SPURS GAME DAY! GAME 40: SPURS VS. CELTICS, 7-1-2023, 5PM (CT)

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JRICH TAKES THE O CHARGE!

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ROMEO AND JRICH PUTTING IN THE WORK!!!

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ANOTHER ARM PUSH OFF. ANOTHER NO CALL.

BULL ****.

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JRICH FOR THE GAME TYING 3!!!

[imagump1313]

FU Richardson........

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YES SOCHAN!!!!!!! TEAM PLAYER! NOT SELFISH LIKE RICHARDSON!!!

[imagump1313]

Thats what u get for talking crap Richardson!!!! Who are you anyway??

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We had two Spurs there and one opponent behind them tapped the rebound out... damn...

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FU Richardson........

[imagump1313]

HUGE game for us tonight! Great job all. Richardson tried to blow it for us, but screw him.

Charlotte and Orlando won. Toronto signed their own tank commander today in Joe Weiskamp. Houston is in the middle of their 15 game losing streak. This game meant a lot to us...

[bisme37]

Fun game yesterday!

I'm glad to see Romeo playing well! Miss Josh Richardson too. Collins and Sochan looked good last night. Cheers.

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4TH Q: SPURS 116 CELTICS 121

Holding our own in the second game of a back-to-back played within less than 24 hours, without three starters, and versus a top-tier team are important signs of progress. There were enough times when we had a full or near enough, rested squad but lacked the requisite respect and appropriate fear as Pop likes to say.

We needed a full team effort all the more and that’s exactly what we got. Good start, good fight back, strong finish. We had eight Spurs in double figures led by Tre (8-18, 0-1, 2-2FTs), Collins (8-13, 0-2 from 3, 2-3FTs), and JRich (7-14, 4-9 from 3) with 18 each.

Collins played a team high 34 minutes and had our lone double double leading us with 12 boards, and tied for game-high 4 on O. He also tied Tre for game-high 5 assists. Big game for him, making all but three of his shots in the paint, varying his attack to restricted and outside it, posting up, trailing with Js, hitting runners and garnering increasing positive attention. He more than held his own standing in for Jakob, improving with PPG and efficiency in each of the last three months. He’s averaging career highs with 9.5PPG on 55.6% and 6.6 attempts per game, 36.7% from 3, and 2.5 assists. His consistent, raised level of play exemplifies our main purpose of development of players and their collective level of team play.

Romeo filled in for Devin admirably once again scoring 14 on 7-15, was second on the team with 7 boards (2 on ), and 1 assist. He impressed with his defense as well as an improved O game: more physicality, better finishes at the rim, a nice pull up J. It felt like he had more juice in his step like he wanted to prove something versus the team that traded him and he did, once again showing ourTre development working.

Diop filled in for Keldon, played the fewest minutes of the starters (22) and was the lone starter who didn’t have double digit FGAs. We put up 100FGAs in total, and there’s only so many shots to go around. With Diop’s 4 points on 2-6, 0-1 from 3, with 4 boards (2 on O) perhaps his strength is also a something that needs honing. He’s a great team mate and a player who is serviceable in that he’ll do whatever is asked of him. These are great qualities as is his even keeled temperament, though he and we could benefit from him being more assertive. I thought Romeo was cut from that same calm cloth but he’s asserted himself increasingly to good effect. It’s also different as Diop is more dependent on having the ball given to him rather than initiating O. Ironically, Keita’s averaging career highs in MPG (17.9), FGAs (5.7), PPG (7.5), FG% (51.8%), 3s% (36.6%), FT’s% (81%). And he’s already started 12 games, two away from matching his career high set last season. So he’s making the most of his chances and is efficient with them. Perhaps the trade deadline opens even more of an opportunity for him (hopefully with us). And should it come, finding another gear for a higher baseline level will help him stand out more.

Regular starters Tre and Sochan were terrific on both ends. Sochan scored 11 on 4-10, 1-4 from 3, 2-2FTs. He had some tough defensive assignments, made some rookie mistakes, and showed the courage we love to see. It wasn’t the best shot for him to take the 3 late in the 4TH when we were down 2 points, but it is for him to try. Again, that’s the point of this season.

Both of them had 5 boards (1 on O), both had 1 steal, with Sochan also dishing 3 assists. Tre got blocked a couple of times but still kept driving and figuring out how to finish. Love his relentlessness, pushing of pace, looking for team mates, balancing when to take his shots, running the team well.

Our bench outscored theirs 51-41 with each player standing out in different ways: Bassey didn’t get any chances to shoot but led the bench with 5 boards; JRich led the bench with points (18), FGAs (7-14), 3s attempted and made (4-9), assists (4), blocks (2), and team high +6. And he also registered 3 boards and 1 steal. What an incredible all around game. Romeo wasn’t the only one who wanted to show well versus his former team. Malaki led the bench with 2 steals and was also one of the four bench players in double figures scoring – 10 points on 5-10, 0-3 from 3, 2 boards, and 3 assists.

Some insights and examples of his burgeoning game:

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Stanley led the bench with 4-5FTs, scoring 10 on 3-7, 0-2 from 3 along with 4 boards (2 on O) and 2 assists in only 10 minutes! As comfortable as he looked when he first got here three weeks ago, he looks like an ever better fit with each game. His scoring is dependable but so is his ability to contribute in multiple other ways.

That leaves us with Doug doing Doug things, leading the bench with efficiency, making 5-7, 2-3 from 3, 1-2FTs for 13 points, 3 boards, and 1 assist. Paint and arc are where he feasts, and it was his ever reliable movement to get to open spaces cutting, driving, bouncing the ball ahead farther to the spot at which he gathered to take his lightning quick shot that he ate up all game.

We got it to within one several times but just couldn’t get over the hump and never actually led. Missing three starters may have altered our fate, but in general, breaking the close deficit ceiling is something we need to get more confident in and better at doing. We tend to get a high from cutting the deficit and then are too erratic in trying to get a lead. We either TO it or take too-quick one and done shots, or someone goes ISO ball. We go away from the main thing that positioned us to get a lead – movement, team ball for good to great shots. To whatever extent fatigue was a factor, its blend with the lack of poise from inexperience in pressure situations is something we have to improve.

Really 3s were a big differentiating factor in this game. They made 15 to our 7, and those extra 24 points against hurt. We did so well in other areas like matching their FG%, almost matching FT makes (12 to our 11), our 51-43 win on the boards (including 12-8 on O boards), being +5 on points off turnovers, and thumping them 70-54 in points in the paint.

Being within two points with ten seconds left in the game versus a top team and us missing key players on a SEGABABA is a near ideal situation. I loved this carry over of physicality, ultra competitiveness, and full team contributions from the previous game, too. So proud of our fight. Just keep learning, and keep it rolling.

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NOTEWORTHY ACHIEVEMENTS

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POST-GAME INTERVIEWS

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