GAME DAY, BALA! GAME 20: SPURS VS. GRIZZLIES, 30-1-2021, 7:30PM (CT)

[G R E Y]

Another back-to-back challenge, another opportunity to finish it right. Playing another West opponent with nothing but rest can make for a trap game, but we need to gain as much ground on every one of them. Keeping up our good play and being mentally focused on less rest for the full 48 minutes are what we must ensure.

WHERE: AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX

WHEN: Saturday, January 30, 2021, 7:30pm (CT)

Earn The Stripes Mode: Energy and spirit with reinforcements for the 12!





GO SPURS GO!!!

[ducler]

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[G R E Y]

WOOHOO!!!!

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[G R E Y]

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Not sure if they counted Lonnie's end of Q shot a 2 or a 3...

Anyway, we are getting beaten down the court on both ends, so we have to run back on D after we score because they're scoring while we're trotting to set up.

They are getting all kinds of switches and forcing us to play man on man because they are in front of us.

We have to seal up our paint, and rotate to contest the arc far better.

Make sure we grab rebounds to prevent second chance points, Spurs!

We also have to push our D to O transition game because that's what got us our lead.

DD 1-2 is unacceptable.

Patty 0-4 - we have to get him going. Everyone is pretty much scoring well, but we are allowing too many easy baskets.

D to O, let's go, Spurs!

[G R E Y]

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Oof! Felt like they had the jump on us - from the start. We pulled to within 5 point in the 4TH and then the wheels fell off hard. But we were chasing them around the court all game long, frankly, with too little aggression and focus on both ends.

Video. Prep. Be way better in every facet in the next one.

[Phreak50]

Ugh just saw the score while busy at work.

Good to see White back more than anything.

[Captain Ballmer]

Looks like Devin will be the odd man out from rotaion when White comes back to full strength. I was expecting less minutes from Mills-Murray-Walker and Derozan combined.

[Phreak50]

That sucks. Devin even looks like the oldest player on the team, that should grant him some minutes at least!

[imagump1313]

I just mentioned how DeRozan was playing better but I still don't trust him. Then he goes right out and proves why I don't.
I think its a mistake keeping Vassell on the bench now that White is back. The kid has more effect on the game at both ends than Walker does every night.
Murray is coming along but he is still frustrating as f*** with his poor decisions. But White - Murray together with Walker and Vassell splitting minutes looks like the best bet ATM.

It sucks because every time Vassell seems to play well he gets tossed back to the bench for whatever circumstance.

[G R E Y]

Looks like Devin will be the odd man out from rotaion when White comes back to full strength. I was expecting less minutes from Mills-Murray-Walker and Derozan combined.

We're just acclimating Derrick back to get his legs under him. Last time, Devin didn't play at all. This game, he played the first half. Also, Keldon played fewer minutes but I think that was a function of caution after getting kicked in the midsection.

Anyway, the point is we can't base Devin's minutes on one game. Once Derrick returns with the starters, that'll shift Lonnie to the bench and Devin retains his spot of coming in for DeMar (more or less, there's lots of fluidity on with our group).

I'm willing to bet Devin continues to get consistent minutes. Despite aspects of his game that need improving (like all rookies), he's already shown his importance to the team.

I just mentioned how DeRozan was playing better but I still don't trust him. Then he goes right out and proves why I don't.
I think its a mistake keeping Vassell on the bench now that White is back. The kid has more effect on the game at both ends than Walker does every night.
Murray is coming along but he is still frustrating as f*** with his poor decisions. But White - Murray together with Walker and Vassell splitting minutes looks like the best bet ATM.

It sucks because every time Vassell seems to play well he gets tossed back to the bench for whatever circumstance.

This. So much. He just looked like he wasn't going to be forced into playing well and had it in mind to take the night off. I hate when this dumb stubborn side of him rears its head. He was the best bubble version of himself the last two games in particular, great balance of passing and scoring. Then he decides to just... not score. **** 1-2 at the half, and **** 2-6 for the game. Scored less than Jakob, less than anyone not getting end of game minutes.

What are we supposed to make of it? Is he sending some sort of message like look how important he is to the team? Is he randomly going to take games off? You just can't do that as a pro. You just can't.

[imagump1313]

What are we supposed to make of it? Is he sending some sort of message like look how important he is to the team? Is he randomly going to take games off? You just can't do that as a pro. You just can't.

Maybe someone told him it was a playoff game?

Couldn't pass that up.....

[G R E Y]

What are we supposed to make of it? Is he sending some sort of message like look how important he is to the team? Is he randomly going to take games off? You just can't do that as a pro. You just can't.

Maybe someone told him it was a playoff game?

Couldn't pass that up.....

I've been feeling like getting hit by a bag of rocks so it was nice to wake up to a big laugh. Thanks, man!

[G R E Y]

You know it’s bad when Pop is the most energized, passionate and pissed off member on the team throughout the game.

Sure it was the second of a back-to-back but coming off a crisp, focused game the hope was that some of it would carry over. Is it too big a task? We left all the focus and solid two-way play behind us and came with what felt like a ready made excuse to play softly. Pencilled in loss. 0-3 in the second games of back-to-backs this season.

After a game where we finally began with aggressive drives to impose our pace, we reverted back to the half court pick and pop. Gone was our speed, and back was our slowing down of the game, this against a team whose strength is shadow man D.

Pop did his best to keep the guys fresh with fewer minutes for the starters (DJ led us with 28) and four bench players’ minutes matching those of the starters. With Derrick back and being eased into his game legs, Devin (1-2 for 2 points, 2 boards) played only 10 minutes (none in the second half). Keldon played the fewest of the starters but that was most likely a result of taking a kick to the midsection.

The problem was that it looked as if we were trying to conserve energy and with our slower pace – made all the more deliberate by DeMar who just wasn’t having any of this transition business – only two Spurs made double digit attempts, one from the starters (in other words, four of five starters made 9FGA’s and under), one from the bench.

And that was Derrick, our highest scorer with 18 on 6-11, 3-6 from 3, 3-4FT’s with 2 boards, 1 assist and 2 steals. Of course, he returned and took a signature charge as well. He looked very close to his bubble self, assertively looking for his own shot, assertively taking 3s all the while providing great defense. In just 22 minutes, Derrick reminded us the complete game he has and how helpful it is for us. He looks like our most complete PG, especially with his decision making in terms of passing which has always come more naturally to him.

I’m starting with the bench unit in this game summary because it was one of the few bright spots and they deserve the credit. Patty struggled with his shot (10 on 3-9, 2-6 from 3, 2-2FT’s) but he kept on moving and looking for ways to contribute: 2 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal. Except for a couple of drives, the majority of his shots were J’s, an indication of both the availability of open lanes and by extension of the shots we were able to create.

Rudy was terrific scoring 12 on efficient 4-8 2-3 from 3, 2-2FT’s with 4 boards (1 on O). No assists, but that his shots were assisted on by three teammates (two from the bench) showed glimpses of the variety of our O. That he was one of the few who got points inside points to not only our struggle to get points in the paint and his physicality in doing so.

Jakob was terrific, finally hitting the 6FGA mark I hope is the minimum he averages this season, making 4. Along with his 8 points (again assisted on by three teammates – we kept looking for our bigs inside), he had a team high 3 blocks, and grabbed 4 O boards – a team high, which was part of a team high 6 rebounds overall. He was swarmed inside, but managed to punch out the ball to teammates for second possessions. But that he led the team with that amount is damning.

We were outrebounded 45-38(!!!) (including 10-8 on O) by a team with only ten active players and missing its starting front court. Part of it is that they were hitting seemingly everything, so there weren’t as many rebounds to get, but the other part was simply that we were outhustled. They beat us to most of the 50/50 balls and were far more aggressive far more consistently. It was made worse by the fact that in about three or four occasions when we got hands on the ball (be it from rebounds or from passes or picking up dribbles) they stripped us, literally ripping the ball out of our grasp, such as it was. That happens once in a while, but to see it as many times in this game stood out.

Jakob was one of the few bright spots with his overall game, and his bench high 4 assists (tied with Patty) shows the chemistry, reciprocity, and movement that the bench generates. These were all contributed in only 18 minutes played by Jakob, eight fewer than LMA.

Now LMA in his 26 minutes contributed 14 efficient points *5-7, 2-2 from 3, 2-2FT’s) along with 5 boards (1 on O), 2 assists, and a block. And with the caveat of the plus/minus stat doesn’t paint the whole picture, this is one of those game where it matched the eye test. LMA’s starter-low 13 compared to Jakob’s +1 speaks more about their respective defensive impacts. After coming up on P&R’s far better the previous game, LMA once again sagged far too low far too often. His P&R defense is... bad. And he left a lot of open shooters far too open as well. Just a step too slow all over the floor much of the time. But we’re going with a 36 year old starting C going up against younger, bouncier, faster bigs, and LMA was never the most athletic big to begin with.

He’s relied on his signature shots for so much of his career to great effect, and now that we’ve asked him to adjust to less of a postup and more of of a floor spacing role, he’s given what he can, too, sacrificing what he’s been crafting most of his career. When we did try to get a post up for him, we were often late with the pass (hesitating – or telegraphing it) so that it was deflected or they swarmed him with hard doubling and forcing passes out.

And with making LMA a more outside oriented big, we mostly run pick and pops for him which is more in keeping with both his optimal strike zone and preserving his energy throughout the game. So we’ve asked him to adjust, but the current role is more narrow than it ever has been. When even on nights when he’s successful in it on O, the D almost always stands out badly. And it’s hard to blame him in the sense that it’s not like he doesn’t care or isn’t trying. He does and he is. But there are physical limitations that prevent him from doing what I’m sure he’d like to on D.

They kept us on the perimeter for a lot of the game, forcing us to labour through our O with too many passes around the arc or across the key. It was both their aggressive and physical man D as well as the zone that pushed us out of the rhythms we’ve grown accustomed to. Enter Keldon. He was one of the few who consistently broke through their wall and got to the rim pretty much every time he wanted to. Why? Because he’s relentless, because he’s aggressive, because he willed himself to do it, and when he did, his physicality overpowered his defenders and put them on their heels time and again. He was rewarded with a team leading 9FTA’s, making 6. All three of his makes were, unsurprisingly, inside the paint. He also grabbed 5 boards (1 on O) to go along with 1 assist and 1 steal. Had he not been kicked in the midsection he’d likely have played more, but really, how much can the energy of one or three or four guys do especially when the rest of the team was holding them back so much?

Lonnie had his head in the game and played in a controlled way which helped him to contribute on both ends. He didn’t hesitate on his shots, made 2 of 3 in the paint (always a good sign) one of which was a beautiful slalom drive around their two defenders for a crafty finish at the rim, and 3-6 from 3. He moved the ball along, passed well for 5 assists (some from making the simple selfless pass to an open DeMar and Rudy for 3, others from good vision on drives and dishes to Jakob down low) and when we miscommunicated on D (a harbinger, as it turned out) Lonnie recognized and reacted well to get back and block. Great recovery. He also got anticipated well to get a steal in the 2ND Q, another good D play. What he has to be careful about is control under greater pressure. Easy to say, but passing in the air under duress is something he improve. They picked it off and dunked it. At times the situational recognition forces hesitant decisions with the ball like his weak end of shot clock pass in the 2ND Q, or his 3RD Q drive versus 3 defenders, pumping the ball in the air for a contested, missed dunk. At others, when he’s in his element, he flies with the ball down the court and just lets the shot go, like he did for our final 2ND Q possession. It’s the many sides of a developing player. You can live with the mistakes so long as the effort is there, and there is improvement over time.

DJ has long been the lightning rod for the extent of the growth he’s made and the ceiling left in his game. We saw both some good signs and needs of improvement. With Derrick back as a comparison, we see how much quicker he is in making deft passes in the half court sets. DJ is terrific in the open court. And he was an assist catalyst for much of the night, leading us with 7, along with 2 steals, and 4 boards, in addition to a starter high 15 points on 6-12, 1-2 from 3, 2-3FT’s. I like that he takes opportunities to talk to the younger guys in between plays. They laud him for his leadership. He’s also someone who never gives up on a play.

Using Derrick as a comparison again, it’s not only his speed but his timing and court vision that are very solid. I don’t know if this is an influence from Keldon or what, but like him, DJ drove with wanton abandon into multiple defenders. The problem was that he had a wide open Lonnie and LMA on his left waiting for the pass. He drove too far, and the play was broken up by the multiple defenders before he could do anything with the ball. He also got blown by several times without being able to recover as well as he most times does. Of course, their PG is very quick and talented, and as the initiator of their O was the main player to cover. We just didn’t do a good job at the first point of attack, and then our D was broken down time and again in the subsequent development of their plays.

I’ve saved the best worst for last. Gump is right. It’s games like these where trusting DeMar to always show up makes you think twice. We’ve seen this before with LMA (after shouldering the team for two years) and whether it was just weariness or frustration (and now just time catching up with him) and DeMar had a game that signalled he clearly wasn’t in it from the start and wasn’t going to be forced into playing in a way that – just the night before! - he did so well. He was 1-2 at the half, his lone make a 3, 1 rebound, and 1 assist. He finished the game a mere 2-6, with no extra rebounds, assists, steals, blocks – nothing. In 25 minutes. NOTHING!

This isn’t struggling. This is taking a game off before everyone’s eyes. And that is unacceptable. He went ISO mode into the middle or strong side while we had open players on the wings. He kept slowing down our O when what we needed was faster decisions with the ball. DeMar has signature good plays, none of which were on display in this game, and signature bad ones which were. He lost the ball dribbling, and he got a tech.

And then there was his defense. It’s not First Team worthy at its best, but when he chooses to sleepwalk through a game, oh Jesus. At least LMA’s issues stem from age. So much with DeMar has to do with catching up on years’ worth of D underdevelopment, of getting away with not having to carry his weight on that end, of his getting so many shots that he played like he could just make up for it on the other end. He did neither. They bodied him for J that they missed and he just **** stood there and watched as they followed through on a O board putback. Just a terrible lack of awareness, commitment, and effort. One bump and that’s all it took to get him out of the play. He was late to rotate, and couldn’t be bothered to get hands up to contest. Like we really could have used just a little GAF from him but he telegraphed from the beginning of the game that he wasn’t going to be bothered. I will credit him with the one time he stepped up to take a charge. But for every one of those, there were many more of these:

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This is **** infuriating!!! It has almost everything I hate about DeMar’s defensive ‘effort’ and ‘awareness’ and ‘response’ and just overall give a **** ness. It is inexcusable, unprofessional, outrageously atrocious. No situational awareness and sense of urgency whatsoever. ****.

How early did we look bad? Pop called his first timeout at 8-5. Then we continued to look bad so he was about to do the wholesale line-up change when lo and behold we suddenly got a pep in our step and woke up to string some good play together. But too early and too often Pop ahd to tell them to push the ball, to drive the bloody ball, and we didn’t do enough of either for yet another 35-27 1ST Q deficit.

And with plays like DeMar’s to end the 2ND Q, it’s no wonder Pop called a 3RD Q timeout and absolutely ripped into them. And they deserved all of it. The thing is, the guys who were putting in effort were thwarted by those who consistently didn’t and there has to be some honest talk among them about it.

We all but abandoned all our strengths. They outpaced us 91-83FGA’s and made 51-39(!) shots. They got all the mismatches they wanted, ran all the plays they wanted, and continued to run the same ones because we kept letting it happen. They made quick drives, passes to the weak side for 3s or extra passes up top for more 3s. Later we put bigs out on their back court but they read it, kept passing to the top of the key, then made a quick swing to the corners for 3s, connecting on 17-35, far too many far too wide open. Their high screen and rolls destroyed us all night long for their 56-42 points in the paint. Later in the game we doubled their PG aggressively up high to some degree of disruptive success, so we’ll see how that translates to the next game.

On the other end, the kept disrupting our sets, aggressively pressuring ball handlers, preventing drives and forcing bad passes and shots. We just laboured so much especially in half court. We had 14TO’s and they converted almost every one for points, getting 24.

That we got 19 points in their 15TO’s showed flashes of our better game. When we focused on D we got steals, we pushed in transition and we drove physically which put them on their heels. We got within 6 early in the 3RD Q and again cut their 12-point lead down to 106-100 in the 4TH Q on drives and getting to the FT line. But these were too far and too few in between. And in between they hit consecutive 3s which opened up the lanes again and blew open their lead for good.

There was some surprise about Pop putting in the subs at the 3 minute mark of the 4TH Q, but it was less a white flag than it was a message about our effort. Pop shouldn’t have to be the sole consistent one with focus and fire throughout the game. And though it was a back-to-back, every team goes through them, and as this was at home, and coming off a great performance, there was hope that it would propel into some energy and carry over for third time’s the charm. Instead, too many used it as a crutch, a ready-made excuse to not show up. We’re going to have to figure out how to win these, and it starts with some basic commitment to effort and defense and go from there.