Post#9 » by G R E Y » Wed Dec 20, 2017 4:07 am
Although it was Kawhi's first home game of the season, this was really a night in which Manu and Murray, LMA and Tony held court.
Spurs started with much stronger team ball on both ends than in several previous games, passing crisply, moving better to open spots, and defending well. Yes the Clippers are severely hobbled, but we've had slow starts regardless of the competition so it was great to see, for instance, Bryn rebounding and quickly pushing it up the floor to Kawhi, who passed it to a ready Tony for a 3 or Manu cutting behind Rivers and getting a pretty pass from Pau for an even sweeter off-the-glass finish. What started in the first continued throughout their time in the game: Tony was busy scoring and getting LMA involved; LMA, Kawhi, and a more energetic Pau were busy grabbing rebounds; Manu was busy making unconscious swing passes to team mates on the arc for dagger 3s; Murray was busy doing a bit of everything mentioned. It felt good to finish the first with a big lead, 31-17, scoring at a 55% rate to their 29%.
Our attention to D was also better, but there were some signs of old habits that came back to bite us. In the second, two Clippers buckets in a row stemming from bad Spurs transition D prompted a timeout from Pop. GOAT coach also was busy getting in the refs' ears about bad calls (especially Murray's) and bad non-calls (he's really protective of Kawhi, for good reason). It's not unusual for coaches to make their case on the sidelines, but I loved the tenacity with which Pop rallied for the players, and that he did it without getting a T.
While Spurs played far more cohesively this game, and still showed some wonderful flashes of team play (LMA passing it out and the ball getting moved quickly around the arc to Tony in the corner for a drive layup) and hustle for rebounds, their level slipped in the second. Spurs started settling for first shots, not good shots from moving without the ball, and in the last two minutes or so, it didn't look like they ran much of anything. Towards the end of the half, I felt we weren't respecting the Clippers or ourselves, just too careless on O and relied on vets to try and make something out of nothing. D got lax as well - too many easy shots (they ended up outscoring us 48-40 in the paint). A quick look at the shot charts for the first and second Qs shows a complete inversion. Clippers won the second Q; despite a deeply depleted line-up, they outscored us 32-26.
Spurs kept getting burned on switches and in-out passes for Clippers 3s, and at the 5:30-mark of the third we were only up by 2. Cue the run - an 18-5 onslaught, including three 3s in a row (Patty with two, Bertans, one), the rest of the Q, finishing it with a 15-point lead. Clippers didn't get closer than 11 the rest of the game. Our vets Rudy, Pau, Tony, and Manu kept it going in the first half of the fourth, and our young guys Murray, Lauvergne, Forbes and Paul brought the lead up to 18 to close it out.
Kawhi's trying to get himself going each game, but he had weak shot selection in this one. He uncharacteristically barreled through the middle with team mates open and got called with a charge, and later he dribbled into three defenders and then off of himself out of bounds. Towards the end of the second, he twice brought up the ball for spot-up 3 attempts, hitting one. It's only three games in, though. He'll look at his performance and adjust. I agree with Sammy: patience by all means, but I can't wait for Kawhi to have a "See what I'm capable of" statement game.
Sean talked about Manu's exceptional hand-eye co-ordination. Not sure I heard it correctly, but Sean said it comes from Manu boxing in the off-season? Interesting cross-sport training.
I was so impressed with Murray's game. He was active on both boards, garnering applause from Pop for his hustle on the O rebound against Harrell that led to a jump ball. He was lightning quick and made very good decisions, be it pulling up for a J, driving or, most impressively, continuing to find open team mates all over the floor throughout the game. Just great body control and wonderful recognition of what was best for each play. That sequence where he fought over a screen to block a driving Rivers, then breaking out, drawing their D down low and passing it out to Patty for a 3 showed everything I am starting to love about his game. You can see how much joy he has being out there and executing well, and his team mates are so supportive and happy for him, too.
I liked the minutes balance for the whole team so players could get into rhythm, our season-high 29 fast break points, and that our bench outscored theirs 57-40. We had five players in double figures, and shot a solid 80% FT (TP 1-4 tsk tsk). Although some bunnies still bounced out of the rim, we used the glass more this game, and every one of those bank shots went in. Fundamentals.
We had too many turnovers, but the last one was most important. Up 18, Pop told Murray to let the clock run out for a 24-second violation (Murray passed it to Paul so that TO is his lol) and Clippers got the last possession. There's a way of winning with dignity that makes your opponent feel respected regardless of the score. I loved that choice. So understated; such character.
I love this team. GO SPURS!
The Spurs Way
Thinking of you, Pop
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