be better. We rank fifth in FGAs at 91.1 per game, and of those we average 31.4 attempts from the arc which is 34.5% of our shots. Sure you take what defenses give you, but it’s also a matter of generating right chances from right movement.

Our front court was supposed to be an advantage in this game but they struggled, too. Jakob and Sochan were each only 2-9. Sochan was 0-2FTs but Jakob was a terrific 4-4, so that’s a positive. Both rebounded well as Jakob led us with 10 boards (3 on O) and Sochan was right behind with 8 (3 on O as well). Jakob also tied for team high (with Tre and JRich) 5 assists as well as getting one block. Sochan was an unusual bagel in the other broad stats.

Collins shot 1-7 with 4 boards, and 2 assists. He was called for three fouls by the end of the first half, and picked up his fourth in the 3RD Q. It’s tough to play with these on either end. Only one of his shots was in the restricted area, and two just outside it were blocked. At times he does not play with enough forward momentum near the rim, or utilize fakes and dunks enough. He tends towards fadeaways or shot from too low a release point in trying to both protect the ball and get a shot. When he gets good positioning on his defender, is able to seal him and release the ball at the highest extended arm point, the results are good.

Sochan was also blocked twice, both on non-restricted paint J attempts, one of which came from the opposing PG of all players. He was 2-3 in the restricted area, and missed all other shots, though I did like the three-level attempts.

Jakob missed an unusual array of close rim shots and tip ins, ironically getting blocked on his his lone attempt outside the key on the right baseline. He’s a terrific finisher at the rim, and an even better protector of it, but again, if there is a single critique to his game it’s the finesse missed bunnies where a dunk would do. Get both hands on it. Put it through.

I don’t know what it was about our bigs but five of the six blocks against us came versus Collins, Jakob, and Sochan. I guess the game plan was to neutralize the one advantage we had, with the opponent taking its chances that our ability to neutralize the opposing dominant strength could be overcome.

We had only two players in FGA double figures, Tre and Keldon, who also led us with 30 and 31 minutes played, respectively. Tre led us with 21 on 7-11, a couple of made 3s, and 5-5FTs, along with 1 board and 5 assists to 2TOs. He was a terrific, relentless driver, even made his lone mid-range J, and a couple of 3s. It was a tough defensive assignment, and the -27 showed considering the back court he had to guard or get switched on. Still, I liked how he fought over screens, and covered space to close it as best he could. He never lets up or excuses his size. Love how he’s coming along overall.

Keldon scored 17 on 5-11, making one three on two attempts, and a team best 6-6FTs to go along with 2 boards, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block. He was once again exclusively a paint and 3s scorer, getting blocked once. Loved the physicality and the push to drive, not so much the inconsistent glass use and erratic finishes off it. Keldon was also a game low -40. This may be a record, I don’t know, but it passes the eye test about Keldon’s defense. It is inconsistent at best, and versus a team designed to outrun an opponent, it stands out all the more. Sometimes he gets lost on screens, sometimes he gets lost on coverages, sometimes he doesn’t finish a defensive assignment. He has lot more to shoulder this season what with being the primary defensive target as the highest usage Spur, but a bigger defensive leap needs to happen.

Team-wide what stood out was a lack of boxing out, especially given all the drives and long shots. Long shots mean long rebounds; drives mean contesting and boxing out. Yet we were outbrebounded 55-38 and 12-7 on O boards by a team that averages 44.1 per game to our 43 per game. We also average 11.9 O boards per game to their 10, so we were thoroughly outplayed in this aspect, one which requires more focus and effort above all else. Yes boxing out is a learned skill, but we have to be getting after it and making it a priority to hustle after and track the ball and opponent in the first place.

We may have few ‘good’ matchups, but this certainly is not one of them. They present a unique challenge in exemplifying certain aspects of how we want to play in terms of movement, cuts, running and executing our sets. It was a litmus test of where we are in defending that pace and space style in an unusual situation to boot.

It was an unforgettable night with all the spectacle and entertainment. So many fans cheering, so much good will and fun. And luckily the result didn’t seem to curb any of it. The hugeness of the event outside the game did seem to affect us in the game itself, though, be it sight lines or nerves. It felt like we were trying not to screw up, being slower and deliberate, as if we were in a dress rehearsal for a performance. The show must go on as they say, and getting back to a familiar setting with familiar rims, and to a more free, competitive spirit will be good for us, even as the night was amazing for the city, the NBA, and our fans.

[G R E Y]

NOTEWORTHY ACHIEVEMENTS

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[G R E Y]

PRE-GAME INTERVIEWS

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POST-GAME INTERVIEWS

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