GAME DAY, BALA! GAME 15: SPURS VS. WARRIORS, 18-11-2018, 6PM (CT)

[G R E Y]

Nice to be back home for the first game of our penultimate back-to-back this month. There's a lot to build on from the previous game, from mitigating mistakes to withstanding and going on runs to playing stifling defense. Consistency and energy level are key. If we play our game and get LMA going, we'll put ourselves in a good position to win.

WHERE: AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX

WHEN: Sunday, November 18, 2018, 6pm (CT)

Read on Twitter

GO SPURS GO!!!

[ducler]

Read on Twitter

[G R E Y]

Yes! Happy to see Rudy starting again:

Read on Twitter

So Derrick is going to the bench:

Read on Twitter

With that change, it ought to be Bryn, DeMar, Rudy, Dante, LMA.

[AustrianHamm3r]

With Green and Curry out, you gotta take advantage and beat the Warriors today. No excuses! Even the Mavs beat them, so it is basically a must win. - It won't get easier.

Would like the Spurs go big with Aldrigde at PF and Pöltl at Center. Not only because I am a big Pöltl Supporter! Aldridge better take advantage and focus on the offensive end against Jerebko, while Pöltl does the dirty work. Would like to see Gay on Durant!

[G R E Y]

Read on Twitter

[G R E Y]

I hope we take the next step and make a concerted effort to drive with more physicality. Strong cuts, crisp passes, quick decisions, for good-to-great scoring opportunities. They don't have anyone to really contain LMA, so he should be getting his post-ups in pet spots to get himself going. Better to work it inside-out.

Rebounding and running back on D and of course closing our the arc and paint will be important for us.

We did many things well last game, put a lot of good things together. I look forward to seeing us continue and improve it tonight.

[G R E Y]

Read on Twitter

[G R E Y]

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

[G R E Y]

Read on Twitter

[G R E Y]

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

[G R E Y]

Read on Twitter

[G R E Y]

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

[G R E Y]

Read on Twitter

[G R E Y]

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

[G R E Y]

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

[G R E Y]

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

[imagump1313]

Loved the defensive effort. Still a lot of things to be concerned about but a bunch of problems aren't as blaring when Rudy Gay is playing. I'll stay positive after this one. GSG!

[G R E Y]

Sometimes you catch teams on a down swing and sometimes you get caught, but you have to keep playing through it. Our opponents were missing players, but nobody said as much about us last season, or gives credence to our new and missing pieces this season, so it was good to see that we did not take them lightly and cam prepared and executed our game plan.

I liked that Bryn was applying full court pressure as they brought up the ball so as to ensure they would not easily set up into their sets. It’s a tough assignment that exerts extra energy on that end but it helped us. That, coupled with pressuring KT off the 3 line and forcing 2s if we had to give up points to him were important to keep them out of getting into a rhythm. Overall, we did well to pressure them into contested shots.

Bryn was a pest on D and though he struggled a bit on O, he was one of four starters in double figures with 10 points on 4-12, 2-4 from 3, with 3 rebounds and 3 assists. Great from distance once again, I like that he’s using it to fake and make sneaky drives to the basket, too. He’s playing with far more smoothness, assertiveness, and confidence this season, like all those disparate parts are mixing and it’s natural now as he is putting it all together more consistently.

We were back to the starting unit we had at the beginning of the season – Bryn, DeMar, Rudy, Dante, LMA, in part because Rudy was back and he has great synergy with the first unit, and in part because Derrick has been struggling to get into a good rhythm with this group. It’s a pity he got injured, and in his second game he showed a glimpse of what he can provide, but he hasn’t been able to stay consistent. It’s not just his shot (0-5 last game, 1-5 in this one on a crafty lefty drive) it’s his decisions on O and the speed with which he makes them.

There’s been so much change to the starting group already in such a young season, so the choice between five guys who are more familiar with one another and one who isn’t and is struggling was clear. I’ve no doubt he’ll figure it out, especially since he continues to be a really good man defender and contesting shots. He just needs a little more seasoning where there’s perhaps less pressure to perform right away. He can watch the game from the bench, get used to its rhythms and see what needs to be done with that vantage point.

The starting group brought a cohesion and energy that we used to take advantage of a tired team. We imposed our D to O transition early like in the first when LMA stripped them of the ball on one end and got fouled on the other, or when we kept hustling for O boards and were rewarded with putbacks or fouls. The rebounding was a close 48-46 for us (11-10 on O boards) with LMA doing the hard work under the basket getting 18 of them for us, 6 on O. Not enough can be said about his defensive and board presence, and it was wonderful to see him rewarded on the other end with a solid shooting night, scoring 24 on 10-16, 4-4FTs, plus 3 assists, and 2 blocks. They didn’t have anyone who could stop him, and he was able to take advantage of his opportunities. Has to feel good to get out of a funk and help the team on both ends.

DeMar did really well to attack taller defenders, driving into them, creating space and putting up high-arched Js and using his body protecting the ball on layups. It goes without saying, but he such a smart shot creator. He did a better job moving the ball quickly so it didn’t get stuck in his hands. He’s a threat when driving and draws defenders in and so he is able to kick it out to open teammates consistently, and they rewarded him with 9 assists. He finished with 20 points on 8-19, 4-6 Fts, and 6 rebounds.

Rudy back as started gave us that extra dynamic versatility and energy on both ends. He doesn’t always play with LMA and DeMar as Pop staggers them sometimes, but having him in that first group forces defenders to contain another legitimate threat. He made 3s off his dribble, Js from stops and pops in the key, from post-ups, and two points from a thunderous dunk that made the crowd roar. He’s a momentum changer in scoring, but also in getting boards on both ends, deflections in passing lanes, blocks, finding cutters, finding LMA on a high-low (and also being on the receiving end of one from Patty – I loved that we ran more of these in this game). He finished with 19 points (6-10, 3-3 from 3, 4-5 Fts) and 5 rebounds, 1 assist, and 3 blocks.

Bryn, DeMar and Rudy had the tough task of trying to contain KD, and for the most part did well to try and stay in front of him with quick feet, wide, stance, arms up. He ended up settling for a lot out outside shots.

That said, nobody can really stop him, and when he did get in our key, he got to the foul line a lot (I did like Bryn’s hard foul on one of his drives – nothing easy). They had 9-10 Fts in the first quarter alone, and that kept them in the game. We gave up too many points in the paint early and we kept getting called for fouls. The game ended with a 36-36 PITP, but we had to make sure to stay out of foul trouble early along the way.

It was one of those games where we did enough good things well and kept up the intensity to withstand some runs from them (especially late in the third when they went on a 10-0 one to cut the lead to 8, and to within one point with just ver three and a half minutes to play in the fourth) and overcome some moments of lost focus ourselves. We had a stretch in the first where we travelled, stepped out of bounds, and turned it over for a 5 second inbound violation – don’t recall the last time that happened. But we regrouped, moved the ball, swinging it side to side, screened well, positioned ourselves well to make sure the ball got to the next teammate purposefully before a defender could catch up so we had either open shot or lane choices.

Our bench outscored theirs 28-23. Jakob (4 points 2-2, 5 rebounds, 1 steal) did well again punching out O rebounds, grabbing them and getting fouled, sealing his man, getting to the FT line. He’s providing energy and contributing on both ends and it is a boon for us with Pau still out. Marco led in scoring with12 (5-15, 2-7 from 3) and 1 assist. His efficiency has been low, but the timing of his sometimes weirdly balanced shots and his constant movement to get into open spots continue to give us a lift. Patty was very vocal calling for screens, looking to Pop which plays to execute and directing guys where to go. He pitched in 8 on 3-8, 2-4 from 3 to go along with 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal.

LMA, Rudy, and DeMar combined for 63 points, but it was a team effort to get ahead and maintain the lead. Up 93-90, LMA hustled for a rebound and got fouled for our possession. Then he made a right baseline J for a 95-90 lead, and proceeded to make a monster block, a six point swing for us and a tremendous effort. Up six points late in the game, we inbound the ball to LMA up high with other Spurs spreading the floor. Quickly doubled, LMA zipped a pass out to a waiting Patty on the right side of the arc for a clutch 3. I loved that play for it’s simple craftiness, for how well we executed, and for the dagger that it was. Bryn then stepped into another 3 to make sure the game was ours.

Everyone scored, and we had one of those games in which we put up more shots (92-86) and on better efficiency in both FGs (44.6% to 40.7%) and 3s (41.7% on selective 10-24 to 19.2%) while winning all four quarters. I really liked our transition game, and that it was an energetic team effort. We stayed the course, remained calm and alert late in the game, and when it counted most, we got key rebounds and executed our plays really well. We’re not yet all we could be, but we got a glimpse of who that could be in enough stretches to know that the peaks and valleys will have been worth the while.

Noteworthy achievements

Spurs:

Read on Twitter

LaMarcus:

Read on Twitter

DeMar:

Read on Twitter

Bryn:

Read on Twitter

[G R E Y]

Post-game interviews.

Pop:

Read on Twitter

Rudy:

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

DeMar:

Read on Twitter