SPURS GAME DAY! GAME 66: SPURS VS. LAKERS, 7-3-2022, 7:30PM (CT)

[G R E Y]

3RD Q: SPURS 95

LAKERS 92

Well we just scored our third 30+ point Q in a row, but just gave up a second consecutive 30+point Q, this time a game high 36.

Just not good D. We CANNOT exchange baskets with them. We MUST play good D. We MUST protect the arc by actually getting our arms up to contest their attempts. We MUST protect the ball with good rebounds and good passes. We MUST create and make good to great shots.

We MUST play with poise and FINISH THE GAME STRONG EXECUTING OUR PLAYS!

[G R E Y]

A DJ TO by over dribbling.

A 3 given up.

A shot clock turnover.

[G R E Y]

Jesus Jakob's post moves are embarrassing.

Good block by DOUG!

[G R E Y]

**** hell are we ever playing dumb right now. Just get through the bad stretch and get on a groove together, Spurs!

[G R E Y]

Ok some redemption with Primo good man D and DJ good makes at the rim.

[G R E Y]

I was going to say Pop found a solid D lineup here and there's Tre stepping into that pass down low, we push ahead to Rich for 3. Solid D to solid O.

[imagump1313]

Richardson 18 steps......THREE!

[G R E Y]

That was a bad two way sequence by Keldon.

Bad TO dribbling mistake in the key to TO it and then ONCE AGAIN he does not know who to rotate out to, stands there in the key as they pass out for a wiiiiide open 3.

Pop livid. Rightfully so.

[imagump1313]

Have I said embarrassing yet?

[imagump1313]

Sean "This really isn't the best played game I have seen" LMAO

[G R E Y]

I don't like the tunnel vision by DJ late in this game. Just too many one and done shots, too many ISOs. That's not our best game.

[imagump1313]

I bet Pop is all excited to talk about that record with this sh*t show win

[G R E Y]

WE DID IT!

Sort of stumbled across the finish line diagonally but we did it!

Josh Richardson was good for us tonight. Great 3s shooter. Solid defender.

[JeffReal]

Congratulations to Coach Pop!

[Fundamentals21]

Josh Richardson looks like a solid player. 18/5 and good reads on both O and D. We need more pickups like these.

[G R E Y]

4TH Q: SPURS 117

LAKERS 110

Always a pleasure, and this for another record setting night.

Not exactly a defensive clinic, but we did make some great plays late on D and kept our poise on O to pull through and get the W for Pop and for the organization. In the history books. And I'm glad there were both Spurs and traveling Lakers fans to witness it. Nice that the win gave our fans something extra to cheer for, too.

End of the 1ST Q we went on a 9-0 run to finish a rather seesaw Q on a high note. But in a topsy-turvy game, we did not do a good job protecting that lead despite getting up 14. It wasn't really from their great play, although they did pick up the pace and energy, but from our lax attention to our D principles. We finished the game with 16TOs which cost us a whopping 27 points! Yikes. Even with new players in the starting group (JRich), even with never before used line-ups (the two bigs Zach and Jock), even with new players who've never played for us before (Romeo), and even with three Spurs out (Devin, Lonnie, and Keita), we made some boneheaded plays for those TOs.

Leading the pack was DJ with SIX! He dribbled into too contested spaces, he got stripped a couple of times, he made bad positional passes inside to Zach - these were at least as much a function of tossing the ball when Zach was draped with defenders as it was a chemistry that has yet to develop between them with respect to knowing tendencies and preferences.

DJ led us with scoring (26 on 12-20, 1-5 from 3), rebounds (10, for our sole double double) and assists (8), but frankly it was a game that more justified phreak's opinion of his game than gump's or mine or late. He led us with 3 steals, too, so full credit where it's due with his impact, but he's been off in terms of taking over the game at times and giving it up to team mates.

It feels like it comes from a place of wanting to lead rather than looking to get his, but it ended up with him over dribbling versus too many defenders or taking ISO one and done shots. He got those turnaround Js in the key, and drove better, but the balance of when he wants to take those shots versus when the D is already closing in on the space to do it well.

I don't recall him even taking five 3s, but the one that stood out was of the ISO variety when JRich, who had just made two consecutive from the arc, was open, as was Doug (or was it Keldon to JRich's right? Anyway, two 3s shooters to DJ's right). Maybe the post-AS adjustments, maybe his role as 'leader' or 'go-to' guy greenlights him in his own mind, but part of leadership is giving up the ball to the hot hand, something we still need to be better at recognizing.

Jakob got into early foul trouble and Zach was subbed in early but wasn't really effective. He didn't look as bouncy as in the previous game, sort of reverting to his previous less coordinated self. He and the guards who pass to him both have to work to get the ball to the right place - guards with the right timing and position, Zach with a target hand after sealing his man. Zach was flustered a bit with the ball close to the basket and his three O boards I think came on a single play when he could put the O board in multiple times. Dunking. It's like our mist of our bigs are allergic to it.

So in a topsy turvy game in which we made a terrible 16-30FTs, Jakob of all players led us with 6-8, both team highs, as is the efficiency. Go figure. He was terrific late in the game with clutch FTs, clutch O rebounds and putbacks, clutch D rebounds in our end (crucial given how we've given these up late in games) and held onto it, getting fouled, and making 5-6 late in the game to put the game away.

Jakob scored 18 on 6-10 overall, 8 boards (team high 5 on O), tied with Tre for second on the team with 4 assists, and 1 block.

I thought for sure we'd get bullied down low by their hulking C but we did well to keep driving at them and and moving the ball to get fouls. Jakob did a better job standing his ground and getting into the right spaces to contest shots rather than get pushed out of the way and get rebounds or punch the ball out to keep our possessions alive. Solid yeoman performance.

gump's favourite Doug chipped in a quiet 11 on better 4-6, 2-4 from 3 and 3 assists. The 4TOs stood out in the wrong way, and he still gets weird angles on his drives, but at least he played more within himself. Two assists as well. His block half way through the 4TH Q was a welcome surprise.

Keldon struggled but in a close game the 13 on 5-13 were welcome. The 1-5 from 3 is surprising, but I don't recall many of these being wide open. If they were, all the more uncharacteristic, but it happens. What shouldn't is his D effort which frankly is inconsistent at best.

Midway through the 4TH Q, Keldon drove into too congested a key and TOd it and they scored. He got blocked on the next drive and gave up a wiiiiide open 3. Just like that, our hard earned eight-point lead dwindled down to 3.

Speaking of wide open, Keldon did not do a good job rotating to the right opponents (when he did rotate out) and then he didn't get his arms out to contest on the times he did run at the shooters. He gave up some wide open 3s throughout the game and then on that final one in the 4TH Q he stood there in the key (once again not recognizing where to be on the close out) rather than running out at the 3s shooter an irate Pop called a timeout and subbed him out for the rest of the game.

He's gotten pulled early, played great, pulled late in the last three games. Hopefully the tightened leash hits home for his D like it did for his O.

Enter JRich. I'm all for youth movement and development, but an experienced 3 and D player makes a difference to team in flux. His steady D with a block and then a strip prevented two scoring chances, and his 4-5 from 3, 2-2FTs, 6-12 for 18 points, 5 boards (1 on O), and 2 assists. Yes we're in a youth movement, but right now if I had to choose between keeping JRich and Lonnie, I'd stick with the vet.

Four of five starters made 3s, but it was JRich who scored nearly half of our output from the arc. Every Spur except for Jakob and Zach attempted one, but still 9-26 is too low in both takes and makes. I do like that our starting back court combined for 10 attempts, making 5.

Interesting how things come full circle. In 2014 JRich tweeted how he loved Pop and on his first start for us with three players out, JRich comes through with the surprise, two-way centric performance, resulting in a win that places Pop an incredible, rare echelon.

While all the starters scored in double figures, none of the bench players did and were outscored 36-31. Still, interesting how the four players who got regular minutes (Zach played 9 minutes) all had a noticeably egalitarian number of shots, almost all efficient. The five bench players combined for 23 FGAs, with 6 attempts being the highest. Using our previous losing streak as a sample, Lonnie led in each with FGAs, and in double digits in three of four games.

Four of five bench players took 3s and got to the FT line, but both were abysmal. Only Primo made a 3; we were 1-7 from the arc. We were only 4-12FTs - I'd love to be a fly on the film room wall.

Primo was 2-6, 1-4 from 3, 1-2FTs for 6 points, and he led the bench with 6 boards (1 on O), 2 assists, and 1 block, a crucial one in the 4TH. He was defensively active and sound, took his chances on O, and played within himself and our system. Loved that down the middle drive attempt and pretty move at the rim. Missed it, but I liked the moxie. Jakob cleaned it up.

Loved Jock's energy. He picked up where Zach left off scoring 8 on 4-5, 0-1 from 3 (it's a busy shot, lots of movement bringing the ball up from around his waist to finally release it), with 4 boards (1 on O) and 3 assists. Neither of our floor stretching bigs are doing much of that, frankly, but even the attempts have to keep defenses honest. Jakob operates very well at the top of the arc but he's not a threat to shoot. Passing, yes, and his high low passes as well as those of our other bigs are being used more often to good effect. Our guards keep moving and we exploit back door and weak side cuts well.

Tre manned the point very well, more confident, is finishing better at the rim (the reps now give him a more practiced hand at the angles and speed at this level) and he's a relentless hound on D. Loved how he stayed with his man whether he had the ball or not and prevented easy passes and shots. He stood his ground well versus posting guards, giving us enough time to get help D. He contributed 7 points on 3-5, 0-1 from 3, 1-4FTs -- OOF! He did grab 5 boards (1 on O), got a bench high 4 assists, a tied with DJ game high 3 steals, and a block! Stat stuffing performance I love it when development comes together. 3s and FTs practice are on order. Besides these, a solid two-way outing.

Hey and we finally got a look at Romeo. Scored I think 6 straight points on his drives. Has a nice cross over, quick moves, and can finish well at the rim. Assertive at times, tentative at others, mostly from distance. You can see he's not confident shooting it from the arc, and it's our job to get him to that comfortable level. He's a bigger body than I anticipated which is good for us. He uses his physicality on D and is an alert, responsible defender. 1-4FTs is probably nerves. But he did well to get to the FT line. Along with his 3s, we'll have to work on his shot to sink them. He has a very soft, high spin, curl release so it's not like Chip is working with a stiff. Good debut.

Pop ran both a two bigs front court - yes! when's the last time we could do that? - and had three guards on the bench. I actually like the two PG, three guard 1-2-3 in spot minutes. We're effective because our guards move so well and our bigs are so deft in passing to them (Jakob and Jock combined for 7 assists). He also entrusted young Primo with end of game minutes again and was rewarded. The fine line between playing to win and playing through mistakes worked in our favour in this game. But lest we think it's all about developing minutes, Pop still yanks poor performance, especially on D, and so Keldon sat and Primo played. Good instincts, touch, and guts on the kid.

3s, TOs and FTs were obviously central tonight, but we overcame them with some clutch and poise to seal the win and be part of history. That we finished strong and overcame a push that trimmed our lead to a basket was good experience for us, good to get that balance of jolt, rising to the pressure of the moment, and making some good plays on both ends.

Players said they don't mention 'the' topic in the locker room, but they're obviously aware of it. Pop read the team and was all teasing and loose before the game, bring the guys up with some punches and smiles on the sideline. A sliding streak with the impending record looming can be added pressure a young team may not handle well so that leadership and giving the beginning of the game just that right tone is what knowing your team, reading your team, and supporting your team to get the best out of them is all about. And so are timeouts and benchings. Both were needed, both had the right effect, and now everyone can look back on this game as being part of making history.

[G R E Y]

NOTEWORTHY ACHIEVEMENTS

Well there's just the one isn't it? And what a one it is!

YES POP!

(Stand back, lots of GOATNESS ahead)

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[G R E Y]

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I know everyone says Pop doesn't care, and Pop has reportedly said as much too, but if it were really that irrelevant would everybody be so hush about it?

It has to give him some satisfaction and personal pride, you would think, even if he'll be the first to give all the credit to his players. The perseverance alone through the most difficult stretch of years has to carry some weight.

Very proud to be a Spurs fan tonight.