GAME DAY, BALA! GAME 25: SPURS VS. SUNS, 14-12-2019, 4PM (CT)

[G R E Y]

Beautiful Mexico City hosts this unique away-for-both-teams game but will likely be more of a home feel for us given the reported Manu effect. While the positive fan vibes are always welcome, we have to generate our own energy, so let's bring it fully for the whole game.

WHERE: Arena Ciudad de México, Azcapotzalco, Mexico City, Mexico

WHEN: Saturday, December 14, 2019, 4pm (CT)

Read on Twitter

VAMOS, SPURS!!!

[ducler]

Read on Twitter

[G R E Y]

Two new starters for us today, likely to get some speed going. Let's see how the speedy and half-court styles get catered to and blend:

Read on Twitter

[G R E Y]

Starters back in and there goes our 10-point lead. Bryn has passed up like 3-4 shots from the 3 already, and LMA is missing bunnies while not taking it strong to the hoop. Wasted possessions when these two aren't doing what they're out there to do.

On the other end, they're getting the mismatches inside on smaller players like Bryn and getting easier chances in our key. Our help D on the bench unit has been much better thus far.

[G R E Y]

So basically three starters are giving us next to nothing on O: Trey 0-1, Bryn 0-6, LMA 1-6 on a dunk, has one 3 attempt, 0 FT attempts. Our bench is outscoring theirs so far, this despite Rudy 1-5, and Derrick 0-2. Need to drive at them to get to the FT line and get them into foul trouble. We still are having trouble guarding the P&R with LMA in particular being too far from their guard shots to contest. I'm picking on him a lot lately, and he's had some good blocks and rebounds this half, but his effort to get positioning down low and make a concerted effort to drive is poor and there's no fig leafing it. I expect a leader to, you know, lead.

Some positives: better switching on D and better help D, and better rebounding by us, with a 34-27 edge, including 5-2 on O boards.

[G R E Y]

I LOVE YOU, PATTY MILLS!!!

[G R E Y]

That was another AWESOME ATO play call!!! And AWESOME execution!!!

EDIT to add:

Read on Twitter

[G R E Y]

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

EDIT to add:

Watch how patty celebrates every single play here. Love him!

Read on Twitter

[G R E Y]

Solid start, dip in the second, and continued on an upward trajectory where we found a win to pull through. Despite the elevation of Mexico City, we responded better in this game. Both teams were sucking air hard half way through the first Q, but we were good defensively for the most part, switching and providing good help D, getting blocks from our bigs.

We still have issues reacting to P&R situations and guarding them adequately. We kept allowing the bounce passes in our key (though recovery to contest is decent) and our bigs, LMA especially, kept contesting late for their made Js. We also have to be more mindful to run back in transition as they got behind us for some easy points. And while our switches and rotations were good, when we got caught on mismatches or didn't communicate they got the easier post-ups, open drives and dunks.

End of quarter focus and ball protection is really an area we need to work on. To end the half, we had the ball with under 10 seconds left, got called for an O foul I think on Rudy which resulted in FTs for them. Of course, the missed FTs late by LMA and DeMar were part of a 25-34 team-wide effort which needs to be better. Every point counts and so the later misses get the bigger blame, but they all contributed to the score towards the end of regulation. That said, Jakob's end of 3rd Q quick putback was a catalyst that carried over a spark to start the 4th Q on a 6-0 run with great D to O transition including a crafty Rudy layup, a DJ steal, drive, and dunk, and a Jakob block and quick pass ahead to Lonnie for a strong drive for 2. LMA got the O rebound putback on DeMar's miss to put us ahead 109-106 late in regulation, so there were good head's up plays on D and O in pressure situations. We outrebounded them 62-59 (including 10-6 on O boards), and had 9 blocks, some in help D, some in man D (like Rudy's) situations. So while we stepped up in critical situations, when there's more time left, we're not as attentive as we can be and these contribute in part to creating the tighter situations to begin with. Overall I do like that we responded with increased focus and intensity when it mattered most.

We faltered in the second Q and lost our 10-point lead with LMA, Trey, and Bryn combining for two points contributing to a four-point deficit at the half. Thankfully our bench outscored theirs 24-13 and put up 16 3s. We only connected on 4 at the half, but already by this point shot as many 3s as in the whole previous game. So putting up 30 3s (hitting 8) matches our effort in earlier December games where we made a concerted effort to shoot them above our season average. Our bench was huge for us tonight outscoring theirs 63-31 overall on the shoulders of FIBA Patty and his team-high 26 points on 10-23(!) and 6-14(!) from 3, both attempts categories being team highs, including that clutch J to put us ahead for good in OT.

Some good defensive presence from LMA early, but these starts and halves of games where he takes and misses outside Js, doesn't run to beat and seal opponents, or posts up, drives and instead of taking it all the way to the basket stops in the key for mini Js looks more like energy conserving half effort until he has to bring more of it. 0-5 in the first half, he responded well in the second with 7-13 for 18 points, 7 rebounds, 3 blocks. Ok, great. But this pattern of picking his spots to expand his game that we all know is there lying latent is bizarre and irritating. He turned it on later in the game driving for made baskets, hitting outside shots, getting to the FT line, and then settling for quick shots, and FT misses late in the game - it's like a part of him toys with the idea of throwing games or something. Just when you think you can rely on him, he reverts to that previous maddening version of himself. Of course, not every player will make all shots, and not all misses are intentional, but the effort to give the breadth of his game has to be there from the start. On defense, he had good blocks down low, but he really gets Js made on him rather easily and not just in this game. Just continues to leave too much space between himself and shooters. So in close he's really good, whereas outside shot contests need work. The team-high 37 minutes makes me wonder whether we're showcasing him, especially since Jakob at 16 minutes and only 2 shots was such a solid defensive presence for us (team-high 11 rebounds) that I'd hoped we could use him out there more especially in transition.

DeMar did well to keep driving physically throughout the game and got to the FT line 7 times tying Rudy for team high. But his patterns as games progress continue to be strangely repeated: missing Js, getting blocked on drives, missing FTs, fouling at bad or critical times. Paul Garcia tweeted that his 4th Q FT percentage is 12% lower than in the 1st Q and a whopping 24% LOWER compared to the 2nd and 3rd Qs for 64.3% in the 4th Q. Jesus. While I don't like him handling the ball for these patterns he cycles through late in games, he didn't have to dribble to create something on that second to last possession on OT as he just drove aggressively to the basket.

I was wondering how the DJ / Trey combination would fare back in the starting group, and while there was less conflict between the half-court game that LMA and at times DeMar's games need and the running style in the open court that DJ prefers. I think we needed the infusion of youth and speed early to try and take advantage of a strength that would serve us well at that altitude. Trey started a bit tentatively, but he kept grabbing rebounds, running the floor and when he finally made up his mind to drive he did score. Also, Rudy's been struggling on O and there are only so many guys who need the ball that we can try to get going offensively in the starting group. He did finish with the team's only double double at 10-10, and was great from the FT line at 6-7).

To his credit, DJ has done well to adjust to the half-court needs of his teammates, and while DeMar is more willing to and can adjust to a more running style, LMA seems not as fully committed and so does it less consistently. DJ was terrific tonight, and we saw him with Derrick late in the game for defensive purposes. His minutes restrictions are now lifted, and the extra minutes has his confidence and consistency in this game soaring: 18 points on 8-12, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 1 block to only 1 turnover and being a disruptive defensive presence was just what we needed from him.

It's weird how DJ and Derrick take turns having great games, and hopefully they get into a rhythm of both contributing more fully, but at least Derrick was a defensive presence for us. Not sure what's going on with Bryn but he's been wildly inconsistent and 0 points (this while passing up shots which is unusually tentative for him) tonight while getting focused on in switches to defend bigger guys made for a difficult afternoon for him. Beli in half the time connected on 1-2 and 2-2FTs.

Birthday Lonnie also stepped up scoring 16 on 5-8, 1-1 from 3 and 5-5FTs. He was driving with intent and soaring to disrupt and challenge defenses. He gives us such a different dynamic and you could see his confidence grow with more consistent minutes. Solid defender, and is much more engaged on that end. Turns out when you make a guy earn his minutes especially with good D play he plays better on both ends.

Adjustments - I love the changes being implemented by Pop: Lonnie being part of the regular rotation subbing in for DeMar (critical tonight when DD was in foul trouble) and getting more minutes than Bryn and Beli was wonderful; DJ and Derrick getting more minutes together for a defensive back court; not having DeMar take the final shot in regulation (although Rudy was only I think 2-9 at that point, he has been more clutch late in games than DeMar); the next to last play in OT where we inbounded to DeMar he was already on the run and drove full force for a high layup and foul rather than having him probe and create which has not worked late in games; Patty's final shot to seal the game for us in OT was excellent execution of an equally excellent drawn up play. Can't say enough about the clutchness of both.

A strong start despite low percentage shooting for both teams, a spiral in the second Q, but we did enough on both ends to win the final three periods and seal a historic fourth consecutive OT. Lots to improve on, but lots more to build on, too, and this with a better balance of veterans and youth contributing.

NOTEWORTHY ACHIEVEMENTS

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter