GAME DAY, BALA! GAME 58: SPURS AT JAZZ, 9-2-2019, 4PM (CT)

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Time to bring out Operation Win on the Road. I hope we bring from the start and sustain the right amount of urgency, focus, togetherness, and every ounce of competitive spirit. Here's to a clean, precise, and smart game by us.

WHERE: Vivint Smart Home Arena, Salt Lake City, UT

WHEN: Saturday, February 9, 2019, 4pm (CT)

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GO SPURS GO!!!

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Well, things worked until they didn’t, and while a depleted line-up has never been used as an excuse, clearly it has been having some effect. With a thinner defensive presence this year (or, alternately, half a new team learning new D schemes and how to raise their effort level to expectations here), when guys who have a clear defensive role are out, those playing don’t quite overlap enough to fill the void. Part of it is newness of it all, but also some have not been stepping up on the D end.

In this and the previous game, we started well enough in the first quarter (24-23 for us on 47.6FG% while holding them to 39.1FG%), but once the triangle and two defense was figured out, we once again got scored on badly in the second quarter (their FG% ballooned to 52.1% whereas ours dropped to 42.9% by the half). These are some patterns emerging (some re-emerging) that are more reminiscent of earlier season poor play than more recent better team play. We’re somewhere in the middle now, blending some defensive lapses with decent to very good offensive play. We have to make sure we don’t fall into the trap of believing we can just outscore opponents. We can’t have that trade-off lax D for great O mindset (especially with scorers and defenders out); both D and O have to be rolling.

We trade runs, and that’s part of the game, but we’re not getting consecutive defensive stops. And when opponents have scoring lulls we seem to match that energy. Rather than playing our game with some urgency, we look too careful in trying to score, settling far more for an outside game than looking for a better balance with driving to the rim. With Derrick and Rudy out, we did not have enough guys actively finding lanes and taking them. Our second unit is more on and off ball movement oriented, but we still took more outside shots. Some of that is taking or adjusting to what a defense gives us, yes, but we have to generate our own chances inside with faster, crisper passing and finding open teammates.

Our ball protection – unforced turnovers, rebounds, predictable passes – and possessions, especially late in quarters, have taken a dip. We only gave up 9 turnovers, but they also seem to come in clusters, and late in Qs or games. Settling for outside shots, missing long rebounds, getting the ball stolen put us on the wrong end of several 4-, 5-, even 6-point swings.

Mostly, though, we did not have that beginning to end whistle resilience in the game, not so much giving up, but just not quite enough tenacity and pissed offness at being down again. The body language when we were down 15 in the third Q was more resigned and bewildered than resolute; it’s not like we had no options, we just were not exploiting them enough. It’s almost as if guys not named LMA are looking around at who else is going to step up and too much time went by before guys got in that desperate mode and somehow found open lanes, made determined physical drives, and ran our sets with some urgency. Related to not driving enough was not getting to the foul line enough. We can’t control what refs will call, but we can make it more challenging for them not to with a resolve to drive with physicality. 18-20 from the FT line is very good, but we passed up some chances by settling for Js.

When we were really flowing successfully, we started games asserting our system on both sides instead of waiting to respond to what opponents did. We need to get back to a more confident game and keep taking it to opponents. On defense, effort and communication can make up for defensive guys out, but when these are not consistent, the defensive guys out stand out all the more. We need to make sure we are protecting our key from waves of drives inside, and force opponents from our arc. Time and again we got beaten on drives inside rather than staying in front of ball handlers, and when they got in the key, we sagged too much for uncontested floaters. Some guys kept getting caught on screens whereas in our string of wins we did a better job anticipating and getting around them. Forcing guys off the arc is about proper rotations (communication) and flat out hustle. That half-hearted run out needs to be rewarded with some bench warming (not that we can always afford it with guys out). We have to figure out perimeter defense with Derrick out. When our team D was clicking we were rotating really well, and perhaps Dante’s increased presence can have a positive impact.

Missed bunnies – I loathe them. Please PLEASE take the ball strong to the basket, be it rebound putbacks or drives, both hands on the ball into the hoop with intent.

It is good to see Jakob back as the primary C starter/first off the bench. He started this game, and was one of the few efficient scorers, 8 points on 4-5, along with 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block. A solid all around game, understated, but contributing positively (except for the missed bunny...). There have been some rumblings of late about Pau’s discontent with his diminished role on the team (rumours of his asking to be moved or cut were debunked), that he wants to live up to his contract, but we have to do what’s best for the team, and can’t really have Jakob waiting.

Though for the most part Pau’s been efficient scoring in the fewer minutes he’s played, it’s a balance of his experience versus Jakob gaining it, and Pau’s still productive offense but waning defense. He’s just too slow on rotations or to stop drives and sags back too much in they key, almost jumping back to try and reach for the ball. His height and reach are advantages on boards, and he’s a great passer who has better range (especially 3s), but we are in a transition year, remaining competitive while incorporating a new younger group. Huge respect for his role last season, and I hope he can adjust to a smaller one this year (and talk less about it; he’s made his point in the public enough now); that salary isn’t only about how he is on the court, but now more so about how he is when not playing. He has more of a mentor role, but that is not to say he cannot still contribute, just in different ways and in spot situations. So long as he stays ready and has the right attitude in these last few weeks of the season, he’s still an asset.

With Pau playing 7 minutes (5 points on 2-3, 1-2FTs, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal) and only 3 each for Drew, Q, and Chimezie, Pop essentially ran an eight man unit. We had six players in double figures, though it was a tough get for several of them. DeMar led us in scoring with 23 (10-19, 3-3FTs, 5 assists, 1 steal). It was good to see DeMar more assertive, but he has decrease his turnovers (team-high 4 out of our 9 overall, 3 for the team in the final Q) and limit frustration fouls. He has a tendency to foul just after a make, miss, or perceived non-call on the O end; three of his team-high 5 fouls were in the final Q.

LMA had a hard-earned 15 on tough 5-16, 1-2 from 3, 4-4FTs along with 10 rebounds (3 on O). He had a lot of uncharacteristic missed close shots, so I’m not concerned. Bryn pitched in 12 on 5-12 (2-6 from 3) plus 2 rebounds and 2 assists. He doesn’t look tired, but I wonder whether being the starter for every game this season is catching up to him a bit. It’s a new role with about 8 minutes more per game above his carer average. But for a very good shooting night in Portland, he’s been alternating poor and decent percentages in February. Here’s hoping he trends the right way next game and the upcoming break helps him regain his consistency. Love his driving attempts and sweet floater – another nice addition to his expanding O game. Davis ‘Needs More Shots’ Bertans had 11 on 3-7, 2-5 from 3, 3-3FTs (fouled on a 3 attempt, though he is also becoming more adept at faking and driving thanks to his killer shot). Great, quick feet and upright position on D. His slight frame can make fouls look hard when he gets driven into, but he’s also really tough and just keeps getting back up. Love his tenacity in getting after rebounds, too.

We got 36 points from our bench (Patty 14 on 5-9, 2-5 from 3, 2-3FTs, 4 rebounds, 5 assists; Beli 11 on tough 3-10, 0-3 from 3, team-high 5-5FTs, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal; Dante 6 on 3-4, 3 rebounds, 2 steals) to their bench’s 43. It’s a challenge being out two starters who are efficient scorers; all the more emphasis on solid D which has been less consistent for us lately. Hopefully it’s a good lesson – one we seem to need reinforced now and again – that sticks.

We missed some open shots, but also missed some chances to get better ones closer to the basket. They had more than twice as many 3s (16-7) and had a 50-38 points in the paint advantage. They also handily won the rebound battle 52-36 (9-5 on O), leading to more second chances for them as well and having possessions longer. On the one hand, we scored more in each Q, on the other, we allowed two 39-point Qs against. It took a lot of energy to keep catching up. Consistent effort, communication, and running back on D are not talent related. We’ve been given a hard time by depleted but resolute teams, so the mindset to keep attacking and staying together is all the more important with players out.

When we’re healthy we’re a good team. When we’re not, we need a more resilient mental approach for better results.