SPURS GAME DAY! GAME 23: SPURS VS. KNICKS, 7-12-2021, 7:30PM (CT)

[G R E Y]

A big test to mental and physical fatigue tonight with the SEGABABA after travel. A strong start is a must, and attention to fundamentals, ball protection, and resilience for the whole game to push us through are on order. Let's fully apply yesterday's lessons to tonight's game.

WHERE: AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX

WHEN: Tuesday, December 7, 2021, 7:30pm (CT)

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

GO SPURS GO!!!

[G R E Y]

Read on Twitter

[imagump1313]

All that work to get the backcourt violation and then just hand it back with a lazy careless turnover

Such wasted effort and zero BBIQ

[G R E Y]

Read on Twitter

[G R E Y]

We're running what we want, but it's a bit sloppy. Keldon with a telegraphed one-handed DHO that got stripped and they went in for a layup.

Saving energy here, it looks like, for the long haul.

Front of rim shots may indicate tired legs, especially those Keldon FTs. We'll see how much juice and fight we have in us.

[G R E Y]

Put the ball through the basket, Spurs.

[G R E Y]

Well yes. One sure way for D to O transition is for an alley oop dunk. Didn't expect it to be Lonnie to DJ but I'll take it!

[imagump1313]

Do you still not understand Tank Commander Forbes yet Pop?????

He just had a decent game so you know he will have 15 terrible ones in a row now. Why is he playing????

[G R E Y]

Lonnie passes, Lonnie throws it away *sigh* Good for one unforced error a game. Best to get it out of the way early.

[G R E Y]

1ST Q: SPURS 28

KNICKS 28

Sloppy and physical are the main characteristics that stand out. They're trying bully ball with their drives and have already gotten to the FT line 8-8. We're 4-6 there so that's 4 extra points already there. But we are hitting 4-9 from 3 so that's terrific. They are getting too many open 3s, so that's something to be weary about.

They're outrebounding us badly 18-10 including 9-3 on O! BOX OUT!

[G R E Y]

Primo with early minutes, nice.

Yeah it's weary legs form a fatigued mind here. We're in that in-between place of conserving energy but trying to get something going, like having your foot on the gas and brake. They've picked up the pace and it's hurting us.

We're also missing a ton of easy shots, so it's putting extra pressure on our D. Doug is doing a good job of moving his feet to stay with drivers. Not really the guy to isolate anymore.

You can tell we're tired, too, because we're reaching in on help D. Just a crispness missing. Need to focus and find an extra couple of gears.

[G R E Y]

Christ this side commentary that has NOTHING to do with the game is just brutal.

[G R E Y]

Yep just ineffectual without that extra gear. Primo showing his inexperience versus Rose, and the things we run we keep missing or getting blocked.

[G R E Y]

WELL ****...

[G R E Y]

2ND Q: SPURS 56

KNICKS 62

We looked like running through mud for much of this Q but chipped away at their 11-point lead and brought it to within three points but they ran another screen for another open 3.

They've made six 3s to our three and along with another 2-4FTs to our 1-3FTs and that's a six-point deficit at the half.

It's truly surprising we're in this game considering the open shots we're missing. I thought for sure they were blowing us away with their 3s but we have seven ourselves so that's not an issue.

REBOUNDING is a huge issue. They already have a ten-board advantage 28-18, with 11-4 on O! Just way to many second chances and way too many putbacks.

Drew is the first and only big off the bench tonight and he's been serviceable on O at least, and he's grabbed 2 D boards, but we're barely getting a sniff at O boards. Keldon leads us with 2 on O, and it doesn't look like he'll be back tonight.

Surprisingly we're winning the points in the paint battle so far 28-22, but because of out TO's they have a 9-7 fast break edge. We've also given up 6 points off of our TOs and earned 2 so we're not making the most of our steals and their TOs.

They're using a lot of weak side cuts to top top of the key and we're late in getting to these players. They're also using basic screens and cross court passes for made 3s. Bryn actually went under a screen once while his man was shooting a 3. This when he was coming from the side so he could have easily went over. Just... wow...

Our zone D was more effective in pushing them to end of clock outside shots and misses, but in man D we got caught several times with a guard on one of their bigs and the help D was there but we fouled time and again.

Just need to close out better to prevent their 3s, and seal up drives inside ideally by anticipating those cutters and getting to those passes. We're just a step late and we keep rattling shots out.

Stick to fundamentals, box out, protect the ball, screen, cut, pass, drive without hesitation, use the glass or dunk to finish. We don't have to bomb away from 3 to get back, but we do have to be careful about giving them up when we cut it close. Get clean stops, push for easier makes.

[G R E Y]

KELDON'S BACK! WILDER MODE ACTIVATED!

[G R E Y]

Could've sworn I said something about protecting the arc...

[G R E Y]

Keldon drives, gets hit in the head, leaves court.

Tonight Keldon had his thumb hurt on a slap inside, rolled his ankle backing up on Jakob's foot, and now with the hit on the head has left and will not return tonight.

[G R E Y]

Every time we make a push to cut into their lead they hit a 3 or two. And now they're contested, too. A five-point lead now back up to 11.

[G R E Y]

Diop has been serviceable but posting up against three defenders down low and trying a shot was not a good decision.

Still, their 13-point lead is now down to 8.

If only they missed their 3s, man... and we make ours...