GT:Spurs @ Suns Dec. 9th.

imagump1313 · Post #1 » by **imagump1313** » Sun Dec 10, 2017 1:59 am

I didn't see a thread so here we go!

When: Dec 9th, 2017 8:00 PM CT
Where: Talking Stick Resort Arena LOL

Young lineup tonight against the young Suns. It should be interesting. Green, Gasol, Parker, Leonard, Manu and Anderson are out.

Forbes, Murray Paul and Bertans should get a lot of time.

Should be an interesting watch.

Post #2 » by **G R E Y** » Sun Dec 10, 2017 3:16 am

How about that starting line-up: LMA, Gay, Forbes, Paul, Murray

Pop rewarding the vets with well-deserved rest, and with key players and starters injured, the young guys with more minutes to show what they've been absorbing. Like the one in OKC, this one's a teaching and gaining experience game; unlike the result in the Thunder game, I expect a win in this one. We came off a big win, but need to be grounded against a lesser opponent and play to our capabilities.

GO SPURS!

Post #3 » by **G R E Y** » Sun Dec 10, 2017 3:19 am

p.s. What kind of a name is Talking Stick Resort Arena?! Honestly, there's only so much a team should allow itself to do for money...

Ballings7 · Post #4 » by **Ballings7** » Sun Dec 10, 2017 5:04 am

Dejounte Murray (so far) is like a hybrid, big forward trapped in a guard's body. 14 rebounds tonight against Phoenix... easily like 3rd or 4th time he's gotten 10+ rebounds this season. Be fun once he gets a decent three pointer next year or two, then he'll be more of a consistent threat offensively, and maybe even all-star level, ideally. lol out rebounded Aldridge...

Spurs destroyed Phoenix on the glass 52-40,with a frontcourt of Aldridge and Gay (got 9rebs a piece).. continue to be impressed with Gay's play -- as expected, fitting in relatively well and playing his game in a notched down role in the Spurs system, and fading out all the doubters and haters from the offseason.

Keep going, Rudy.. this is what you do - they don't do what you do, and never will.

Specifically they really went after the extra rebound tonight, 6 off rebs for Murray, 5 for Aldirdge, and 4 for Gay - wow. Must be the 28%, 7-25 3P Phoenix shooting.

Brandon Paul with a nice little game in his first start, as well.. stuffed the stat sheet, and was active.

Nice road win with the team down a several main guys, no letdown after the big Celtics win.

Post #5 » by **G R E Y** » Sun Dec 10, 2017 5:36 am

Well. We showed flashes of... everything. Glad this half-rest, half-teaching game was a win in the end. A bit better to swallow the bitterness of the lessons with the sweetness of the victory.

Cartuse · Post #6 » by **Cartuse** » Sun Dec 10, 2017 3:16 pm

I was watching the first quarter, and after seeing PHX's defense I had an overwhelming "we got this, bye" feeling. Imagine my surprise when I tuned in again in the 4th with PHX up 1 and playing good defense... In the end their lack of experience helped the Spurs big time

Post #7 » by **Nolan** » Sun Dec 10, 2017 4:12 pm

GREY 1769 wrote:p.s. What kind of a name is Talking Stick Resort Arena?! Honestly, there's only so much a team should allow itself to do for money...

It's bad but I still think Smoothie King is the worst... Sleep train is also in the running.

Post #8 » by **Nolan** » Sun Dec 10, 2017 4:15 pm

Thanks for picking up the slack Imagump!

Only caught the extended highlights for this one (might rewatch the whole thing later). Great game from Mills, we seemed to have slept on them a bit in the 2nd half and they almost came back and stole this one. A win's a win but this one should of been easier.

imagump1313 · Post #9 » by **imagump1313** » Sun Dec 10, 2017 5:09 pm

Nolan wrote:
GREY 1769 wrote:p.s. What kind of a name is Talking Stick Resort Arena?! Honestly, there's only so much a team should allow itself to do for money...

It's bad but I still think Smoothie King is the worst... Sleep train is also in the running.

The worst one I've seen is in Louisville, KY when I was down there for work. The KFC Yum! Center. Yes, really.....
https://www.kfcyumcenter.com

Post #10 » by **Nolan** » Sun Dec 10, 2017 5:29 pm

imagump1313 wrote:
Nolan wrote:
GREY 1769 wrote:p.s. What kind of a name is Talking Stick Resort Arena?! Honestly, there's only so much a team should allow itself to do for money...

It's bad but I still think Smoothie King is the worst... Sleep train is also in the running.

The worst one I've seen is in Louisville, KY when I was down there for work. The KFC Yum! Center. Yes, really.....
https://www.kfcyumcenter.com

Oh my that's horrendous.

Post #11 » by **-Sammy-** » Mon Dec 11, 2017 5:10 pm

GREAT WORK FROM IMAGUMP to hook up the gameday thread. Our apologies for not getting one up for you guys, but that kind of extra effort is the Spurs way, isn't it? Fitting.

Great win for the good guys as well.

To agree with you guys, some of these arena names are brutal. Talking Stick, Smoothie King, Minute Maid Park (where the Astros play)... sweet mercy.

Frankly, the only reason Staples Center and Target Center don't get more ridicule is because the words 'staples' and 'target' are relatively benign; Swap similar brandings and we'd have 'Wal-Mart Center' and 'Office Depot Center'.

Y'all should check out some of the minor-league and NCAA arenas sometime-- everything from Whataburger Field to the Bojangles Arena.

Post #12 » by **G R E Y** » Thu Dec 14, 2017 7:31 am

Couldn't get to this sooner, just thought I'd share some thoughts on this game.

NBA: So December’s schedule has your team playing 16 games, including four back-to-backs. Couldn’t be helped.

Pop: I see your five games in seven nights, including TWO back-to-backs, and raise you six players who’ll not be in the game.

NBA: But only three are injured.

Pop: Couldn’t be helped.

And so many of the younger guys got a lot more minutes. Spurs built up a big lead with essentially LMA as the sole regular starter in the first line-up, but players who have been filling in for starters throughout the season needed to play with the less experienced guys to keep them focused and grounded in the system. Up 13 at the half, we built it up to 19 in the 3rd before losing it down to four during sloppy stretches in the latter part of the Q that that saw missed FTs, TOs, not really anything recognizable being run on O, far less O reb pressure, and far too easy paths to the basket for the Suns. Despite the subbing, there was no TO bailout; it looked like Pop was letting them play through it for longer than I thought he would. Maybe he was just letting them figure it out under pressure. Still, we found ways to stop the runs - big highlight were Paul’s huge block on Chriss, and, of course, Patty’s two dagger 3s in the last ten seconds to bring the lead up to eight.

We outrebounded them 59-46 (18-10 on O), including Murray’s team-high 14. Not to take anything away from him, but some of these were Westbrook-type ‘fall in your hands’ D gimmies. The impressive stat was his team-high 6 on O (four of them in the 2nd Q on a play in which he kept getting it and putting it back up before finally being rewarded for his great hustle with a bucket ). I think Murray on D is more focused than on O, and his long limbs, quick movement, and good anticipation challenged the Suns. On O he’s a bit too eager and gets tunnel vision, driving into defenders rather than looking at who is open and running what’s there. Other times he’s too unselfish, driving and kicking out when he has an easier path to the net. Overall, though, a productive night with 8 points (4-11) and four assists.

Bryn Forbes didn’t have the best shooting night (5-13 for 11 points), but he made his only 3 when it mattered most, a gutsy clutch shot to grab the lead back with 20 seconds left in the game, and Patty sealed it with two FTs. Bryn tied LMA for minutes with 36, and was second to him in FGAs with 13. He's been a bit inconsistent, but you can tell it means so much to him when he executes and his team mates are so supportive of him. Even when his shot is a bit off, he gets to practice his bread and butter in tight games. Imagine going undrafted, then getting picked up by the Spurs, then being told by GOAT Pop to shoot or you don't play, and getting passed to by players who excel in a system of efficiently finding the open player. You'd have to pinch yourself to make sure it's real.

Paul had a strong, well-rounded game with 10 points (3-7, and 4-4FTs) to go along with two rebounds, three assists, three steals, and two blocks. Made his presence felt on both ends. Bertans had 8 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists, one of which came from a pretty fast break led by Mills to Bertans who bounced a pass to LMA for a dunk; although Lauvergne, Hilliard, and White played sparingly, Joffrey had 6/4 and a steal, Darrun helped with 3 assists and a steal, while Derrick went 2-2 FGs. Given the final score, no player's contribution was too small; we needed every point, every good play.

For all the good that the young players provided (there were dips in composure and execution) this game surely would have been a loss without the steadying presence of LMA - 20 points (7-18, 6-7FTs), 9 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 blocks, Rudy - 16 points (7-11, 2-2FTs), 9 rebounds, 2 assists, and Patty - 20 points (7-11, 3-4 in 3s, 3-4FTs).

I love that we got points out of every timeout. Always good timing given the flow and shifts in the game resulting in regrouping and fighting back. These were also used as teaching moments between Pop and the younger players as well as between the vets and the younger players which was nice to see.

Still, this wasn’t about getting a participation ribbon; you play to win, and you could tell it meant a lot to guys who don't normally get to be out there as much contributing meaningful minutes towards the victory.

I love this team. GO SPURS!