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After a couple of days' rest, we're back on the road on an east coast swing with a similar challenge of being depleted up front. We've managed well enough with a bigs-by-committee, but have to be mindful to start strong and stay aggressive. Movement, communication, and heart for the full forty-eight. Onwards!

WHERE: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY

WHEN: Friday, March 6, 2020, 6:30pm (CT)



GO SPURS GO!!!

Has gump been hired to be part of the Spurs' medical staff?



I thought LMA was supposed to be back Tuesday, and yet here we are.

Mezie's in Austin because they have games today and Sunday, like the Spurs. Next week three of four games overlap between the clubs so I don't expect him to be called up except maybe for the Tuesday game versus Dallas? But then again, we didn't call him up last week when Austin was off on the days we played so who knows.

Anyway, three rotation guys out is tough, but that's the circumstance we're in and we go with who's ready. Time to rally with and for one another.

Yes Pop is back!


EDIT to add:


Really glad to hear it.

GREY 1769 wrote:Has gump been hired to be part of the Spurs' medical staff?

LOL

Lets be honest with ourselves though. There is absolutely no reason for Aldridge (Or DeRozan or Gay or Belenelli for that matter) to play much at all the rest of the way. For what purpose?

I know this team is in unfamiliar territory right now but we should be treating the rest of the regular season as pre-training camp for next year IMO. We have a great opportunity to see exactly what players we might have for our future right now. Unleash them. We need to find out now who is a bust and who is worth investing more time into.
We have a possible lottery pick that we aren't used to having. We need to thoroughly evaluate who we have now so that we can use that pick effectively.

Trust me. I live in Detroit with the Red Wings who had a similar arc as the Spurs. 20+ consecutive years of championships and playoffs just like the Spurs. Management kept sticking fingers into dam breaks for much too long trying to keep a playoff streak alive to the point now that they have bottomed out into historically one of the worst teams the NHL has ever seen in a season.

We need to move on from these older guys who just aren't getting it done now.

GREY 1769 wrote:Yes Pop is back!

No one is happier for this than Timmy.

imagump1313 wrote:

GREY 1769 wrote:Has gump been hired to be part of the Spurs' medical staff?

LOL

Lets be honest with ourselves though. There is absolutely no reason for Aldridge (Or DeRozan or Gay or Belenelli for that matter) to play much at all the rest of the way. For what purpose?

I know this team is in unfamiliar territory right now but we should be treating the rest of the regular season as pre-training camp for next year IMO. We have a great opportunity to see exactly what players we might have for our future right now. Unleash them. We need to find out now who is a bust and who is worth investing more time into.
We have a possible lottery pick that we aren't used to having. We need to thoroughly evaluate who we have now so that we can use that pick effectively.

Trust me. I live in Detroit with the Red Wings who had a similar arc as the Spurs. 20+ consecutive years of championships and playoffs just like the Spurs. Management kept sticking fingers into dam breaks for much too long trying to keep a playoff streak alive to the point now that they have bottomed out into historically one of the worst teams the NHL has ever seen in a season.

We need to move on from these older guys who just aren't getting it done now.

Yeah I'm perfectly fine with taking the extra cautious route while giving more minutes to the younger guys in the meantime. I think the Spurs won't rush any development program for its own sake, but if someone like KJ has progressed well in Austin then he will get more minutes, like in the last game - a nice cross between our need with Beli out and seeing what we've got in KJ as he's pushed his way up through great play in Austin.

I really like Luka as a prospect, but there is a reason he has yet to see minutes with the big club. He has a lot of tools, but they do need more practiced hands.

It would be great to see more of DJ and Derrick and Lonnie together, though. And if Mezie gets some off days, him as well. He's been balling in Austin. Sometimes it takes a few games for it to start translating, too. Q has looked dominant and confident in Austin, but quite tentative at times with the big club. So it takes time. And we'll hopefully be giving it more to those who've looked like they're ready.

EDIT to add: The goal looks to be to remain competitive, with development in mind. The balance has been skewed this year for a variety of reasons, but I don't expect us to lean on vets as much. Seems to be an organic process, with Lonnie, for example, getting end-of-game minutes for defensive purposes more.

For what it's worth, here's the update on LMA:


EDIT to add:


Holy moly - maybe gump is Bonner?

Small ball. First DJ-Derrick start of the season!

We're obviously outmatched in the bigs department. But if we could only hit something else in addition to FTs... oof!

KJ is a damn bulldog on D! Hustle all day. So glad we drafted him.

We need more and better from DJ and Lonnie on O.

Murray is not a future star. He looks lost so often. It doesn't make any sense.

And he simply can't run an offense or score himself.

The positive scoring games have been fools gold.

You can never rely on a guy with his flakey jumper to keep taking and making those long twos. It's Rondo like, it really is.

And where the hell is the defense he is known for?

I think all the talk from everyone in the organisation and media about him being the future has gotten to his head. I can't see any strides he has taken whatsoever.

True. Direct and without soft-edged dressing. All of it. Needed to be said.

Phreak50 wrote:Murray is not a future star. He looks lost so often. It doesn't make any sense.

And he simply can't run an offense or score himself.

The positive scoring games have been fools gold.

You can never rely on a guy with his flakey jumper to keep taking and making those long twos. It's Rondo like, it really is.

And where the hell is the defense he is known for?

I think all the talk from everyone in the organisation and media about him before the future has gotten to his head. I can't see any strides he has taken whatsoever.

Couldn't have said it much better!

I keep seeing all these young players around the league blossoming. And we have this guy.....

Lonzo Ball was a joke to me in this league but compare him to Murry now. I would easily rather have Ball any day.

Yeah that's the important comparison, all the other blossoming players indeed.

I think us as fans were to blame as well because for whatever reason, we've rarely had athletic young players so we tend to get all excited. But after that gloss wears off, there's not a lot to pinpoint in Murray to see how he could possibly be a star.

I think he needs to work his butt off or face the fact that he is going to accept a bench role as a decent backup guard and defender at best.

And as much as Lonnie is almost as disappointing, I think Murray is holding him back. I think Walker will be fine with a decent team around him, a good point guard included. Right now, despite his mistakes, it's hard to blame him since we run such a horrible offense, he just doesn't fit.

I think we'll be lucky to get something like Luke Kennard and Thon Maker for Derozan the way Demar has been playing lately so I'm going to join you in cheering for losses and better draft position because damn it, we'll need it.