Game #51: SPURS @ Clippers Thursday 1/26 7:30 PM

[Akklaim1]

I never thought I’d see the Spurs become a target practice for contending teams. Must be humbling for Spurs fans. They had one lottery year (the year they lost Robinson for the season and decided to tank for Duncan) since the 90s before the bubble. Also an adjustment for Popovich. But who cares, he’s got nothing to prove.

Still a scrappy team even while bad. They pushed this team to a close game a week ago and considering they missed a few guys and on a back 2 back the first half effort was there.

I hate Popovich. Like Brady and Belichick, Popovich is garbage without Tim Duncan.

But yeah, they're not quitting. I think Popovich has to stick with coaching the Spurs at least until they return to the playoffs. He can't leave them like this.

Hmm, while it’s true that Popovich has not won anything without TD, he should get credit for his ability to adjust as the game changed in the early 2010s. He still managed to win 50-60 games a year when TD was way out of his prime. TD stopped being the 20 and 10 hall of famer that he is around 2009ish and yet the Spurs were still winning 50+ games and reaching the conference and NBA Finals.

[Dynamix]

[PeteyPablo]

Great to see Kawhi and George with 7 assists each.

Another win to make it 4 in a row. Next up are Hawks this Saturday and Cavs this Sunday , back to back.

Spurs played the Lakers the night before and not sure if they were tainted at all being mostly younger players. But I did see them playing hard against the Clippers.

Clippers played great to be able to blow them out .

[_NoMas]

Interested to know peoples thoughts on whether to play Kawhi and PG together and sit both on the other half of the B2B (so giving yourself the best possible chance to win one game, essentially throwing the other)… or playing Kawhi on one night and PG the other. Increasing your odds of going 0-2 or 2-0… risk vs reward (as I’m assuming neither are playing both nights of a B2B)

[madmaxmedia]

as far as the game itself, i watched it but not with too much intensity. honestly don't think there was much to take away from this game. just one of those games where a really bad team meets a team that's clearly more talented, but the more talented one actually displayed its talent and played not just well but pretty darn well, had a lot of good things going on for them, shot really, really well and that was that.

might sound pessimistic, and i'm not trying to, i just think there's not much to take away from the game, at least from my casual eyes. i will say though this is one of those regular season beat-em-ups that great teams are supposed to dole out on a nightly basis. like one thing i NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER worried about with the cp3/blake/doc teams was their ability to wax clearly inferior teams. and thus far we have not been in that category, so if this type of win means we're getting to that point, then i'll take it.

Of course the board’s feelings swing a lot after a couple of wins or losses, but i am with you. The next 10-12 games will be the real test of where we are as a healthy team.

Not that they will, but I don’t want to FO to stop looking into ways to improve the team after some wins over hapless teams. Or who knows, maybe it’s some good games that compel the FO to push some more chips into the center of the pile…

[PeteyPablo]

Interested to know peoples thoughts on whether to play Kawhi and PG together and sit both on the other half of the B2B (so giving yourself the best possible chance to win one game, essentially throwing the other)… or playing Kawhi on one night and PG the other. Increasing your odds of going 0-2 or 2-0… risk vs reward (as I’m assuming neither are playing both nights of a B2B)

I would rest Kawhi vs Hawks and play him vs Cavs. I think Paul George should be enough to match Trae Young and the rest of Clippers if bringing their focus and energy can get the win against the Hawks.

[jengmann3]

Interested to know peoples thoughts on whether to play Kawhi and PG together and sit both on the other half of the B2B (so giving yourself the best possible chance to win one game, essentially throwing the other)… or playing Kawhi on one night and PG the other. Increasing your odds of going 0-2 or 2-0… risk vs reward (as I’m assuming neither are playing both nights of a B2B)

Great question. I prefer to keep them playing together to continue develop chemistry and give the team the best chance to win atleast one of the games. But I can see both sides. I also thought PG would play both games but you never know.
As far as the trade deadline, it is very interesting. I like how the team is constructed and appreciate the players but playoffs are all about matchups. I don't think we have a great matchup for Jokic or Murray. I also don't think we have a great matchup for AD or Lebron (I get Kawhi and PG should be able to handle Bron but it didn't look great this week). I think a big that is a bit more switchable defensively and mobile would be a great help. obviously Miles Turner is like ideal but even Plumlee, Poetl, and Zach Collins would work.

The John Wall question is also interesting. I've always been a fan and believe he is still capable of having big moments. But the issue is Reggie Jackson and Norman Powell are very capable as well.

[PeteyPablo]

Interested to know peoples thoughts on whether to play Kawhi and PG together and sit both on the other half of the B2B (so giving yourself the best possible chance to win one game, essentially throwing the other)… or playing Kawhi on one night and PG the other. Increasing your odds of going 0-2 or 2-0… risk vs reward (as I’m assuming neither are playing both nights of a B2B)

Great question. I prefer to keep them playing together to continue develop chemistry and give the team the best chance to win atleast one of the games. But I can see both sides. I also thought PG would play both games but you never know.
As far as the trade deadline, it is very interesting. I like how the team is constructed and appreciate the players but playoffs are all about matchups. I don't think we have a great matchup for Jokic or Murray. I also don't think we have a great matchup for AD or Lebron (I get Kawhi and PG should be able to handle Bron but it didn't look great this week). I think a big that is a bit more switchable defensively and mobile would be a great help. obviously Miles Turner is like ideal but even Plumlee, Poetl, and Zach Collins would work.

The John Wall question is also interesting. I've always been a fan and believe he is still capable of having big moments. But the issue is Reggie Jackson and Norman Powell are very capable as well.

Agreed - playoffs are about the matchups. Jokic always destroys the Clippers and I can see AD also giving Clippers fits. Looking at the other teams , Sabonis will also give Clippers fits. Basically and skilled big man will hurt the Clippers.


John Wall might have to be delegated to third string if he is not used in a trade to improve the roster or fill a need.

[_NoMas]

Interested to know peoples thoughts on whether to play Kawhi and PG together and sit both on the other half of the B2B (so giving yourself the best possible chance to win one game, essentially throwing the other)… or playing Kawhi on one night and PG the other. Increasing your odds of going 0-2 or 2-0… risk vs reward (as I’m assuming neither are playing both nights of a B2B)

Great question. I prefer to keep them playing together to continue develop chemistry and give the team the best chance to win atleast one of the games. But I can see both sides. I also thought PG would play both games but you never know.
As far as the trade deadline, it is very interesting. I like how the team is constructed and appreciate the players but playoffs are all about matchups. I don't think we have a great matchup for Jokic or Murray. I also don't think we have a great matchup for AD or Lebron (I get Kawhi and PG should be able to handle Bron but it didn't look great this week). I think a big that is a bit more switchable defensively and mobile would be a great help. obviously Miles Turner is like ideal but even Plumlee, Poetl, and Zach Collins would work.

The John Wall question is also interesting. I've always been a fan and believe he is still capable of having big moments. But the issue is Reggie Jackson and Norman Powell are very capable as well.

Agree Myles Turner would be ideal, and I still think a TJ McConnell/ Tyus Jones type PG would also be welcomed, even if less of a priority then some size/ defence in the front court.

Right now not too worried about a potential Lakers match up. Denver is the nightmare matchup, and it’s not even too much about Jokic. He is going to get his, no matter who he plays… but the Warriors last playoffs essentially let him cook and settled for stopping the others (not that there was many others). I worry that Murray turns into bubble Murray, and then it’s a big ask of probably Terence Mann to stop him

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Reggie and Luke illustrated

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[Vae Victus]

I havent really been watching games. How come Wall isnt having much of an impact? He look physiclally washed, his shot is off, no chemistry? I thought he'd be mostly deployed against bench units and dominate them, but i guess he cant even do that now?

[KL2]

Well Kawhi and PG are playing tomorrow so they’ll be out against the Cavs. Wall is out. Morris is questionable. RoCo is out for personal reasons.

[Scoundreldays]

I havent really been watching games. How come Wall isnt having much of an impact? He look physiclally washed, his shot is off, no chemistry? I thought he'd be mostly deployed against bench units and dominate them, but i guess he cant even do that now?

Turnovers, bad defense and can't shoot

[Roscoe Sheed]

I havent really been watching games. How come Wall isnt having much of an impact? He look physiclally washed, his shot is off, no chemistry? I thought he'd be mostly deployed against bench units and dominate them, but i guess he cant even do that now?

Wall looks mostly fine physically- still very quick and good leaping ability.

The problems: he turns the ball over too much and teams have no respect for his jump shot

[madmaxmedia]

He still has fast line speed but not as much wiggle and start/stop. He can probably still run the break well but we're not a transition team, and he doesn't look nearly as good to me in the half-court. Plus his jumper is basically broken. All in all, I would much rather play a healthy, fresh Reggie over Wall. Since we're starting Mann at PG, that means Reggie can play less minutes and stay spry.

Wall might do better with a change of scenery and his contract is reasonable, so maybe he helps match salary in a trade.

[madmaxmedia]

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I think these are accurate observations, my big question is whether the upside of this team is as high as we anticipated before the season started. 2nd round? Conference finalist? NBA Finalist? Put a gun to my head and I'm a little worried if we don't top out once again as a 2nd round team. I'll still root for them no matter what, but those are my expectations right now.

A 100% Kawhi makes a whopper of a difference, of course he should as he's our best player. I think starting Mann at point has also helped, not because Mann is the best point guard but because his energy makes an outsized impact on our older team.

I really wish we could get an athletic backup/tandem center who played with energy and just credible D, and some rim running on offense. I think such a player also can make an outsized impact on our older team, relative to what we might have to give up for him, and give us a better chance at conference finals. We could then go into the offseason with 2 1sts, Mook's expiring, etc. if we really found a deal our there for an impact player.