SPURS GAME DAY! GAME 37: SPURS VS. HORNETS, 12-1-2024, 7PM (CT)

[G R E Y]

I wish Julian dished it to the big in the pocket to his right down low.

Instead he got contested, fell, and we were down defenders in transition, basket against.

Pop timeout.

[imagump1313]

Champaigne thinks he's Kobe......

[G R E Y]

WOW that was beautiful passing by our third stringers.

But we keep taking 3s and missing them and then getting scored on inside.

Until that Blake steal and dunk. Well done.

[imagump1313]

What is Champaigne tonight? 2 of 162?

[G R E Y]

Really nice find by Blake.

Looked like he got tunnel vision on that drive, stopped on a dime, whipped a pass out and up the the weak side for a Julian 3.

[G R E Y]

What is Champaigne tonight? 2 of 162?

2-7 overall, 2-6 from 3, 3-3FTs.

But yeah, it feels like one of those games where it's way more lol

Probably because just about everyone else is clicking tonight.

[G R E Y]

DIAKITE KNOWS HOW TO PLAY!

[G R E Y]

Julian, mate.

You shot yours already.

You had an open Mamu in the left corner, the shortest arc shot.

Be a pal and make the right play, the extra zip pass to that corner.

Mamu had his hands up and everything.

[G R E Y]

Blur Blake is incredible in transition, in open court.

[G R E Y]

D3VONT3!

[G R E Y]

Nice simple Blake drive off a screen. Good touch and finish at the rim

[imagump1313]

[G R E Y]

4TH Q: SPURS 135 HORNETS 99

Our best, most consistent, team-first, D-out, two-way game? Yes!

We won all Qs, scored at least 30+ points in three of them, had 31 assists, and shot efficiently, pouring in 135 on only 87FGAs. That 44% of them were from the arc (connecting on an efficient 47.4%) belies our strong interior scoring (winning PITP 52-38) and getting to the FT line well (though we made only 27-34). Still, making well above our 3s efficiency average (28th ranked 34.7%) and getting to the line far better than our average (29th ranked 20.1FTAs). Impressively, all but three Spurs got to the FT line, including all starters, who combined for 16-17FTs.

We haven't fared as well against more physical teams but we not only absorbed it well but initiated it better, too. We also adjusted better to more stringent D, facing a tighter man D and lots of deflections. At times we got caught faking shots and overpassing, but it was a good test for making quicker decisions.

And considering our overall shot profile, we adjusted well, pounding it inside-out which generated more energy than our at times more passive outside-in starts previously.

Going to Wemby early and often at the start of each half proved decisive. That he's able to make an impact earlier in games now is a good improvement. That we go to him more is as well, with more teammates both finding him and making good passes.

Wemby led us with yet another series of eye-popping plays on both ends, but with the O standing out bringing the crowd to roars that resonate well beyond the end of the game. He scored a team high 26 on 9-14, 2-3 from 3, team high 6-6FTs, registering the game's only double double with 11 boards (team high 3 on O), 1 assist, 2 blocks and 3TOs in starter low 20 minutes. He wasn't particularly efficient and was more TO prone in the first half, but that 3RD Q... that 3RD Q was incredible.

We've had trouble to start the second half for most of the season, though coming into this game, we won three previous 3RD Qs and continued this trend with a banger of a start. Wemby scored 15 points on 100% efficiency. Tre and Devin found him on P&R alley oops, Sochan found him cutting (Keldon missed him with an alley oop pass two feet beyond his reach, a feat, that, much to Pop's thinly veiled chagrin. Keldon's lucky we're rebuilding lol).

And so our healthy 21-point half lead grew to over 30, one we maintained for much of the rest of the game.

Devin impressed with both his passing vision, making several drives and accurate kick outs, as well as driving through physicality, finishing well at the rim, and making a 3 on thankfully fewer attempts. He finished with 12 on 4-10, 1-3 from 3, 3-3FTs as well as 3 boards, 5 assists, 2 steals. Terrific synergy with Wemby, much more judicious shot selection and takes, much better probing to look for teammates.

Tre only shot 2-4, 0-1 from 3, 2-2FTs, had 3 boards, team high 7 assists, 1 steal. Six points, but was the central hub around which the team moved and functioned better. A presence whose contribution extends beyond stats.

We finally got Julian more chances to score, and put up shots he did. He only made 2-8, 2-7 from 3, 3-3FTs for 9 points, chipping in 2 boards and 1 assist. He moved well, was a physical defender, mostly fundamentally sound, and wasn't shy about letting it fly. He's a streaky shooter, and an unsound finisher at the rim when he drives versus bigger defenders. Julian is sound when he moves off ball and can score with reversals off glass or on open cuts, but has to develop his finishing at the rim through defenders. He also had a wide open Mamu in the left corner late in the game, hands at the ready for the pass that didn't come, so recognition of us finding him more has to go both ways, or him finding other players behind him in the lineup minutes.

Sochan. What an awesome game from him. One of the best if not the best of the season considering his balanced, good flow O game, stingy D, and **** talking to opponents lol.

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Yes he had a game in which he scored a career high before, but in this one, he was a game high +35 in only 26 minutes and it showed. A tough defender facing various opponents, keeping them in front of him, out of the middle of the paint, collapsing inside to contest and battle for rebounds. His chemistry with Wemby was far far better in this game than any other, too. Loved how physical his drives were, too. He got punished for them but kept on bruising through.

This was but one read that went smoothly:

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Sochan finished with 13 on 5-7, 1-2 from 3, 2-3FTs, along with 6 boards, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block. Complete two-way game.

Overall the set ups and passes have been better team-wise, and individually between pairs of players that have been much maligned for missed plays earlier in the season. By me included. Frustrating as it was to watch, it must have been just as frustrating to go through the missed reps. Well they're coming together far better now, and with far more players in on them. It may have taken longer than we anticipated, but it's a work in progress season blending one of the most unique talents ever with the youngest team in the league.

Our bench poured in 69 points, outscoring its counterpart by 41 points. Moving Keldon has been a boon. Even though he hasn't been as efficient, he gets more freedom to shoot, and when he uses his bully ball best he makes the most impact. He scored 10 on 3-11, but of those he took 2-7 from 3, 2-2FTs. His shot profile was a disciplined paint and arc exclusively but he made just 1-4 in the former. It happens. You can see him pressing at times, but he's valuable to us keeping his particular relentless style relentless.

Doug was scorching hot, scoring a bench-high 14 on 4-6 from 3, 2-3FTs and grabbing 2 boards in only 12 minutes before getting undercut on a shot and having to leave the game. We did a great job finding him after he did a great job moving quickly off ball to keep getting open. Synergy.

Twin Cedi was a perfect compliment, scoring 11 on 4-4, 2-2 from 3, 1-2FTs, along with 4 boards (1 on O), 1 assist, 1 steal in 14 minutes. They're the ideal fit for the type of movement and passing oriented game we want to play but as expiring vets, they can also be so contending teams so we have some decisions to make.

Dom has been increasingly impressive, stepping up to the opportunity that has presented itself. Ever physical, he's stronger now to absorb hits and impose himself at opponent rims. He's got that knack and timing for O boards you can't teach, only hone, and once again led the bench with 2 O boards en route to 6 in total (also bench high), and got a team high 3 blocks. So even though he struggled to score (5 on 1-4, 3-6FTs) he kept at it with sound defense and rim protection and getting to the right spots on O to take passes.

Branham was more within himself and his rhythm but still looking for more consistent efficiency. He scored 9 on 3-7, 2-3 from 3, but it was encouraging to see him make defensive stops (praised by Pop for one of them), and contribute with 2 boards, and a bench high 4 assists. He's often the first sub in from the bench unit so we're giving him plenty of minutes (bench high 20) and reps. It's good to see him broadening his game and we need to see him with bigger contributions like this.

Blur Blake is a cheetah out there, and now he is in better control of the ball and his managing of it with steals and dunks. He's a better defender than Branham, it comes more naturally to him, and his hunger to prove himself showed in his good staying with perimeter ball handlers, fighting well over screens with that one big quick step over, arms out, getting deflections and steals. He is naturally much better in transition and the better handles and finishing at the rim are noticeable. He finished with 4 on 2-3, along with 2 boards, 3 assists, and 1 steal in 17 minutes. It's in half court, running the team that still needs work. He dribbled into a double trap on the strong left sideline, got the ball to Keldon who with little space heaved and made a corner Hail Mary. It was making something out of a Hail Mary pass to begin with, which was the result of too slow a decision, overdribbling, then going to the wrong space and with the ball rather than passing to the weak side. It's one play, but stood out as emblematic of his half court O initiation and decision making issues.

Graham, Mamu, and Diatike played most of the 4TH Q, each with 10 minutes. Graham made 3s, got assists, provided good energy; Mamu got to the FT line, moved well off ball, and rebounded; and it was Diatike who impressed with a longer look at him. He is fundamentally sound, coming up with the ball handler to protect him from defenders, setting good angled screens in right places, then getting into right spaces to get passes back, making his shots with a nice release and touch. Good BBIQ, good footwork, good shooting. He finished with 8 points on 3-3, 2-2FTs. Very solid performance. Good to see.

We've put together a string of good two-way games now, rewarding ourselves with wins in the last couple, the first consecutive wins of this year and the first since early in the season with a different starting group and lineups. The focus on putting together good stretches in the right moments, namely the start of the game, the start of the second half, and in end of Q situations made a big difference. Our man D was tenacious and physical, better switches and rotations, very good rim protection, and the zone D was well executed and effective.

Team-first, D-out, from personal responsibility to better togetherness. We got the result we earned and deserved. Feels good. Let's keep building on it.

[G R E Y]

NOTEWORTHY ACHIEVEMENTS

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