PLAYOFFS, BALA! WCQF, SA vs. DEN, Game 1, 13 April 2019, 930PM Central

Post #21 » by **G R E Y** » Sun Apr 14, 2019 5:17 am

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Post #22 » by **G R E Y** » Sun Apr 14, 2019 5:23 am

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Post #23 » by **G R E Y** » Sun Apr 14, 2019 5:45 am

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Post #24 » by **G R E Y** » Sun Apr 14, 2019 5:51 am

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Post #25 » by **G R E Y** » Sun Apr 14, 2019 5:58 am

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Post #26 » by **G R E Y** » Mon Apr 15, 2019 2:19 am

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Post #27 » by **G R E Y** » Thu Apr 18, 2019 4:50 am

First playoff game, on the road, and we did it. The biggest impression overall was our poise and resilience in a really tough away court. Both sides started with feeling the game out, not so much tentative as settling into the height of the moment. Each team tried to mitigate the other’s best players, and so LMA (15 on 6-19, 3-4FTs, 8 boards with key 5 on O, 1 assist, 1 steal) and DeMar (lead the team in scoring – 18 on 6-17, FT’s – 6-8, assists – 6, and rebounds – 12) worked hard for every point, and it was when they got doubled that our other players stepped up. A lot of things don’t end up on the score board, but LMA’s banging for boards and getting doubled all night long, plus DeMar’s timely help defense to get hands on balls and disrupt their O sequences (while also getting doubled on offense) were some of the yeomen’s work that contributed to our win. LMA could maybe make quicker post up / drive decisions when he gets the ball (sometimes our O got a bit stuck). I liked DeMar’s drive and kick game, and hope both create more chances for the FT line in the series. They got a lot of attention and this freed up other guys to contribute; four Spurs were in double figures by half, five by game’s end.

I think this was Jakob, Derrick, and Bryn's first playoff start, but coming into this game, this line-up with LMA and DeMar was 15-4 in the regular season, so familiarity and success was a good base for the new experience. They all executed their roles really well given the circumstances. Both Jakob and Derrick got some early fouls, but settled into the game as it wore on. Jakob played the fewest starter minutes, but in them, but for biting on a pump fake and fouling, did well to help the team with 6 points 6 boards, 1 steal and 1 block. He recognized when to get into open space and cut to receive passes for layups and when to create space by getting out of the key and either receive passes or go after boards.

Derrick now seems to grow even within games, making adjustments and both seeing and creating opportunities for himself and others. Much has been written of his late game heroics with the steal and FT’s, and that they were, but he was so poised and in his own rhythm and aggressive at the right time that the improvement was evident within his 28 minutes. Sixteen points on 7-10 (2-3FTs) with 3 boards, 5 assists and a crucial steal while picking up only 1 more foul the rest of the game showed how he rose to the moment. He tied DeMar with 4 TO’s each, but team-wide we played a pretty clean game with 11 turnovers. Though both Patty and DeMar handled it a fair amount, I trust Derrick with the ball in his hands, and his defending main ball handlers. He’s got that uncanny ability to make timely plays on both ends to change the tone of the game and swing it in our favour. That dunk was something else, too. Fearless. So young, and already such a difference maker.

Bryn is such a different player from last season. Confident, stronger, and has a variety of ways he can score besides the 3, which he happened to be a team-best 3-4 (6-9FGs overall) for 15 points and 5 rebounds. He looked like he was having fun in a pickup game, playing within himself, taking his shots without hesitation, recognizing when to drive and having keen timing on his floater release. Last season he was tired part of the way through, but this season he has taken pride in not only playing all 82 games and beyond, but starting in them, and playing far better, too. Love how he fits in the team and makes the most of his chances within the system.

Swiss Army knife Rudy once again led our bench with 14 on 6-9FG, 2-3 from 3, 6 boards, 1 assist and 1 steal. At times he can take a little too long in holding onto the ball before driving, but it’s a minor point so long as other guys don’t stand around too long too often. He’s such a creative, dynamic scorer and now keen rebounder that his presence off the bench means another threat for us, not just a stop gap for another guy.

Beli was a bit off scoring 8 points on 3-9, 1-4 from 3, 1-2FTs, with 4 rebounds, 2 assists, but I liked that be peppered his outside shots with drives to the basket, with some bunnies tipping out. Wonderful off ball movement. It adds another dimension to our game that opponents have to deal with.

Davis hit a clutch 3 in the 4th Q on a DeMar drive and kick to bring our lead up to 93-87 and force their timeout. I think Davis needs more shots (5 on 1-2 from 3, 2-3FTs, 2 assists, 1 rebound, 1 block) and part of his dip in percentage may have to do with a lack of rhythm that improves with more opportunities. He’ll never gripe about it, and it’s also a function of whether he’s defended so well as to not get his shot off, but it’s also up to us to maximize a valuable scoring threat for us.

Patty also shot only 2-3FGs for 4 points to go with 2 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 block, but one shot was that clutch step back J left of the key in the 4th Q, and he provided a steady presence early for us when Derrick got into foul trouble. I love that different guys are stepping in and stepping up. At our best, we have such a cohesion that there's hardly any drop off regardless of who goes in. Our bench outscored theirs 31-22 with different looks and new threats. It's harder to guard against various styles of play on one team.

I liked that for the most part we kept it simple and created good chances by not overplaying or over-passing. Simple double high screens for shots or passes, drives and kicks, P&R’s, cross court weak side passes, cuts, etc., gave us chances for good shots and drives. There was one Rudy drive where he had a clear right side layup but for some reason kicked it out and they stole it, so one play too many; there were LMA post-ups and DeMar possessions that they quickly doubled and we could have made quicker decisions on. But overall, despite neither LMA not DeMar scoring efficiently, they passed out well and our other guys were ready and in good position to receive them, and look for other chances. Our ‘supporting cast’ - more like integral second and third scoring waves – did a fine job making the most of their chances.

Timeouts were on point in key spots of the game, as was the execution of the plays called in them which increased our lead and shifted momentum in our favour just about every time.

I thought we could have driven more for more chances at the free throw line. Up until LMA and Derrick’s final 4 FT attempts late in the game (each on great defensive plays, mind, love that!), we were 10-16, finishing at below our average 14-20 to their 16-24. They had a 48-32 points in the paint advantage so we have a bit of work to do in limiting their chances while cutting and finding open drives, and getting LMA the ball in the right spots for him to make quick hard drives, too.

They also had 8 steals to our 4, so we have to be careful about protecting the ball as well as hustling on offensive boards where they had a 13-10 edge by being active, often positioned behind our guys and tipping the ball out to their players. Both of these contributed some to our shooting 5 fewer shots overall (40-83 with 7-15 from 3 to their 37-88 and 6-28 from 3). LMA’s final defensive rebound was stellar in positioning and strength to prevent a second chance and in getting fouled, so we did make timely plays when it mattered, but considering that all plays matter, getting more stops throughout the game gives us a bigger cushion late.

When we contested their 3s we did well in forcing them off the arc for either 2s or passes, but we also gave up far too many wide open 3s in their 28 attempts and we can’t so often rely upon misses. Our help D did well overall, but we have to rotate faster and contest more to pressure them into secondary options or mistakes.

We won three of four quarters, with a noticeable blip in the third where it seemed both teams wilted for 17-13(!). Throughout, we weathered their runs, imposed our pace well, and remained poised late in the game. Very good signs in a key win with still room for improvement. This was our fourth win in a row, and for the first time this season, our third consecutive road win, so we’re showing growth and in pressure situations at that. In practice a day after the game, several players said film sessions showed where and how they need to be better defensively, that they have another gear to give. It’s a good sign as the hope for the next game is that we are not just comfortable with a split, but that we are going for more.

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