GAME DAY, BALA! GAME 14: SPURS AT CLIPS, 15-11-2018, 9:30PM (CT)

[Donald Kaufman]

Really missing guys like Baynes and Dedmon. Not to mention Danny Green’s defense.

We look old, slow, flat footed, out of our depth.

Totally agree. I hate that we let Dedmon walk. Ironically, the Dedmon replacement - Poeltl - moves around like a dead man. Dude sucks.

[Donald Kaufman]

Those comments weren’t being made because they weren’t true then. Or at least not on display.

But I’ve been saying since day one we are one of the worst defensive teams in the league; regardless of the new rules.

This would be a different story if we had Murray obviously but we don’t.

I think Mills and Gasol should be shopped. Not that they are necessarily the worst two players, just those with the most value. (Mills and Gasol for Kemba and Marvin Williams works money wise... no idea what they Hornets are doing, maybe they can clear cap space and tank at the same time with this)

Mills and Gasol have value? To who? We're not getting Kemba for them, that's for sure. The Hornets can do a lot better than those two in any trade involving Walker.

[G R E Y]

We are not a good basketball team

We did not play well the previous two games, true, as we went away from what had been working so well for us -- moving the ball, moving without it, multiple scoring threats and were winning despite bad D early in the season. Our D improved from last to middle of the pack, and then when Rudy went down we did as well. We were 6-2 at that point, and got out of rhythm.

Of course, LMA needs some hypnosis or something because we were in this one despite his O. He was great on D especially in the fourth.

When we were 6-2 nobody was saying that, yet we're the same team only White is back and Rudy has been in and out of the line-up.

If we play on both ends like we did today, and LMA pays off the voodoo blackmailers who kidnapped his shot, we will right the ship.

Nobody could predict Houston's bad start, or the Jazz having the same record we do (and their bad Mavs loss). It's a long season. Let's let our guys get through the bumps and see where we are. We are coming together and there are some growing pains. I like our team.

Im never going to judge a season based on a few games, that would be silly, and obviously there are growing pains, but what we have seen so far hasn;'t been great.

I think the start covered cracks in our team. Having said that though, you are right that LMA needs to pull it out of his behind and get going, cause it's only going to work if he plays how he can.

My short term concern is the lack of depth, and general quality of the team at the moment anyway. The optimist in me though will say all our young players getting thrown in the deep end will really benefit the team long term.

The most pivotal part of this team is Rudy, if he plays well, we can go places. I think in the last few games, him missing was the ultimately the biggest problem.

Thanks for a measured and balanced response. It's true that the start covered things we need to work on, but on the other hand, we also were overcoming them. I think that start was important for us in terms of an early barometer for when the things we need to work on caught up with us. I've mentioned other teams because contexts - theirs, and by comparison ours - are important. One of them, as you've pointed out, is it is still SO early in the season that to be making final opinions based on record or a short string of games is myopic. Another is the injuries, which is not an excuse, but a reality that is a factor.

LMA's been really busy on the defensive and rebounding side without another true big beside him, and I think this is affecting his O play: this season alone, he's had four games with at least 15 rebounds whereas in the previous three seasons he had a total of five games with at least 15 rebounds. It's a staggering difference. Not an excuse, but nevertheless a factor. He also would benefit, I think, from starting closer to the basket and working his way out, which also depends on us getting it to him there, and his getting the right positioning.

I agree about Rudy. We have not won a game without him in the line-up. Very versatile and assertive, gives us an extra edge and opponent Ds something extra to plan for and exert energy on. Hopefully he stays healthy.

I think our roster is more versatile if less experienced playing together so far. I am optimistic as well about guys coming together. Fans tend to (over) react to the moment, magnifying the valleys, minimizing the peaks of their development. They need time to grow.

[G R E Y]

Really missing guys like Baynes and Dedmon. Not to mention Danny Green’s defense.

We look old, slow, flat footed, out of our depth.

You feel this way after this game? LMA, yes, on O. Otherwise, I thought we looked a lot better than the previous two games. We moved better, moved the ball better, defended better, rebounded better, had only 5 turnovers, etc.

Plus, and this is now a general comment not specific to you, Phreak50, I didn't hear people making such conclusions when we were 6-2. We have a balanced roster, and we have shown when we compete and impose our game that we can win when we're on. We'll get it together, just give us time.

Those comments weren’t being made because they weren’t true then. Or at least not on display.

But I’ve been saying since day one we are one of the worst defensive teams in the league; regardless of the new rules.

This would be a different story if we had Murray obviously but we don’t.

I think Mills and Gasol should be shopped. Not that they are necessarily the worst two players, just those with the most value. (Mills and Gasol for Kemba and Marvin Williams works money wise... no idea what they Hornets are doing, maybe they can clear cap space and tank at the same time with this)

Well we have to give credit where it's due. We started out better than many thought, and nobody here talked about it. Then we streak the other way and suddenly the same team that was successful needs to be blown up, some fans call for tanking for some mysterious saviour rookie, other fans declaring player A or B as a waste so early in their development in a new system.

The first week and a half or so of the season, we were dead last on D. The next week and a half to two weeks, we brought that up to middle of the pack. The point is two-fold: one, we can play better as we've shown, though of course we need to work on consistency among other things; two, it's way too early in the season to make set declarations when we're witnessing the ups and downs of a new team coming together in a system that has high standards and those are what people are used to seeing with players who've been together a lot longer and seasoned in said system. Not an excuse, but it's just the nature of the enterprise.

Pop has said before that as long as he's around Patty isn't going anywhere. He's also a more important part of our team than I think some people appreciate in terms of helping to mentor the young guys and help maintain the right the spirit of the enterprise. Plus, he's contributing on the court more often positively than not, this in a once again bigger role thrust upon him than he was initially penciled in for.

Next season Pau's contract is partially guaranteed. I think it's something like $6.7M. I don't recall the last time we made an in-season trade, so if we do anything it may be in the next off-season. Anyway, he was reportedly one of Jakob's favourite players, so his role as a mentor, as an experienced player who knows the system for the new guys, and as the bench C actually fills a lot of needs for us.

I'm interested in how we come together and I'm happy to see how the process plays out.

[G R E Y]

I like our team.

I won't or can't argue with someone's opinion. May I ask what you like about the team at this point?

Sure. I really really appreciate the task we're faced with and just how unique and challenging it is, and love watching and supporting how we're navigating our way through it.

When's the last time a playoff team went in with EIGHT new players the following season? That's HALF the roster that has to learn a new system. And on top of that, lost their starting PG, AND their back-up PG, and their uber-athletic rookie (who would probably have been on limited minutes, but added an extra versatile layer) and then was forced to go with a non-PG at the 1 with FOUR new starters? Just imagine any other team in that particular circumstance starting 6-2, and hardly anybody blinking twice about it like it was no big deal. And then if they understandably struggled at some point, people calling for wholesale changes. Fourteen games in.

For some reference points to our overall start, the Celtics began 6-2 and then went 2-4 this while incorporating Irving and Gordon (so really one guy new to their system). They also lost to Phoenix. Minny with Butler had a worse record. After the trade they've won three in a row, incorporating two new players. The Jazz have an athletic DPOY center and a dynamic SG and they have a worse record than we do. Toronto has also just lost three games in a row. GSW look far less unbeatable and a lot different on O without solely Curry in the line-up. Imagine any of those teams down a starting PG, a back-up PG, using four new starters, incorporating eight new players. I think it's a huge credit to our team, and worthy of some appreciation.

Now, I'm not comparing rosters to teams that are considered early contenders, and I realize that how we are winning or losing merits closer discussion, but given our circumstances, that we struggled through games but still found ways to win is a positive. When we don't, how we lose (like comparing last game to the two before that) and how we regroup and respond are part of a long process with guys working to rise to the standards of our system.

Side note: about Jakob, it's weird to be calling him out now given he's had his best three-game stretch for us on both ends. He's running the plays on O, being where he's supposed to be, grabbing O rebounds assertively or punching them out to maintain possessions, and putting in a couple of points. When he looked lost and was not contributing to start the season, I said then he should not be starting. He said in an interview that he was trying too hard to be perfect and that along with learning the system stunted him. He still looks like he's thinking his way through some of the plays, but he is more assertive, especially on the boards. I've seen how he plays when he gets comfortable. Give him time.

By comparison, last season, gump and I would talk about Bryn who also looked like he was pressing and thinking his way through what he had to do, and was inconsistent. Look at him this year. Big difference after some experience and support and system seasoning.

The fixation on Dedmon is puzzling. He's a 29-year-old journeyman C who has already played on six teams since 2013-14 and is making $7M/yr. I think it's more about bouncy quick athleticism that people are pointing to especially when we lose, but when we win by stifling or managing to slow down and impose our game on athletic teams we should get credit, too.

I see the larger point, though, and would like it if we ran more high low plays or ran more in transition. We are capable of both even if the former doesn't end up in a highlight reel dunk. It would also be better if we moved the ball more and made more weakside cuts for easier baskets (sometimes the ball gets stuck with ISO plays) and drove to the basket more physically. We need to improve defending more physically, too, as well as going through screens and rotating better on D (help D has been better).

But it all takes time. And I believe in our system and in the group we have assembled to improve. After all the previous turmoil, I support who we have through this new challenge with the long view in mind. I like this team for what it is and for what it can be which is nowhere near set at this early stage of development.

[G R E Y]

If there's such a thing as a better loss, this was it. We improved in several areas this game compared to the previous two, and central to that was our compete level.

We had more O rebounds (15-9, though they had 50-45 overall), more points in the paint (52-46), far fewer turnovers than the a previous couple of games and fewer than our opponent this game (only 5 to their 12), and far more points off of them (21 to their 6). We had more blocks, 6-3, steals, 7-2, and we even somehow had more fast break points, 11-6. We improved in every category except the one we tend to keep opponents low in - free throws - which was somehow the highest this season against us.

That we did many things right and better is encouraging. We had some nice D to O transitions that led to easy buckets, points we needed in an off shooting night. Some examples: In the first Q, Jakob timed a block, ran the floor, got the ball back and was fouled; Beli anticipated well and with active hands stole the ball, and when we passed it to Jakob he missed but followed through on his O rebound putback. In the second Q, Dante (6 on 2-4, 2-2FTs,3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block) stole the ball and pushed it himself for a layup; Bryn deflected a pass, and though we missed the initial shot, Patty (12 on 5-14, 2-8 from 3, 4 rebounds, 5 assists) hustled for the loose O ball and we scored.

In the third Q, Jakob fought hard for an O rebound and got fouled once again; Derrick also stepped in and took another charge. In the fourth, Dante gutted out an O rebound putback from LMA's miss and got fouled; LMA made a monster block jumping to tower over the shooter and stripped him of the ball, and though we missed the subsequent shot, we got the O rebound and putback. As they missed a 3, LMA hustled to save the ball from going out of bounds and we pushed it the other way, rewarding ourselves with a Beli 3 (he finished with 7 on 2-6, 1-3 from 3, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block). We created so many 4-, 5-, 6-point swings in our favour. Towards the end of the game, we contested and switched and closed out with tenacity; it was reassuring to see such a concerted team effort on D.

Jakob (6 on 2-4, 2-4FTs and a block) had a good outing, bringing it on both ends, doing a lot of little things are coming together and adding up positively for us. He also looks bigger and more comfortable asserting himself and banging around.

There were things we could improve on both ends. For too many stretches we looked more like a finesse team in that we took a lot of Js, didn't get it down low enough, and when we did drive, it wasn't with enough physicality. We need to unleash our inner nasty. It would also be useful if someone other than Pau could get some high-low synergy going with LMA. These are sneaky, effective set ups and more often than not result in either points or fouls.

We did well much of the time to move the ball better, making crisp quick passes with purpose, but sometimes it would get stuck like in the first Q when it ended up in DeMar's hands and with his back to the basket, he was too slow in making a decision to either pass out or drive. It gave their D a chance to set up again after we had them on their heels and we missed the shot. Other times, LMA took long Js that were counter to the effort and flow of the passing we did or could have continued to make for better shots.

You can tell, though, that we're working towards taking advantage of the momentum generated from ball and off-ball movement; there's always something to learn from less optimal attempts. On the whole, we did create good looks, but missed too many. That gave us plenty of O rebounding chances, and we went after them aggressively and scored as a result, which was great to see. How we get shots going forward can only improve as we work to take advantage of our collective strengths.

On D, we were noticeably better and rewarded ourselves from the effort. One thing to clean up is anticipating and getting around screens. At times we'd get caught head on and couldn't recover, so the rotations and subsequent shot contests from teammates were late. We also got caught on alley oop plays so reading them and adjusting our responses are aspects to improve.

I like that we pushed the ball, and that we came back from a 14-point deficit. Good game management timeouts to get us refocused helped us come back from 7-point deficits and go on runs of our own. We kept finding ways to chip away despite scoring efficiency challenges.

Every play counts, but each game has its tendencies that help or hurt. In this game, free throws, LMA's shooting, and end of quarter execution did us in.

The only other team to get at least 30FTs against us this season was the Pels. Not even Houston did (29). Maybe we were just more foul prone this game, though there were some nebulous calls against us and what looked like missed calls for us. That happens in every game, and this isn't about blaming refs, but when such an anomaly occurs, you can't help but notice and try and look into it. In a 5-point game, 28-35FTs versus our 20-25 stood out, not only because of the extra chances but also because it kept thwarting our offensive flow and affected the way we could defend. If we drive in a more physical way as they did on us, chances are we'll be rewarded in the future.

All of LMA's shots were from the middle to the left, his favourite side, but it didn't help. He made his first two, and then went 1-13 the rest of the game for 10 points. He did get to the FT line 4-4, and grabbed 16 rebounds (4 on O). He is doing a lot of physical work around the basket, and some, like rebounds, get on the stat sheet, while others, like bodying guys for rebounds and positioning don't, but it still helps us. His D especially in the 4th Q was essential in getting stops. It was a tremendous effort to contribute despite the bad shooting, which seemed to spiral into more poor shot choices.

At one point in the third Q, Pop threw up his hands and spun on the sideline in frustration when LMA took and missed a J well outside his usual range and which was far from the good-to-great variety. If there's anything that continues a bad shooting streak it's an even longer J that is out of the flow of the O; we weren't even set up to get the board, and so were late to get back on D. They got the long rebound and quickly hit a 3. It was a bad sequence from a poor, forced shot selection.

We didn't do well in closing out quarters in this game. At the end of the first, they scored with about 4 seconds left, and we missed final shot; in the second, they made a J with half a minute left and then got to the line for 2 FTs, and we missed the final shot; in the third, they got to the line with just over 3 seconds left and hit 2FTs , and we missed the final shot; in the fourth, they got a 3 with under a minute left from an O rebound to break a 107-107 tie. It was basically FTs for the rest of the game, when we turned it over (only our fifth) as DeMar moved before he secured the ball. I appreciate it comes from wanting to make something happen in limited time, and the game wasn't down to one play but a series of them. To that end, finishing quarters strong is something to tend to.

Rudy (bench-high 19 on 8-12, 1-3 from 3, 2-2FTs, to go with 6 rebounds and 2 assists) was terrific in his decisions to shoot or drive, in his timing for O rebounds, and his scoring variety. He works really well with DeMar (team-high 34 on 14-30, 6-8FTs, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and a block) and LMA. They were each dynamic in how they helped the team. Derrick struggled on O, and looks to still be in the ebbs and flows of finding his rhythm within the starting group. It takes time. Bryn continues to be a confident and steady contributor (17 on 5-11, 5-8 from 3, 2-3FTs, 1 rebound, 2 assists). His absorbing what he's learned so far has markedly improved his game. There's a lot to be said for sticking with a player who's shown the willingness to dedicate himself and be coachable.

The result was unfortunate as this was a winnable game for us. We put up 103 shots, our highest this season, but we couldn't overcome efficiency with volume. It wasn't for lack of effort on both ends, though, and that fight to keep on trying to figure things out and find ways to break through were positive signs.

Noteworthy achievements

LaMarcus:

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Marco:

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DeMar:

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