SPURS GAME DAY! GAME 63: SPURS AT GRIZZLIES, 28-2-2022, 7PM (CT)

[G R E Y]

HORRIBLE EFFORT DOWN THE STRETCH.

[imagump1313]

We really make no sense. Against Miami, Pop gave up with like 6 minutes left. Tonight we are getting embarrassed. This game was over 10 minutes ago and we still have starters in....

[G R E Y]

We really make no sense. Against Miami, Pop gave up with like 6 minutes left. Tonight we are getting embarrassed. This game was over 10 minutes ago and we still have starters in....

Heat was a B2B. This one he let them stew in their mistakes.

[G R E Y]

4TH Q: SPURS 105

GRIZZLIES 118

Despite all the oos and aaahs hoopla, we lost the final three Qs for a combined FIVE points.

So it was really the 1ST Q that did us in with a porous D and then we played catch up for the rest of the game. They were buoyed by that early cushion for the rest of the game.

We did quite a few things well, some we still need to work on, but obviously the biggest difference was facing a generational talent. These types of players you can't truly stop, but there are still some things we could have done better and more consistently. More on these later...

-------

Ok, well despite the hype of the home crowd and some flashy plays, we were in this game but for digging ourselves into trouble too deep early that we kept chasing for the rest of the game.

Third game in four nights, all travel, but that's the gig. Every team goes through rough schedule stretches.

SIDE NOTE: Rodeo is a staple of the community and all, but I really hope either the Spurs and / or the Rodeo find new homes so we don't have to have this work around. In a way we turn it into a positive in that it's a bonding experience, but that's making the best out of a trying situation.

Anyway, it's also an easy built-in excuse - oh we're tired so we're not starting well. But the thing is, given how well we played the rest of the way, that is, well enough to stay with two or one point in each of the last three Qs despite the errors, we HAD the energy we needed. I think after a terrific start, we got complacent and didn't respond well to their inevitable push back. Scoring 34 points should just about always result in our lead, but our D faltered. We gave up a heap of points (42) on ridiculous FG73.9% (17-23!!!) efficiency for them and 66.7% from 3 (4-6), and the same from FTs.

To reiterate: almost SEVENTY-FOUR field goal percentage and almost SIXTY-SEVEN percent from the arc.

And shockingly, we still managed to come from behind time and again to get to within five or fewer points. We even had chances to take the lead. What helped was hustle and ball protection. We had only ONE TO by the half, and by the end of the game, we forced five jump ball situations.

We started each of the 3RD and 4TH Qs well on good runs to come within a basket or so, but got into one of those weird patterns of accruing a couple of mistakes like TOs, giving up layups, or taking early, contested one and done Js and there went our lead. We teased ourselves with a Sisyphus-like effort and results.

It was really about not stopping their dynamic PG and I think as the game wore on it got under DJ's skin more. I don't like the showy antics after great plays either, but it's the way of most young players. DJ was one of the few players who fought well to get through screens, to anticipate passes, to try to contain JM but he still got beaten on quick first steps and freakish athleticism.

Devin also fought well over screens, and I think Tre did at times, too. As to the rest, either I didn't notice or they didn't do it consistently enough to stand out. Too often we pancaked into their screeners, didn't recover nearly quickly enough and there went the driver to the basket. At times we recovered enough to contest, get a hand on the ball to deflect or block but more often than not we just had no answer.

It was too late by that point; what we didn't do a good job with was staying with the PG regardless of whether or not he had the ball. It was tough enough when he did, but when he passed we gave up way too much space and rather than shadowing him to contest passes back we just allowed him to get the ball and reset to predictable results.

He was their O tonight. No other starter even scored in double figures and only two bench players scored in the teens. But when you don't execute more pressure on the star player you get burned. To that end, they were able to impose more of their game plan - give the ball to JM - than we were despite all our starters scoring in double figures, despite us taking more shots overall, more 3s, and the same number of FTs, it was our defensive principles that broke down.

Frankly not many can stop him, but we still could do far better in terms of pressuring passes back, in shadowing him on D (something we've implemented versus other dynamic guards even if it was at times too late), and in fighting over screens - this last one is what stands out as a pattern that we need to improve.

In the second half, we also started turning the ball over more. Eight in the second half resulted in us giving up 11 points. And although we got 18 points off of their 18TOs, a great player covers a lot of mistakes.

We did better rebounding in their end in the first half, but we also were outhustled and outfocused on the O boards as the game progressed. We finished at the wrong end of 55-37 boards in total and 13-11 on O. When we cut their lead down to one, a series of mistakes including on the boards led to us bleeding points on both ends. We couldn't secure O boards as well with several slipping from our grasp and we bobbled and gave up several D boards and both lost and gave up points as a result. Frustrations grew and DJ ended up getting tossed from the game late, by which point the result was determined.

Ok so what do we need to work on? Back court 3s scoring is an issue. DJ and Devin combined for 2-7. Keldon was uncharacteristically 1-7 from the arc, with Doug waking up from a first half 0-2 slumber to connect on 4-7 by the end of the game. So even though four of the starters who we expect to make 3s did, only one was efficient.

Lonnie led us in scoring with 22 but he too was only 2-7 from 3 and was the only bench player to make one. So while they outscored us badly in one area we usually have an advantage, 66-46 points in the paint, we couldn't connect well on one of the weapons to counter it. Nine for 32 just didn't cut it.

Each of our starters had double digits in attempts which I think is a terrific balance. Jakob had our sole double double with 16 on 8-11, 0-2FTs, 1 boards (team high 4 on O), along with 4 assists, 2 steals, 1 block (and 3TOs). DJ pushed through to 21 points on 8-20, only 3 boards (1 on O), team high 8 assists, 3 steals, 1 block.

The point being that the shot distribution among starters stands as a contrast to that of the bench in this game. Lonnie has worked to assert himself more since the main trade. In this game he happened to make the I-me-mine break up our system one and done ISO shots enough for us to live with it, but man oh man does he ever have a case of tunnel vision, and that's in a game where he actually contributed 3 assists (plus 2 boards, 1 on O). He was 7-11 on his non 3s attempts so it sounds harsh to fault him, but he really does suck up the chances like a vacuum since the trade of DW. And while we do need the scoring, we also need better distribution of the ball for chances for others to try as well.

Lonnie had 18FGAs overall. The next highest FGA attempts on the bench was four from Diop. Zach had 3FGAs, and Tre, JRich, and Primo each had 2. You can argue that Lonnie had the hot hand so we ought to have kept going to him and that's true. But it's also true that he keeps taking these kinds of I-me-mine shots whether he's efficient or not, and it's also true that when other players don't get plays run for them or are not given a chance to score, their rhythm is affected as well. The other players aren't just support and rebounding for Lonnie, settling for drippings from his misses. We need to get that balance right, and it starts with Lonnie not being the ball stopper so often.

It's like it clicked that he's got a contract negotiation with a quarter or so left in this season and he's determined to raise his stock. The thing is, it's a blip right now, and the entire season as well as his entire tenure that will be evaluated in the negotiations. Derrick got a $17M+ deal from largely his bubble play as well as his terrific starting role versus the Nuggets in the playoffs. It was also cumulative in terms of his progression from rookie to peak game in the bubble. Turns out that seems to have been a blip as well and we did what we did as a result. After the game Pop was asked about whether Lonnie had found that other level, and Pop ever frank, said he had in the last four game or so. Meaning we're in the early days of Lonnie maintaining this consistency so we'll see.

Tre is still growing into his game and we live with the inconsistent results. Keita has shown a bigger game when he gets a bigger role. Zach is frankly looking a little concerning given his age and injury history. Maybe it was just a game where he was up against more athletic bigs, but while he has some experience in boxing out and angling his body down low, and has some post moves, but he frankly looks rough. Coordination between his top and bottom half is a work in progress, but so is dribbling with his back to the basket, and so is the lift in his legs, which is putting it kindly. Also, he's supposed to be a floor spacer for us and we haven't really seen that of late.

But then I check his stats and despite his coming back from injury, he's just at his career averages across the board, and even slightly better in rebounding and assists. It's easy to say oh just look better but then I recall that DJ's entire first year back from injury wasn't quite himself. What I haven't seen is that fire he's been known for. He's been more self contained and used as a rest support for Jakob, but he still led the bench with 5 boards (1 on O) and 4-4FTs. I have to be more mindful about expectations and steps for progress with him.

Primo. Oof. The kid's going to get an earful from Pop about his D from this game. He got blown by - and worse still didn't look as if he was even trying after he did - which led to Jakob getting left alone to get posterized, he was slow on staying with drivers, fighting over screens, just chasing opponents and his game all night long for a team worst -12 in only 10 minutes. Lonnie also had -12 in his 25 minutes which indicates how much all of our back court players had a hard time stopping their counterparts.

I did really like our fight once again. One characteristic that has improved is our fight and finding ways to counter punch. We used to look lost when we gave up leads, all on our heels and unsure of what to do until DJ tried something. But the double OT game showed we are better at closing out close games, and the last two games showed we are better at fighting back form big deficits.

But with newer players throughout the lineup, we are also adjusting to new roles for several of them, particularly on the bench. It's going to take some seasoning to find the right balance, and some awareness for all the bench to play our system on both ends. We rest for a couple of days and surely get some tutelage to reinforce said system and hopefully be more cohesive in both units.

And it shouldn't be lost that this young club, Pop's youngest ever, in its first year of a rebuild, has gone 4-4 in the RRT, something not reached with vets over the last several years. Right steps are being taken. Onward.

[imagump1313]

We really make no sense. Against Miami, Pop gave up with like 6 minutes left. Tonight we are getting embarrassed. This game was over 10 minutes ago and we still have starters in....

Heat was a B2B. This one he let them stew in their mistakes.

I get that but guys like Poeltl, Johnson, Vassell and Murray shouldn't be out there in garbage time. Let Primo and McDermott stew.....

[Phreak50]

For a so called defensive team and a team with so called defensive guards, we seem to get lit up by any half decent guard every f'ing game.

[imagump1313]

For a so called defensive team and a team with so called defensive guards, we seem to get lit up by any half decent guard every f'ing game.

I agree and can prove it with all the money I've won betting on good guards that play us because I know they are going to go off.

IDK who labels us as a good defensive team though. I've never heard that anywhere.

Poeltl gets attention for his blocks but overall defensively he gets smoked by good bigs all the time. Also he gets forced to look bad on all the switches he is forced to do because we have no one who can stay between their man and the basket.

Murray gets called a good defender which he is to some point. He gets a lot of steals and blocks with his wing span. But his lateral movement is pretty slow so any quick guard is going to drive right by him, especially with the chances he takes swiping at the ball(which is a good thing but if you miss, thats what happens)

Other than those two guys, who is considered a good defender on this team? Overall we are very poor at communication and switching properly, plus we dont have many guys who can actually stay between their man and the basket if the situation calls for it.

Defense is also in large part the players buying in as a whole and I don't see this team doing that at all. Everyone is too busy trying to figure themselves out offensively. Its just another part of the learning process for this young team.

Morant is just in a zone right now and we caught him at the wrong time. He reminds me of Derrick Rose lighting us up in his prime when we had the best defense in the league. Or Durant and Westbrook having their way with us when at OKC.