SPURS GAME DAY! GAME 26: SPURS AT HEAT, 10-12-2022, 4PM (CT)

[G R E Y]

Pop running up to the ref all fired up to get the timeout. Oof. We have to get the ball in. Then protect the ball. Then score. Then defend cleanly.

[G R E Y]

Third time's not the charm.

[hippesthippo]

Wait, is it just you here GREY?

Sometimes, yes. There's very few Spurs posters who are on RGM consistently. It's a Saturday night and we don't win many. But fun game tonight!

Nice to see you!

hahaha nice.

Tre Jones and Devin Vassell have looked pretty good.

This might be the sloppiest 4th quarter I've seen from a Pop coached team tho.

[G R E Y]

Wait, is it just you here GREY?

Sometimes, yes. There's very few Spurs posters who are on RGM consistently. It's a Saturday night and we don't win many. But fun game tonight!

Nice to see you!

hahaha nice.

Tre Jones and Devin Vassell have looked pretty good.

This might be the sloppiest 4th quarter I've seen from a Pop coached team tho.

Not even the sloppiest in the last month lol

Comes with the territory in a rebuild and developing the youngest team in Pop's career.

We're without our starting front court for several games to boot. And a few bench contributors. We'll take it!

[G R E Y]

Two game win streak!

[imagump1313]

We won that game???

F* CK!!!!!!!

[imagump1313]

So since we decided to move away from good fundamentals for the last two games and get away from the things we were doing well we fell from the #2 spot all the way back out of the top 4 to #5.

Now we have a crap ton of work to do to get back where we were. It starts now. We can do this.

[G R E Y]

4TH Q: SPURS 115 HEAT 111

A fine team-wide effort continued and so did the results in our favour. Not without some angst, but it’s good to be rewarded for more good than bad overall.

Let’s start with where we finished. The old and ongoing proper inbounds nemesis reappeared at the worst time: two timeouts and a O foul TO later, our favourable position – lead with possession – suddenly relied on the defense that has been our crux but that we’ve recently recommitted to. Which would win out? Well we gave up two uncontested 3s but got a crucial rebound by Tre, the shortest player on the court, to secure the win.

Secure is one way to put it; eke out is another. There was nothing secure about our final O or D possessions, but we did do enough throughout the game that cumulatively helped put us in a position to even fight for a W.

Post-game, a still surly Pop said that getting the W was the part he liked best, dismissing a query to analyze the who inbounds **** up fiasco. It’s been part of a pattern of folding under pressure for us that we need to practice and learn from in games. Sure defenses tighten to prevent easy passes, but we really didn’t move, cut, fake nearly hard enough for the inbounder to have a clear sure target. Then a rather weak O foul screen called on Collins TO’d it. The best thing to say about it is that we didn’t make a weak, pressured inbounds pass (which has happened before and resulted in TO’s) just to get it out within five seconds even if we burned two timeouts.

On D at least we didn’t give up an easy drive or alley oop opportunity but our other nemesis of giving up uncontested 3s attempts nearly burned us. Though we won the rebound battle 46-32 and 9-5 on O boards, none was more crucial for them given the situation was their final O board for a second 3 chance as well. But there was Tre fighting for our final D board; Tre grabbed 4 rebounds in total, none more important than the last one. Both the rebound and making the final 2FTs where he was 6-8 for the game ans we were 24-31, a four point edge in points, three in attempts sealed our win.

Although Tre struggled with efficiency (2-8, 0-1 from 3), he led us with FT attempts because of the relentless drives that broke through defenses time and again. The 4 assists and 2 steals were part of another overall assertive vertical effort with some feisty D.

Before that, Devin who came off the bench in return from injury made two clutch mid range Js on the left side, creating D imbalance and space with his moves and handles and finishing with sweet clutch Js. Devin led the bench with 26 minutes and 18 on 7-13, 1-4 from 3, 3-4FTs. He aslo registered 4 boards, 2 assists, and team best 3 steals for a stealth two-way game that quietly yet effectively was a crucial contributor that pushed us in playing the right way.

Doug was Doug again with an egoless bench contribution of 13 on 5-8, team high 3-5 from 3, 2 boards (1 on O), 5 assists(!) for a team high +22. His quick off-ball movement, drives, lightening 3s releases are an excellent example for the young guys of not only how to handle going from a starter to bench, but how to contribute with honing your skills and when you don’t have the ball in your hands.

Jrich struggled once again with his shot (3 points on 1-7, 1-5 from 3) but he led the bench with 7 boards (2 on O), and dished a team high 6 assists. All of his shots were outside the paint or at the arc. I understand that we had some players driving relentlessly which gave others more open shots elsewhere. Perhaps Jrich can take a page out of Keldon’s and Doug’s adjustment playbook and make score some points inside first. He tends to operate far more on the perimeter but we do need him to vary his shot selection in search of better efficiency. Still, that he found other ways to contribute is a welcome sign; a plus player despite a poor shooting night shows the young guys how to stay in the game and help team mates and the outcome with doing a lot of other things well.

Our bench was rounded out with contributions from our bigs Roby and Bassey. In only 3 minutes, Roby scored 5 on 2-2, 1-3FTs (this needs work; he’s only 42.9% this season, over 25% below his career average at the line), grabbed 4 boards (2 on O), and 2 steals. Roby’s a hit or miss player who when he plays within himself ie/ doesn’t get fancy with behind the back dribble attempts he is a smart guys with a big body who can contribute on both ends.

Bassey was part of a tandem that kept the opposing C at bay all game. He played 18 minutes, including being on the court for the final D sequence after Collins fouled out, and chipped in 8 on 4-5 (including a top of the key J, good to see), got 4 boards (2 on O), and 2 assists.

Our bench outscored theirs 47-20. When you’re missing key players, having others step up and fill in in various ways is crucial and we got key contributions from all our bench players.

Our backup bigs combined for more points scored than the starting C opponent who was held to almost half his scoring average. Collins was a force in pushing him out of his comfort zone, forcing passes out and changing shots with only two made baskets on two attempts in the restricted area, or 18% of his total FGAs, well below his average there. Making things difficult for their starting C was also apparent in his taking almost a third fewer attempts overall and splitting these with their backup C who nearly doubled his per game attempts. We’ll take it.

Collins was an absolute beast on both ends scoring 16 on 6-7 (almost all in the paint), 1-1 from 3, 3-5FTs, along with grabbing a team high 8 boards, as well as getting 2 assists, and 1 block. His disruptive piss and vinegar push back on D and efficient O contribution helped give us a 54-50 points in the paint advantage. His 4TOs were mainly from weak passes as the cog elbow facilitator as we move off ball around him, a work in progress that is both on him to react to better and on us to recognize and close the gap of space that is at times too big for floating passes to reach their targets.

We had 18 TO’s this game but it cost us 12 points, five fewer than we scored off of opponent TO’s, and well below our 27th ranking 20.3 points given up off TO’s per game. We don’t always win this category, so even as we still had a high number, making more of our chances and running back to contest are improvements.

Along with Tre, Keldon once again led the driving charge to disrupt their paint D, putting them on their heels with his physicality and quick decisions. Opposing commentators continue to marvel at his strength to size ratio, how he pushes far bigger defenders back with his bulk and how he manages to finish at the rim so well against them. For all his improvements at the 3, this is an equally important development of his game; he doesn’t just barrel through, but uses footwork, body angles, ball protection, and angles and heights off the glass for high quality finishes. He led us with 21 on 7-15 (all but two in the paint), only 0-2 from 3 (a big change, well below his team leading 8 attempts from 3 per game), but 7-7FTs, leading the team in made FT’s, second only to Tre in attempts who added the final two thanks to getting fouled after securing that final rebound. He also grabbed 6 boards (1 on O), and had 2 assists. The team leading 5TO’s from some questionable passes and at times weird handles for unforced errors you live with because of the absolute change in gears and effort to lead the team in energy and determination.

We clearly have a driving mindset to impose our game and with Tre and Keldon forging the way, an energized and more comfortable and coordinated Romeo followed suit, scoring a career high 19 on terrific 7-10 (he was 4-4 finishing in the restricted area, 5-6 in the paint, 0-1 non-paint midrange), 1-2 from 3, 4-4FTs, to go along with 6 boards (1 on O), 1 steal, and 1 block. He has a slithery style and some crafty finishes at the rim, be it with a left hand on a right side drives or reverse off the glass, but he is much better at pouncing on a sliver of an opening and using his physicality to surprise would be defenders who can’t knock him off course. Very pleased with his shot selection. He did miss some open first options with Keldon having his hands at the ready or arms up calling for the ball and not getting or getting it later, but for the most part these shots, too, worked in our favour and kept others engaged, knowing they’d get opportunities and had to make the most of them.

Malaki was the third guard as part of our on-and-off ball movement oriented strategy but he struggled as rookies will do. Consistency in a bigger role when every team is a new experience is a steep learning curve.

One thing that stood out this game was the miss of easier passes in favour of more difficult ones. We kept missing the first available option ahead to the left or right and instead at times skipped that option for more dribbling or skipped it in favour of looping passes to a team mate farther away on the same side which resulted in a steal. But with a young team, a push for more pace and movement, and more guys handling the ball, these are things we will improve with practice.

Another difference is the low number of 3s we took. This is one of the few games we’ve won where we were in the deficit in 3s, scoring 18 fewer points on 13 fewer attempts. We made 7-21 from the arc, well below our 20th ranked 11.5 makes and tied for 12th 33.9 attempts per game.

We’ve switched priorities in starting inside out to get us moving vertically and impose our game from the start which has balanced out our priorities and frankly woken us up to use our other strengths. We’ve been too passive for too many games when we’d start chucking 3s and when they wouldn’t fall you could feel the energy drain and panic start to set in as the fight from behind would have to commence yet again.

Even if we are not shooting as many 3s, I do like the focus on utilizing more of our drive, P&R, and cut game. It’s a better energy to start and better balance with the 3. At times we’ve over relied on it and making many of them has hidden some deficiencies that arose when that shot wasn’t falling.

And so points in the paint as well as trips to the FT line have picked up the slack, areas where just about everyone can contribute. We made 24-31FTs, work in progress efficiency, but well above our next-to-last 20FTAs per game.

Our D for the most part was better individually and as a team. There were few times that we outright got beaten down the middle (and even then, it was mostly by their talented leading scorer SF). We did well to stay with the man forcing angles leading to our waiting bigs, did well to fight over screens (for the most part) and did well with help D and rebounding.

We don’t tend to have rebounders on longer shots preferring to be able to run back on D on misses, but do well on trailers sneaking in for O board putbacks when we drive. We were down 17-11 in fast break points (we’re 26th at 16.1 FBP given up per game) so ensuring we get back consistently is a point of emphasis for improvement.

We need to be better at identifying the hot 3s shooters and never letting have open shots. Part of that is over commitment in the key and then guys getting confused about who to pick up on the perimeter (although this has been much better of late), and part of it is going under screens against snipers. Can’t happen.

Overall, though, the aggressive tone setting drives, consistency of them, and a varied team wide attack and scrambling defense helped us overcome deficits and keep a close lead.

We frankly tend to wobble a bit in pressure situations, but where we’ve done better of late. We’ve had patterns of getting to within a point or two only to get in our own way and make a cluster of mistakes and fall behind. But here we not only trimmed a deficit but also broke through and get the lead back – and keep it.

Ok the last part was a lot of luck preceded by a lot of inbounding challenges, but we put ourselves into a winning situation throughout the game. For a young group facing a seasoned team that can put the defensive screws into opponents, it was a learning experience. We’ve now faced the adversity of letting big leads go as well as hanging onto a slim one and have kept our heads well enough to stay ahead. All the little details from the start of the game – the first punch, end of Q D and O, boxing out, executing the game plan with a next man up mentality – raising our individual and collective responsibilities and competitiveness while using fundamentals more has been a joy to see.

[G R E Y]

NOTEWORTHY ACHIEVEMENTS

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

[G R E Y]

HIGHLIGHTS

Watch on YouTube

Watch on YouTube

Read on Twitter

POST-GAME INTERVIEWS

Read on Twitter

Watch on YouTube

Watch on YouTube