GAME DAY, BALA! GAME 32: SPURS VS. THUNDER, 4-3-2021, 8PM (CT)

Post #1 » by **G R E Y** » Thu Mar 4, 2021 8:17 pm

There is a singular purpose and focus tonight: to rid ourselves of the bad taste after our previous game versus this opponent. We want to make sure we continue to build on our good play and head into the break trending the right way after playing the right way. Though we're still undermanned, we have reserves who are stepping up. We will need everyone to continue to bring their best games individually and collectively to make sure we are connected and going full tilt on both ends for the whole game.

WHERE: AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX

WHEN: Thursday, March 4, 2021, 8pm (CT)

Earn The Stripes Mode: Payback and progress!

GO SPURS GO!!!

Post #2 » by **G R E Y** » Thu Mar 4, 2021 8:20 pm

Oh. He's been missing a lot of games with a lot of various ailments. Hope LMA recovers well and fully:

Read on Twitter

These were expected:

Read on Twitter

ducler · Post #3 » by **ducler** » Thu Mar 4, 2021 8:59 pm

Read on Twitter

Post #4 » by **G R E Y** » Fri Mar 5, 2021 2:08 am

Read on Twitter

Post #5 » by **G R E Y** » Fri Mar 5, 2021 2:39 am

We need to be far more aggressive than we are right now. Can't let them keep hanging around. We're letting them take too many open 3s. They have made more 3s (6) than we have taken (5).

We must run back D and get our D to O transition game going.

Rotate hard, protect our arc, and drive hard at them, Spurs!

Post #6 » by **G R E Y** » Fri Mar 5, 2021 2:45 am

Loving the pace and energy to start this second Q. We may have something really good with Keita and Luka...

Post #7 » by **G R E Y** » Fri Mar 5, 2021 3:11 am

Ok. I sure see it today with DeMar, gump!

Post #8 » by **G R E Y** » Fri Mar 5, 2021 3:20 am

Read on Twitter

We woke up and showed up better in the 2ND Q, but we're still giving up too many 3s. We did contest them better in the 2ND Q with stronger closeouts and contests.

Luka is leading us with 7 rebounds so far.

We need to get Jakob more involved in the O. He's back to finessing around the rim after dunking it time after time last game.

We need to take care of the ball better not just in terms of TO's but holding onto it.

D to O transition, drive hard, contest cleanly, make good to great shots, Spurs!

Post #9 » by **G R E Y** » Fri Mar 5, 2021 4:02 am

Molasses on both ends after such a promising start to the 4TH Q...

imagump1313 · Post #10 » by **imagump1313** » Fri Mar 5, 2021 4:19 am

Post #11 » by **G R E Y** » Fri Mar 5, 2021 4:25 am

Read on Twitter

GOLDEN opportunity missed because we trotted the ball up the court when down, because we did not take care of the ball AT ALL, because some of our crucial players were already in vacation mode before the game began, because we talked a whole lot about getting this one and being ready to get revenge and stopped playing like it after the 2ND Q.

TO's were critical. Playing too soft was critical. Not hustling was critical.

Just one of our worst performances of the season given how we were playing coming into this one. No payback, but a step back. And so much of it was self-inflicted as Sean and Bill said.

We're nowhere near the team to be taking games off like this. Hope this stings even more than the last one.

SUCH a **** winnable game and we were far too careless. These are the game we simply cannot afford to give up but we did. It's a smarting. We better come back with far better focus and execution.

imagump1313 · Post #12 » by **imagump1313** » Fri Mar 5, 2021 1:52 pm

GREY 1769 wrote:Ok. I sure see it today with DeMar, gump!

Just like with Murray, I really dont want to be right with DeRozan. We talked about this about a month ago with him. It doesn't take him long to prove exactly why I don't like him.

Murray is proving me wrong more and more and I'm happy about that.

Luka has shown some potential the last few games so hopefully I'm wrong about him also.

Like I keep saying, I don't think this is a playoff team. Sure we have won a few games and looked good doing it, but we have some really damning losses.

This one, the 2 Memphis games, the last Thunder game before this one, Minnesota, Houston, New Orleans. Those were all bunny games that we just gave away to bad teams. I get it, pandemic year, young team. You are gonna throw out some stinkers. Even if we just went 4-3 in these horrible losses we might actually look like a playoff team but i simply do not see it.

Post #13 » by **G R E Y** » Mon Mar 8, 2021 8:29 pm

imagump1313 wrote:
GREY 1769 wrote:Ok. I sure see it today with DeMar, gump!

Just like with Murray, I really dont want to be right with DeRozan. We talked about this about a month ago with him. It doesn't take him long to prove exactly why I don't like him.

Murray is proving me wrong more and more and I'm happy about that.

Luka has shown some potential the last few games so hopefully I'm wrong about him also.

Like I keep saying, I don't think this is a playoff team. Sure we have won a few games and looked good doing it, but we have some really damning losses.

This one, the 2 Memphis games, the last Thunder game before this one, Minnesota, Houston, New Orleans. Those were all bunny games that we just gave away to bad teams. I get it, pandemic year, young team. You are gonna throw out some stinkers. Even if we just went 4-3 in these horrible losses we might actually look like a playoff team but i simply do not see it.

Well I'm glad that Luka is showing out well, especially on D, and that DJ is showing better in your eyes, too.

I think despite his faults, DeMar is important for us at this stage of our collective development. He's still the best at getting the ball to so many other players when he's at his best, and at his best he's still the best in getting our O going when it gets stagnant with some patented moves - and yes, that includes getting to the foul line.

We're about 10 games better than we were last season at this point so I think that's a big improvement. And we're right in the thick of a playoff hunt despite using LMA as a starter for the first close to half of the season. He's been in and out of the line-up, so we've had to adjust on the fly and we've done well to stay competitive.

We're also been without Derrick in the starting group (or the line-up at all) for much of the season. We've had the very successful bubble line-up for only a small number of games (maybe three or four tops?), and collectively going back to the bubble that line-up was scorching hot for us. In Derrick's place we've had Lonnie who's been maddeningly inconsistent on both ends with the starting opportunity.

Even with all the line-up upheavals and most recently being without half our team for five games due to Covid and injuries, we're still managing to remain competitive and be in the playoff hunt. So I think we actually are a playoff team, and one that can surprise opponents with our depth. What we need is what we haven't had - roster stability. Pop's rolled out different line-ups to try to find the right combinations with who we've got, and Luka and Keita along with a resurgent Trey have been very pleasant surprises. Add those guys to returning Devin, Derrick, and Rudy and LMA and Lonnie coming off the bench, and we suddenly have a lot of depth in a lot of positions.

I want our bubble line-up to get some consistent minutes together and for our bench to continue to gel (with the new guys in). Given their success versus a lot of good teams I think we're going to continue to fight and show well for the playoffs. And our depth will help us through a tough second half schedule, too. Some better two-way starting talent and consistency is key.