SPURS GAME DAY! GAME 4: SPURS AT WOLVES, 24-10-2022, 7PM (CT)

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Re: SPURS GAME DAY! GAME 4: SPURS AT WOLVES, 24-10-2022, 7PM (CT) 

Post#61 » by G R E Y » Tue Oct 25, 2022 2:14 am

We have 10 points with under two minutes left in the game. TEN.

They have a game-low 14 points in the 3RD Q.

And we TO it AGAIN and it costs us a basket.

FFS.

THINK, SPURS!
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Re: SPURS GAME DAY! GAME 4: SPURS AT WOLVES, 24-10-2022, 7PM (CT) 

Post#62 » by G R E Y » Tue Oct 25, 2022 2:16 am

Devin missed bunny at the rim.

Keldon gets stripped and another basket given up off a TO.
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Re: SPURS GAME DAY! GAME 4: SPURS AT WOLVES, 24-10-2022, 7PM (CT) 

Post#63 » by G R E Y » Tue Oct 25, 2022 2:17 am

Oh thank the basketball gods, a COUPLE OF POINTS!

Devin made both FTs...
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Re: SPURS GAME DAY! GAME 4: SPURS AT WOLVES, 24-10-2022, 7PM (CT) 

Post#64 » by G R E Y » Tue Oct 25, 2022 2:22 am

We have Romeo - for the first time in the game lmao!, Primo, Sochan, Roby, Diop.

We dribble it out... fitting ending to this Q lmao
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Re: SPURS GAME DAY! GAME 4: SPURS AT WOLVES, 24-10-2022, 7PM (CT) 

Post#65 » by imagump1313 » Tue Oct 25, 2022 6:23 am

We are F-ed................
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Re: SPURS GAME DAY! GAME 4: SPURS AT WOLVES, 24-10-2022, 7PM (CT) 

Post#66 » by G R E Y » Tue Oct 25, 2022 6:39 am

4TH Q: SPURS 115 WOLVES 106

Phew!

I didn't know before the game that our opponent was on the SEGABABA, but scouting did and we worked our game plan so well that we built a 35-point lead on stellar two-way team play until we did our '**** around in the final Q to see what we could find out' bit and it dwindled to nine points by the end of the game, this on our 12 points in total and a 23-point deficit in the 4TH.

Really we showed that we could take advantage of a tired team after taking advantage of a team that probably took us too lightly as we were on the SAGABABA previously. But young legs and big hearts with something to prove in a rebuild year ignored the message and sent their own.

We once again gave ourselves a big enough cushion and did just enough to seal the win.

Pop tried some tricks as well putting in Romeo and Diop into our final lineup, neither of whom had played any minutes in this game. Pressure situation, gents. How will you handle it?

Well as a team the 4TH Q was a display of how badly things can go, even versus a tired team as much as the first three Qs showed how well we can play.

On the one hand, we had only 6TOs through three Qs; on the other, we finished the game with 13. So we more than doubled our TO output in just one Q, and gave up 20 points on them. Good thing is we scored 23 on their TOs, forcing 16, including 12 steals.

Our defensive activity and cohesiveness in executing the gameplan stood out well for the most part. We kept beating them down the court in transition, outscoring them24-14 in fast break points and 60-46 points in the paint. We did a very good job not only pushing the pace (83-66FGAs after three Qs, finishing with 105-86FGAs) but driving with physicality at their bigs and through their defenders.

We created and took advantage of open lanes, alley oops, and extra passes for open 3s. We made 12-37, so a lower efficiency than in the previous two games, but that we took over 30 is also a good sign. Twenty-two were by four starters, and fifteen were spread among bench players not named Romeo and Diop. Starters set up 24 assists to the bench's 13.

Devin led us with a hard fought for 23 points on 8-22, but 5-10 from 3. He also impressed with 9 rebounds and 7 assists. So I tihink that's at least tie for career high in points, and has to be up near there if not career setting highs in assists (if not rebounds as well). Add a steal and 2-2FTs as well as game high +16 and it made for another impressive breakout all-around game performance.

Looking at his shot chart, he missed all his closest to the basket attempts. Some of it was missed bunnies, some of it was contests versus a formidable front court. They did have a 5-0 blocks advantage on us. He has to find ways to get over and around bigger players. Several times this season defenders have run down and contested his fast breaks. Some combination of ball protection, high off the glass shots, crafty ways of finishing. But Devin also got to his mid range elbow spots easily, and of course poured in the 3s. This on top of disrputive, smart defense. Love his game!

While Devin made 3s and struggled inside, Keldon struggled with the arc shots (1-6 from 3) but drove relentlessly, keeping defenders on their heels and fouling time and again. It's a pity that Keldon didn't take more of an advantage of the +1 opportunities making just 1-4FTs, but he did get many fouls with his quicker yet still strong frame, deft touch at the rim after driving through tight seams. I loved his alley oop passes (4 assists), only 3 rebounds, but 2 steals.

Tre actually led us with 3 steals. Although he struggled with his shot (8 on 3-10, 1-4 from 3) but he grabbed 8 rebounds and dished 9 assists. He got mismatched too often on their hulking PF and sometimes we got lucky with missed bunnies. But other times Tre actually led him into help D traps that resulted in steals and transition points. Tre's a no frills, pass-first PG who knows his position and it's an anchoring presence at a position we thought we'd lost stability in. Turns out he's exactly what the position needs.

Our bigs are reaping the rewards of playing with Tre. Jakob had an efficient 14 points on 7-12 along with game-high 14 rebounds (game-high 8 on O). He saved several possessions in our end by tapping the ball to team mates and gave us extra possession on the O end as well. Simple following drivers to the rim for putbacks was pure effort and touch.

This was Jeremy's breakout game. He's shown really good defensive effort and smarts, but the O was lagging behind. Well he had 8 points in the 1ST Q alone on running in transition and dunking, finishing alley oops, sneaking in back door, following drivers for putbacks, and adding a pretty drive sky hook. Most points were either dunks or off the glass. Switchable, smart, relentless, athletic, physical. And now, nice touch at the rim, finally being rewarded for his D effort. He finished with career-high 14 points on 7-9, 0-2 from 3

Jakob and Sochan did a great job fighting for position inside, often forcing their bigs to abandom the first option and get out of the key to the perimeter. They did a great job running the floor, the did a great job passing, and did a great job on the boards.

They were balanced out with Roby (6 on 2-6, 2-4 from 3) and Collins (11 on 5-9, 0-2 from 3). They combined to chip in 6 boards (2 on O), Roby had 3 steals, and they combined for 9 assists. Crucial contribution there.

Doug had one of his famine games with only 2 points on poor shooting. It'll happen.

Fellow vet JRich was a two-way positive stand out once again with 9 on 4-7, 2-4 from 3, 3 boards, 1 assist and 1 steal. The ball mostly didn't stick with him. His experience allows the flow to continue as he's quick and decisive. At times he does take his own shot not within the good to great framework and perhaps too early in the shot clock (we were up big, but still...).

Trade rumours abound, and with an expiring contract, JRich's 3 and D continues to raise his stock. Good for him; good for us.

Primo was our sixth man with 25 bench minutes in which he scored 10 points on better 3-5, 2-4 from 3 (confidently stepping into them, good to see), 2-3FTs, 3 boards (2 on O!), and 2 assists.

He had the wrong distinction of leading us with 4 TOs, some on weak passes, some on weak reads of where a team mate would be but wasn't. Part of it is a chemistry issue that will come with reps. Part of it is experience in running a team. His more natural instinct seems to be to try to beat guys off the dribble and look to score. We're honing both scoring and facilitating while still providing reliable D. He has a high dribble that got stripped - something to work on.

I forget that he's STILL only 19! (Wolves commentator: "Primo looks like he's 13 years old" haha!). And that this is only his second professional season in a bigger role. I do like that his bigger, stronger frame shows well in driving and absorbing contact, in holding his own defending post ups, in withstanding the rigors of a full NBA season.

A steady, higher floor, all around contribution with improvements to his handle, quicker decisions, better facilitating. He has to find ways to better mesh his seemingly unperturbable, slinky style with our ball movement, pace-oriented style of play.

The big lead and full team contributions allowed for Pop to limit our minutes in this third game in four nights. Keldon led the way with 34 minutes, Devin with 33, Jakob 31, Tre 30, and Jeremy with 23, more than doubling his playing time in the previous game. He earned it. Primo was the lone bench player to cross the 20-minute mark. Everyone else was around the mid-teens, with Dieng, Diop, and Romeo fully ready for bigger contributions next game.

A full team effort, a team that is getting better at playing with various line-ups, and commited to D and ball sharing.

We do have to work on breaking through zone D, work on weak side D boards, and points given up from TOs. Also, let's make our FTs, gents, ok?

We've already surprised some teams and perhaps ourselves. Still, it's nice to be rewarded for better effort and good two-way team play even as growth and development are central to this season.
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Re: SPURS GAME DAY! GAME 4: SPURS AT WOLVES, 24-10-2022, 7PM (CT) 

Post#67 » by G R E Y » Tue Oct 25, 2022 6:45 am

NOTEWORTHY ACHIEVEMENTS

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Re: SPURS GAME DAY! GAME 4: SPURS AT WOLVES, 24-10-2022, 7PM (CT) 

Post#68 » by G R E Y » Tue Oct 25, 2022 6:54 am

HIGHLIGHTS





EDIT to add

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:lol:



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Re: SPURS GAME DAY! GAME 4: SPURS AT WOLVES, 24-10-2022, 7PM (CT) 

Post#69 » by G R E Y » Tue Oct 25, 2022 7:03 am

POST-GAME INTERVIEWS

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In their 50 years, the Spurs have only had three better starts (4-0 in 2012, 2016 and 2017). It’s also only the fourth time in franchise history they’ve started a season 3-0 on the road after following their season-opening loss at home against Charlotte with wins at Indiana, Philadelphia and Minneapolis.

“I try not to listen to the outside noise, but I’m not going to lie, it does get frustrating when everybody is talking about tanking, tanking, tanking,” Vassell said. “We are professional athletes. We all want to play. We all want to win. And that’s how we are going to approach every game. We don’t look at anybody and say, Oh, we are going to lose this game, or we are going to lose that game. Hell, no. We are competing every day and that’s what we are going to keep doing.”

https://www.expressnews.com/sports/spurs/article/Triple-take-Spurs-115-Timberwolves-106-17532067.php
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Re: SPURS GAME DAY! GAME 4: SPURS AT WOLVES, 24-10-2022, 7PM (CT) 

Post#70 » by Phreak50 » Tue Oct 25, 2022 8:16 am

First game of the year I watched live and in full thanks to working from home.

I'm fine with not obviously tanking when the way we are playing is so fun and entertaining.

As Grey said, so many assists. It's just beautiful to watch.

Man, Vassell and Keldon could be an amazing duo if they keep going.

Go Spurs!

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