SPURS GAME DAY! GAME 59: SPURS VS. THUNDER, 2-3-2025, 6PM (CT)

[G R E Y]

So glad Sochan wasn't ejected. He's huge in this game especially on D and cutting to the rim.

[G R E Y]

CASTLE IN THE AIR WITH FLAIR!

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[G R E Y]

Keldon clock awareness, mate ...

[G R E Y]

3RD Q: SPURS 100 THUNDER 108

Game just within our grasp and without reach in the balance now.

A couple of costly TOs seemed to change the momentum until that scuffle ignited the best of Sochan.

We do need to be careful about giving up second chance points, about putting them on the FT line, and about making the most of each of our scoring chances. Good to great. Push hard rill the end.

[G R E Y]

Castle O board outback +1.

Dev left hand floater 2.

Dev EXCELLENT man D to prevent a 3 shot then sealed the baseline and contested the miss.

[G R E Y]

CASTLE!

[G R E Y]

Oof getting torn up down low in our paint now...

[G R E Y]

Sean nailed it. We scorched from the arc in the first half but it took till 2 minutes left to make one in the second. How it goes...

[G R E Y]

We have McLaughlin Mamu Duke Jr Blake Branham to end the game.

[imagump1313]

HEY! The guy from the Kings is playing!

[G R E Y]

4TH Q: SPURS 132 THUNDER 146

Well damn. That was a great game. Travel B2B, best West team, first home game after a month. You could forgive a lull, emotionally and mentally and physically, but we roared out of the gate and competed HARD. We were a worthy opponent.

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Yes. And yes. The carry over from last game to this one, facing an even tougher opponent, was impressive.

We were in it for three and a half Qs. Amazing what a speech taken to heart can do to mind, legs, determination.

Castle has transformed, taken his game to another level or three. He led us with 32 in as many minutes, shooting team high 12-21, team high 4-10 from 3, team high 4-7FTs, team high 8 boards, team high 4 on O, and 3 assists.

He defended the hell out of SGA and went at him on O. Fearless. He showed some new finishes at the rim. He called for screens to take advantage of mismatches he identified. Used to be that vets would take the lead on these. Growing before our eyes. He scored at the rim, in mid range, at the FT line, at the arc. A total fired up winner.

His 'twin' Vassell is looking less like his future and more like someone he's about to leap if he hasn't already. The pineapple hairstyles may make them look alike but Castle's game is already standing out from Devin's.

You can see Devin stressed and pressing to make 'something' happen. He was hot early and was shooting from his pet spots at the right elbow and along the FT line, improving his effort within the paint so that his shot profile was either there (5-8) or at the arc (1-7). Wtf happened to his arc shooting? And his handles are not a threat whatsoever, particularly from standstill, first step. He comes and goes with energy, perhaps trying to hold onto his place in the rotation as Castle approaches ever closer in the rearview mirror. He did show flashes of exceptional man D, the kind that reminds you of his prowess when he puts his mind to it. So perhaps that last aspect is key to unlocking a more consistent resolve.

Vets once again led with setting the tone and giving more time for the young core to keep the levels, exceeding them at times.

Sochan was a menace. He likes the big assignments, the bigger opponents, the feisty chippy games. It unlocks the FU in him and he's at his agitator stopper best when that side of him gets unleashed. He was huge for us again with 17 on excellent 7-9, 1-2 from 3, 2-2FTs with 4 boards, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block.

What a beast of a trio the bench is with Castle, Sochan, and Keldon who had a solid all around game with 7 on 3-5, 1-2 from 3, 6 boards, and bench high 5 assists. He was at his bowling over opponents best driving through defenders and finishing with a light touch, passing ahead or into the paint to cutters, grabbing boards. He plays bigger than his formidable size and continues to help in whatever role he's placed in.

In his first game on his new home court, Fox led the starters with 20 on 8-18, struggles though 2-8 from 3, 2-2FTs along with 4 boards and 4 assists.

Barnes was hot from the corners and finished with 14 but he mixed it up with clever opportunistic drives. BB played the fewest starter minutes and could probably be relied on to do more on both ends. CP3 led us with 6 assists, part of a 36 assist team effort.

JC got ejected for a bizarre scuffle that escalated. My sense in these instances between teams that have opposite trajectories but the outcome is far from expected or decided is that the powerhouse team is high strung and frustrated about not putting the young upstarts away for too much of the game. So minor win of the game within the game.

We will have to rely on that inner FU fuel going forward. There's lots to play for beyond (though in addition to) the standings, both individually and collectively. Keep going. We will catch many teams unaware with such grit, heart, and resolute effort.

[imagump1313]

We messed up the other night but this game we got back on track. I dont care how well we play as long as we keep losing.
A well deserved Flagg beam!