GT: Magic vs. Spurs

[Nolan]

When: 6:30 PM MT, Nov 29th 2016
Where: AT&T Center, San Antonio TX

First game back at home after a successful 3 game road trip. This should be a fairly easy win for us if we continue to play the way we've been playing.

The Magic have struggled so far this year and have lost 4 in a row coming into this one, but they are still a dangerous team with some talented bigmen that could burn us. The key to wining this one is going to be wining the battle in the paint.

Go Spurs!!

[-Sammy-]

When: 6:30 PM MT, Nov 29th 2016
Where: AT&T Center, San Antonio TX

First game back at home after a successful 3 game road trip. This should be a fairly easy win for us if we continue to play the way we've been playing.

Agreed. Though we still have a lot of work to do and a lot of room for improvement, we've gutted out some solid road wins recently. It's hard not to look ahead to the Bulls game next week in Chicago, as it's the only real 'test game' until Houston on the 20th, but the good guys need to stay focused and take advantage of the relatively easy schedule we have for the next three weeks.

[Nolan]

Agreed. Though we still have a lot of work to do and a lot of room for improvement, we've gutted out some solid road wins recently. It's hard not to look ahead to the Bulls game next week in Chicago, as it's the only real 'test game' until Houston on the 20th, but the good guys need to stay focused and take advantage of the relatively easy schedule we have for the next three weeks.

Agreed my friend. We can't throw away these easy ones, every game counts.

[Chinook]

Just decided to drop this here.

Mark Travis @Mark_Travis
Of players who have faced at least 5 shots per game at the rim, LaMarcus Aldridge ranks 1st in rim protection at 39.3%. Gobert 2nd at 40.6%
12:31 AM - 29 Nov 2016

Looks like this idea that he should be devalued because he's a poor defensive player is premature.

[Nolan]

Just decided to drop this here.

Mark Travis @Mark_Travis
Of players who have faced at least 5 shots per game at the rim, LaMarcus Aldridge ranks 1st in rim protection at 39.3%. Gobert 2nd at 40.6%
12:31 AM - 29 Nov 2016

Looks like this idea that he should be devalued because he's a poor defensive player is premature.

Crazy stat. I always thought he was a decent defender and he has been better this year but I didn't realize that he was that good at the rim.

[ducler]

[imagump1313]

Yuck. I only started watching the 4th quarter and its burning my eyes. Glad I didn't see the rest of it...... Brutal shooting.

[imagump1313]

4 minutes left and Pop emptied the bench only down 15. Tells you the kind of game we played.

[Milenkovic]

Just one of those games, shooting was horrid.

The home form is concerning.

[-Sammy-]

Oh, man; I had to miss the whole game, and I just jumped online to see how many points we won by.

Oh, man.

[imagump1313]

Oh, man; I had to miss the whole game, and I just jumped online to see how many points we won by.

Oh, man.

You didn't miss anything. Spare yourself......

[inDe_eD]

I won't continue to bemoan the same players over and over again, but man our starting lineup is just not good. We definitely need to shake things up some, because the bench can't (and shouldn't) have to come in and right the ship every night.

[Nolan]

Well that was ugly, like very very very ugly. I really can't think of anything positive to say about this game. We should of won and won by a lot, the Magic didn't exactly play all that great we were just really really bad in every possible way. We cannot be throwing away gimmie home games like this.

We just didn't play like a team last night, everyone was on different pages.

[Nolan]

I won't continue to bemoan the same players over and over again, but man our starting lineup is just not good. We definitely need to shake things up some, because the bench can't (and shouldn't) have to come in and right the ship every night.

Agreed 100%. They were beyond awful last night.

And I really don't like to keep ripping on Tony but he was horrible last night. The Magic worked him over in the pick and roll last night and everytime he had to switch he ****ed it up and it cost us dearly.

I really do believe that Tony and Pau need to come off the bench and Patty and one of Dedmon/Lee/Bertans need to start. It'll make our bench that much better and our starters a million times more effective.

[Cartuse]

I really do believe that Tony and Pau need to come off the bench and Patty and one of Dedmon/Lee/Bertans need to start. It'll make our bench that much better and our starters a million times more effective.

This a million times. I understand that Tony knows the system better than anyone else, and Patty is no playmaker, but things need to be done soon. I would start Dedmon (he was the only player I enjoyed watching last night), play him for around 20 mins and bring Pau off the bench as our second unit C. Bertans could provide some defense alongside him while stretching the floor, and Lee will always find minutes and ways to contribute if he keeps up the way he's been playing. It's a risky move but worth the shot.
Although he had a decent game for his recent standards, MANU NEEDS TO STOP PLAYING 20+ MINUTES. 15 mins is more than enough for what he can provide to the team.

[inDe_eD]

I won't continue to bemoan the same players over and over again, but man our starting lineup is just not good. We definitely need to shake things up some, because the bench can't (and shouldn't) have to come in and right the ship every night.

Agreed 100%. They were beyond awful last night.

And I really don't like to keep ripping on Tony but he was horrible last night. The Magic worked him over in the pick and roll last night and everytime he had to switch he ****ed it up and it cost us dearly.

I really do believe that Tony and Pau need to come off the bench and Patty and one of Dedmon/Lee/Bertans need to start. It'll make our bench that much better and our starters a million times more effective.

Yup, Bertans has some serious potential. We really need guys who are hungry getting minutes, and he is everything you want in a modern day 4.

It makes so much sense with TP/Gasol, right? They would feast on other teams benches with their 2 man game.

Dedmon/LMA/Kawhi/Green/Mills feels right to me. Good mixture of shooting/hustle/athleticism, with Bertans getting 20+ minutes a game somewhere in there. I love Lee too, he even had some defensive highlights last night!

[inDe_eD]

I really do believe that Tony and Pau need to come off the bench and Patty and one of Dedmon/Lee/Bertans need to start. It'll make our bench that much better and our starters a million times more effective.

This a million times. I understand that Tony knows the system better than anyone else, and Patty is no playmaker, but things need to be done soon. I would start Dedmon (he was the only player I enjoyed watching last night), play him for around 20 mins and bring Pau off the bench as our second unit C. Bertans could provide some defense alongside him while stretching the floor, and Lee will always find minutes and ways to contribute if he keeps up the way he's been playing. It's a risky move but worth the shot.
Although he had a decent game for his recent standards, MANU NEEDS TO STOP PLAYING 20+ MINUTES. 15 mins is more than enough for what he can provide to the team.

Yea I don't know what to make of Manu. I love that he still plays with so much damn energy, because God knows we need all the energy we can get with the lethargic starting 5, but you're right he's had some pretty bad games. 15-20 minutes seems right.

[Nolan]

I won't continue to bemoan the same players over and over again, but man our starting lineup is just not good. We definitely need to shake things up some, because the bench can't (and shouldn't) have to come in and right the ship every night.

Agreed 100%. They were beyond awful last night.

And I really don't like to keep ripping on Tony but he was horrible last night. The Magic worked him over in the pick and roll last night and everytime he had to switch he ****ed it up and it cost us dearly.

I really do believe that Tony and Pau need to come off the bench and Patty and one of Dedmon/Lee/Bertans need to start. It'll make our bench that much better and our starters a million times more effective.

Yup, Bertans has some serious potential. We really need guys who are hungry getting minutes, and he is everything you want in a modern day 4.

It makes so much sense with TP/Gasol, right? They would feast on other teams benches with their 2 man game.

Dedmon/LMA/Kawhi/Green/Mills feels right to me. Good mixture of shooting/hustle/athleticism, with Bertans getting 20+ minutes a game somewhere in there. I love Lee too, he even had some defensive highlights last night!

It's not even about punishing those two for poor play it's just about balancing the roster and getting the most out of our talent.

Kawhi and LMA are not only our best players but are both iso heavyish guys. They need touches and they need to be surrounded by guys that compliment them rather than guys that clash with what they do best. Patty, Danny and Dedmon are a perfect trio to surround and play off of Kawhi and LMA.

Even if we don't move those two to the bench we need to start staggering our lineups already. At least experiment with it, although it does seem that we are kinda starting to try this with Pau.

[popfan]

That was painful to watch. Parker seemed to aggravate his knee injury in the first half. Dedmon was fantastic. Lee was impressive until he started shooting. The bromance between Parker and LMA was apparent. Meanwhile Parker continues to pass away from Kawhi which likely creates poor chemistry.

The starting lineup felt divided. So we lost to a mediocre team at home.

[inDe_eD]

Agreed 100%. They were beyond awful last night.

And I really don't like to keep ripping on Tony but he was horrible last night. The Magic worked him over in the pick and roll last night and everytime he had to switch he ****ed it up and it cost us dearly.

I really do believe that Tony and Pau need to come off the bench and Patty and one of Dedmon/Lee/Bertans need to start. It'll make our bench that much better and our starters a million times more effective.

Yup, Bertans has some serious potential. We really need guys who are hungry getting minutes, and he is everything you want in a modern day 4.

It makes so much sense with TP/Gasol, right? They would feast on other teams benches with their 2 man game.

Dedmon/LMA/Kawhi/Green/Mills feels right to me. Good mixture of shooting/hustle/athleticism, with Bertans getting 20+ minutes a game somewhere in there. I love Lee too, he even had some defensive highlights last night!

It's not even about punishing those two for poor play it's just about balancing the roster and getting the most out of our talent.

Kawhi and LMA are not only our best players but are both iso heavyish guys. They need touches and they need to be surrounded by guys that compliment them rather than guys that clash with what they do best. Patty, Danny and Dedmon are a perfect trio to surround and play off of Kawhi and LMA.

Even if we don't move those two to the bench we need to start staggering our lineups already. At least experiment with it, although it does seem that we are kinda starting to try this with Pau.

Yea I don't know if I came off as being accusatory towards those two, it's just that they're the odd men our right now. Pau wants post ups or the ball in the high post, both of which are just redundant with Kawhi and LMA. Parker just isn't a great off-ball player, and playing to his strengths means that we take away from Kawhi/LMA. Like you said, it's about balance. I have full faith in Pop, I suppose he just has to navigate those guys' feelings and egos as well, to keep them engaged and useful.