GAME DAY, BALA! GAME 65: SPURS AT JAZZ, 5-5-2021, 8PM (CT)

[G R E Y]

At least we get to stay put for the final meeting with this opponent. Every bit of rest counts. And hopefully that and some film and reflection has strengthened our resolve and renewed our focus to start strong, keep playing hard, and be resolutely committed to our core principles and fundamentals: D-out, push in transition, protect the ball, good to great made shots. We know we can play at a higher level; we know there is room to grow. We have to keep pushing through to get there.

WHERE: Vivint SmartHome Arena, Salk Lake City, Utah

WHEN: Wednesday, May 5, 2021, 8pm (CT)

Earn The Stripes Mode: Resilient and grinding!







GO SPURS GO!!!

[ducler]

Read on Twitter

[G R E Y]

We're giving up too much space in sagging on their P&Rs, and DJ keeps getting caught on screens, is behind driver as our help D is weak. We are TOO SOFT in contesting at the rim!

On the positives, Dieng has worked his way to the second big off the bench - already paying dividends with a P&R DUNK - something Jakob has this far refused to do in the game - PLAY HARD OR **** SIT.

Lonnie is really seeing the court well right now. Great drive, 3, and P&R dish to Dieng. He's taking his rather than deferring to Rudy. Great to see!

[G R E Y]

We are still not boxing out well.

On O we are getting our shots, we just need to see some going in especially from distance.

We missed three 3s in a row (our last shots of the Q) whereas they went on a 7-0 run to end the 1ST Q.

Harder D, relentless push and confidence on O, Spurs!

[G R E Y]

Welp it was close just a couple of minutes ago... but this is what happens when you give a great shooting opponent too much space to put shots up like it's practice.

And when we miss it puts that much more pressure on our tentative D...

There's only so much Pop can do with line-up combinations. Guys have to play HARD.

[G R E Y]

**** HELL...

[G R E Y]

Read on Twitter

Better D by the young guys who are at least putting up a fight at the rim. Drew hit a 3, so that's something.

The starters actually looked far better but our once reliable bench gave up that stinker of a 17-0 run and here we are. We're not a confident group right now, almost as if we're conceding the talent, but along with it the hustle and fight and will and belief. Our belief since Derrick went out has dwindled from one game to the next. Like before during our long home stretch, we kept falling behind and got the wind knocked out of us by a couple of close losses that were followed by big losses.

There's no doubt they are a more complete team with more seasoned weapons, but we can control what we can control - that's our mindset, our heart, our pride, and our resolve to play better and as a team. We are getting good shots, just gave up too many on errors I mentioned before.

We need to play through it.

[G R E Y]

Yes. Let's let them keep taking open 3s. I wonder how that will turn out...

[imagump1313]

FU DeRozan........ again. I really dont want to hate you but I do with all my soul.

[G R E Y]

FU DeRozan........ again. I really dont want to hate you but I do with all my soul.

(though I'm crying inside a little)

Was it the 6 points or the 3-8 or the -22?

[G R E Y]

Read on Twitter

Sean and Bill were comparing team stats during one point in the game, and said that 93% of our opponent's points come from the 3 and the paint (first in the league) whereas 80% of our points come from these areas (last in the league). Sure it stands as a glaring contrast, but while we can’t start next season with two starters not shooting 3s, we are also a team in a different stage of our development, more of one in transition with players out of position and players with more traditional games which impacts that result. That the 93% works for their team is a testament to having the right players for their system. We’ve reworked our system to best suit the best players, and made a switch to a more transition-oriented style from the bubble onward.

We rank dead last in the league in attempted 3s at 28.7 per game (Utah tops the league with a whopping fifteen more attempts than us), and we are 20th in efficiency at 35.5%. We didn’t reach either bar. So losing Derrick who takes the most 3s on the team (and is also our best defender) while Patty is struggling mightily with his shot while we struggle with the hardest schedule in the league is a LOT to deal with. A LOT.

We’ve dealt with a ton of changes throughout this season, and the wear of them is rearing now. The starters looked more organized and locked in to start the game and we kept pace until the bench came in. A 31-26 deficit was inundated by the deluge that was a 17-0 run for them. We created good shots, but just missed a ton of them, and on the D end we gave up way too much space on their P&Rs. DJ is surprisingly getting caught trying to get over screens and so he gets blown by drivers time and again. This forces our big to defend two players and multiple options. DJ stays with the play from behind, but it’s already a disadvantage and unfair for the player stuck with the bulk of the work.

When Derrick anticipates the screen, he angles his body parallel to the screener to slide around it. He also takes small, quick steps on the balls of his feet so as to stay with drivers. Even when beaten by a first step, Derrick most often at least stays on the driver’s hip to disrupt shots and pressure ball handlers into mistakes. DJ, on the other hand, tends to take a big step over screens and time and again he’s behind. He was a team-worst 30 and shot only 2-6 in 19 minutes of play.

Joining him in low +/- was Lonnie at -23 and shooting only 3-11, 1-4 from 3. He did lead the team with 5 assists which is as much a positive for his developing game as much as it is a negative for what the starters managed to do: DeMar had 3, and our new back court of DJ and Devin combined for 5 assists.

Our bench was once reliable in stabilizing the up and down starts from the starters, but it has fallen off noticeably. Rudy has played well in trying to give us an extra boost, but tonight he and Patty were each 0-1 in 7 minutes of play. Oof.

Keldon struggled with 2-10, himself in an efficiency funk. Lonnie has been in and out of one throughout the season. I did like that Lonnie kept the ball rather than deferring and passing it to Rudy and he made good decisions with the ball be it driving, hitting the outside shot, making great passes. It doesn’t take a squint too far into the future to see Lonnie becoming a three-level threat. Right now, channelling his freaky athleticism and efficiency are key.

Outside of Devin, none of the starters scored in double digits. Jakob was efficient but he’s maddeningly soft finishing at the rim. A 7’C should almost never get blocked nor should he miss any shots half a bloody foot away from the basket because he refuses to dunk. It used to be that and FT’s that bothered me the most about his game, and so now it’s the mindset of aggression that hopefully sets in for good. Very frustrating when he gives up points through lack of hustle.

Devin finally looked more comfortable out there, getting to open spots making good adjustments on the fly like his high arching shot just at the rim to get it over their shot blocking C, running out on the fast break, making good cuts, etc. It’s both a tough spot to fill and a great opportunity in which to grow.

Luka actually led us in scoring with 15 on 6-14. It was good to see him putting together his game. Pop said post-game that right now Luka is playing by rote, but he’s come along well from the G-League, makes more streamlined drives, and is taking his shots; 2-4 from 3 means he was out best scorer from beyond the arc as well.

Tre settled in better, too. He made a beautiful pin point alley oop pass in transition to Lonnie on the right side for a huge dunk and was a pest defensively. Shooting 5-8, 1-1 from 3 for 11 points is a solid contribution. He’s a pure point guard and you can see his unselfish play making as he’s working his way in setting up teammates. He had that great dunk for one of our few highlights.

The young guys actually did a solid job protecting the rim and not allowing easy drives. They rotated, doubled, pressured the ball, and rebounded well. In terms of development, these minutes are great for our young guys. In terms of what we need to improve, well there’s a list of repeated mistakes – not boxing out, sagging to much on P&Rs allowing way too much space for too open shots, and our dreaded 3 issue. Despite the roster in progress and missing a true PF which we’ll need address in the off-season, these are things we can still control. Let’s hope some reserves kick in and we find the energy to compete.

[imagump1313]

FU DeRozan........ again. I really dont want to hate you but I do with all my soul.

(though I'm crying inside a little)

Was it the 6 points or the 3-8 or the -22?

He just finds a way to screw me every time. Not to mention he does nothing to help my favorite team win games. Just a stat stuffer who can't even do that correctly.

[G R E Y]

FU DeRozan........ again. I really dont want to hate you but I do with all my soul.

(though I'm crying inside a little)

Was it the 6 points or the 3-8 or the -22?

He just finds a way to screw me every time. Not to mention he does nothing to help my favorite team win games. Just a stat stuffer who can't even do that correctly.

It may be time to put money on another player - although I don't know who your next best bet is. Guess it depends on the one-on-one match up. Mine is currently out with an ankle injury and the other is in the midst of a career-worst slump. Hopefully our play and your luck changes for the better.