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The rematch comes with reinforcements and as such, expectations - of better play, of growing cohesion, and of a glimpse into lineups and stye of play for at least the start of this season. Let's raise the floor and ceiling.

WHERE: Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX

WHEN: Wednesday, October 18, 2023, 7pm (CT)



GO SPURS GO!!!

YESSS!



Ramping up for the start of the season, this is what we'll likely see as the starting unit.

Devin from pass 3.

Devin versus taller defender. No problem. Smooth 3.

Devin spot up transition 3.

Sochan with the ball keeps getting into Zach's space but somehow we're recovering well enough to keep moving. You can see JC's more comfortable off ball but initiating is something he'll have to get used to.

Stingy D!

By us!

PRETTY give and go Wemby to Devin cutting for the +1!

KELDON GREAT VERTICAL HELP MAN D!

Yeah those high low passes work differently when Wemby is there vs. Doug lol

A couple of weak passes, a couple of TOs, Pop timeout.

Sochan stolen from then blocked.

This is incredible on D but point-Sochan will need work versus more seasoned perimeter players:

?s=20

WEMBY HIGHLIGHT TIME!

Defenders just don't seem to know what to do with Wemby. He's drawing so many fouls.

Limbs everywhere.

Cedi looks like a nice pickup so far

1ST Q: SPURS 32 ROCKETS 13

If anything we're underutilizing Wemby yet he's gotten to the FT line six times, matching the entire output of our opponent. He's a terrific passer. Great court vision.

Still, we could look to set him up a bit more now.

Looked like we were using him as a decoy and others benefited, especially Devin and Zach.

Point-Sochan is a wonky workin progress on O. He has spacing and handle confidence hills to climb but we're making it work with movement.

We're great with that lineup on D though. Really pesky and smart and disruptive.

But for a bad bite on a 3 pump fake, Keldon is looking terrific defensively. We have a 19 point lead with Keldon not even taking a shot!

Bench needs reps for better cohesion.

Terrific efficiency all around, good rebounding (16), and ball sharing (7).

Our speed and selflessness is pushing through some lack of crispness in spacing and positioning.

Our issue seems to be how to get everyone a shot - 1 through 5 can score. We'll have to figure it out with sets and reps.

Can we make a FREE THROW or what, gents?!

That pass to no one and off the dribble 3 attempt by Wemby probably stems from not getting enough quality chances set up for him so he took matters into his own hands. We have to balance that better.

Some lazy unfocused play on both ends - bad positioning and passing, bad switching and boxing out.

2ND Q: SPURS 60 ROCKETS 44

We're benefiting from some hot shooting but also frankly from our opponent missing players and missing everything from the arc.

There was some weak, unfocused play on both ends this Q. We let the foot off the gas. A couple of Pop timeouts for unstructured O and bad D habits sneaking in - slow rotations, bad boxing out. 11 TOs attests to sloppiness.

We're active on D overall but biting on shot fakes a lot.

We're barely involving Wemby on O. He's creating off the flow of the game even as we pass into the block for him time and again. He's getting to the FT line a lot from getting the attention he garners - leads the game with 7-8FTs, good for nearly half of our 22 attempts - terrific.

This is the first game in which we are going with our projected starting five and so there's lots to accomplish - chemistry, point-Sochan development, incorporating Keldon, getting Wemby sets. It's multiple, and at times competing, purposes.

Devin's cooking. Once he shows the drive game, it's over.

Bench needs reps together, too. Lots of lineup combinations that we're figuring out still.

Wemby and Sochan back to back 3s. Good to see them both making one.