GAME DAY, BALA! GAME 13: SPURS VS. ROCKETS, 16-1-2021, 4PM (CT)

[G R E Y]

Let's try this again, shall we? We have some pride of play on the line in this game. Let's show our best energy, our best movement for good to great made shots, and our best defense for the whole game. Nothing less will do.

WHERE: AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX

WHEN: Saturday, January 16, 2021, 4pm (CT)

Earn The Stripes Mode: Bubble! Style! Play!






And Energy!


GO SPURS GO!!!

[ducler]

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[G R E Y]

OK. Everybody better be ready to go full out today. If any player doesn't show the requisite energy and focus he can warm the bench for those who do.

[G R E Y]

NOBODY IS OUT TO CONTEST THEIR 3S AGAIN! DEFEND OUR ARC, SPURS! ROTATE AND CONTEST!!!

[G R E Y]

DD WITH THE CRAPPY D GETTING BEATEN ON A CUT, THEN SHOWS CRAPPY BODY LANGUAGE AFTER GETTING BEATEN ON A CUT AND WATCHES THE OPPONENT LAY IT IN.

SIT. DOWN.

[imagump1313]

Houston needs to stop with the blue jerseys. Those look soo bad.

We are still struggling to stop any of these G-Leaguers from getting to the rim...

[G R E Y]

GREAT JOB, JAKOB! KEEP IT UP!

[G R E Y]

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Ok. Better adjustments after a slow start. KJ on Wood is solid as their C doesn't do as well with physicality.

Both teams are losing the ball all over the place. It's like the ball is wet and made of plastic.

Better rebounding by us.

3s are the difference right now.

MAKE ALL OUR SHOTS, SPURS! AND PROTECT THE BALL AND OUR ARC!

[imagump1313]

Its the same cast of characters always getting beat defensively. Aldridge, DeRozan, Walker, Murray, Mills.......
Johnson, Vassell, Poeltl at least still compete when they get beat. We just aren't good at all defensively. Proof. McLemore has 21.

[imagump1313]

I would take Christian Wood on my team any day.....

[Phreak50]

I didn't watch this one, please tell me Aldridge's minutes were a result of Pop pulling him for lack of effort?

[imagump1313]

I didn't watch this one, please tell me Aldridge's minutes were a result of Pop pulling him for lack of effort?

It was a little of that but mostly because Christain Wood was destroying him

[G R E Y]

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JAKOB! JAKOB! JAKOB! OY! OY! OY!

[G R E Y]

Well, the start may have been familiar, but we found our way to finish strong. I like our fight throughout the game, despite another early deficit, despite missed shots, despite their tenacity.

Credit to our opponents for a spirited, competitive game. Sometimes an undermanned team in transition unites with effort to make up for what they lack in personnel. We learned that lesson the hard way in the first game against this team, and though we were pushed, we made good adjustments with our line-ups and play on both ends to push through scoring difficulties and some unforced errors to grind out a win.

We once again started giving up consecutive points and a double digit lead. An 8-3 lead turned on a 12-0 run for them. And so our subs went in at 6:17, earlier than the usual five-minute mark. We needed to stop the bleeding and we played catch up for the rest of the quarter largely because of poor shooting: 9-24, 0-6 from 3, 3-6FT’s to their 1022, 4-8 from 3, and 6-6FT’s. Still, the energy that the subs brought generated some turnovers, rebounded better, got some blocks and managed a mini 6-0 run to stay within striking distance but it was mostly our D energy and effort kept us in it.

Our bench was integral tonight. Not only did we outscore theirs (should have been a foregone conclusion but it wasn’t the case last game) but the four guys were the glue and grit that kept propelling us.

Central to the effort was Jakob who clearly was upset about his poor outings for much of the season and his anger channelled into a focused, determined performance. He led the bench in scoring with 13 points on a stellar 6-7 and 1-1FT on that horrible form I derided previously so what do I know . He also got a team-high 11 boards, including an impactful 7 on O, and he finally grabbed them to ensure he had the ball rather than always punching the ball up in the air; sometimes that’s necessary, but not always. He also got 3 assists (two in the final quarter), a steal and 3 blocks. Angry, confident Jakob who puts his mind to playing well is an entirely different player than the one chasing his game because he gets distracted from being down on himself half the time.

He finished with his left hand and got a block in the 1st Q; we went to him twice to start the 2ND Q, and though he missed that push J in the key, the second shot, a pass from DD to a cutting Jakob for a finish at the rim and a foul, was a solid traditional three-point play. We’ve missed this from him.

Jakob played 30 minutes, well above his 19.5 average and, importantly, he finished the game from 5:41 in the 3RD Q and throughout the 4TH Q alongside the starters. He got a couple of assists early in the final Q, made another shot, rebounded well, including 3 on O and one late in the game with just under a minute left and up 9 because of which we retained possession and Lonnie got fouled and made 1-2 at the line. Timing and effort throughout the game.

This was the complete game that shows how his game can grow. He’s an easy double double a night when he is this engaged, doing all the things that add up to a huge contribution. Sometimes he has come across as this happy-go-lucky, just glad to be here kind of guy, but the step up in taking responsibility for his game is a good sign. Frankly, we need this Jakob to be the one we see consistently. It is the next step in his growth, and takes some of the burden off of LMA, and off of the team from having to go to him as much.

LMA played a team and season low 17 minutes. He had 4 points and 2 rebounds. That he took 7 shots in that time through 3 Q’s all of which were within the width of the paint, took no 3s or FT’s just showed the kind of game had – or didn’t have – going. To his credit when we led their C to LMA for help D down low he was a solid, disruptive presence. And to his credit, LMA cheered on his teammates when he sat for the rest of the 3RD and all of the 4TH Q. Perhaps even he is coming to terms that a lesser role can help conserve his energy stores within games and from one game to the next. Our team succeeding throughout the year depends on both LMA accepting a more streamlined role and Jakob stepping up to a bigger one.

The other bench players were in the 20-22 minute range, with Rudy and Patty continuing to struggle scoring efficiently, but contributing in other ways which is big for us. Rudy got 8 boards, 2 assists, and 2 steals. Rudy took shots at the rim, in mid-range and from the 3 and that variety is important for us, as are the shots he doesn’t take. His pass to Jakob for his first points of the game show that bench connection we have, but in the 4th Q, Rudy’s weird, slow failed post-up attempt could have used another pass out to someone else. It’s not about perfection but recognition of who else is open at any given opportunity.

Patty was active hustling to the floor after loose balls, passing inside to Jakob, stepping up to take another charge, and even making an O board putback. Awareness and energy go a long way when the shot isn’t falling.

Devin’s intelligence is a revelation each time he plays. He’s a wonderfully committed defender, and is improving at man-to-man coverage:

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He fights over screens well and just doesn’t allow easy baskets down low.

His intelligence is also growing on O. On a Patty miss, Devin got the O board and had the presence of mind to fake a pass out to make the putback. He hustled to save the ball from going out of bounds on one side of the court for Keldon to keep it alive on the other side. He’s decisive with his off-ball movement like when he set a screen for DD and then popped out to the arc to receive a pass and swung a quick one to Keldon who drove, drew a foul, and made both FT’s. I wonder about his ‘hockey assist’ rate. It seems he makes more of these kinds of passes each game. And finally, he is more assertive in taking a variety of shots: a quick floater in they paint, a mid-range J on the right side, made all three FT’s after being fouled at the arc. His 3s aren’t falling for him, but he’s still impactful on both ends in many other ways. For sure he’ll be staying with us for the rest of the season. We need him.

As for our starters, full credit to DeMar for fighting through some personal family health issues which can easily and understandably be a distraction. He led us in scoring with 24 but only on 9-25, 0-1 from 3 and 6-6FT’s. On the one hand, he was as inefficient as anyone not named Jakob, on the other, he kept trying despite clearly carrying his off court emotions with him, despite getting frustration tech for not getting calls from refs. He had a complete game7 boards (starter-high 3 on O), 4 assists, 2 steals, and a block. I like the adjustment he made early in shooting the ball high off the glass on a drive, and in protecting the ball close to his body on another drive in the 2ND Q for a made basket and foul. He stayed with his shot after a miss to get the O board and get fouled towards the end of the 2ND Q, too. Early on his defensive focus wasn’t good as they back door cut on him rather easily and then he got beaten into the key. He’s also still giving up open lanes for kick out passes like in the beginning of the 3RD Q for a LMA miss. Good to great to less optimal is not the forward trend we want. He finished the game strong on a steal and a dunk to put the final D to O bookend on the game.

To Pop’s credit, we went away from what wasn’t working sooner, and did more of what was. Their C destroyed us in the previous game, so Keldon was now tasked with guarding their mobile big. The extra physicality made things more uncomfortable, as did Keldon leading him into help D double down low. Any pass out or forced shot was a positive. Keldon hustled to prevent balls from going out of bounds, rebounded (7, 2 on O), assisted (2) and blocked (2) in addition to scoring 11 on 4-10, 1-3 from 3, 2-3FT’s. His shots were predominantly at the rim and arc with one 9-foot right side J which he made. I like that he’s able to adjust his bulldozing through the key to pull up at the last moment and not get a charge. His high, round arching shot feels like time slows down as we wait for it to go in. It’s a contrast to his frenetic energy and gives a brief moment to take a breath. I love his all around contribution and hustle.

Lonnie had a rough O night in his 29 minutes, missing from just about everywhere. I guess the positive is that he took shots at the rim, from mid-range, and the arc. I do like that he’s absorbing more contact at the rim and is able to finish like he did in the 3RD Q when he also got a foul from the defender. He’s been more consistent in finishing at the rim, though the missed bunny still makes one wonder whether any given shot will go in. I did like the recovery and block in the 3RD Q because he stayed with the play and responded with his strengths of hops and speed. I also liked how he fought over a screen to stay with his man. He was called for a foul, but it was before the shot so he prevented a potential 3-point shot without giving up three FT’s. But again with DeMar back he was only 0-1 in the 1ST Q. We need strong starts, and each guy has to be mindful of what he can do to contribute to it. He just needs to put more of his complete game together more consistently night in, night out.

Like Keldon, Dejounte also played 32 minutes, second only to DeMar’s team-high 37. That may be overlooked as a given – players play, but Keldon’s in the very early part of his NBA career and is being relied upon to to a lot for us, and Dejounte was on a minutes restriction and it impeded his progress to some extent. His slow start was balanced with competitiveness throughout and a strong finish. He started the game 1-4, but was active defensively. He was the only other player besides Jakob with a double double 18/10 but it took him 8-18, 2-5 from 3 to get there. It’s surprising he only got to the FT line once given that seven of his attempts were so close to the basket. But he kept driving nevertheless. I really like his unorthdox drives with that patented high arc off the glass finish. He protects the ball by putting it behind his head with both hands to keep it out of reach of opponents until the last moment when he uncoils his high release. His 4TH Q stretch during which he had 7 consecutive points – a 3 from a DD pass (gutsy shot, he’s fearless in taking it, and it was the right choice), then a J, followed by a steal and a dunk to bring our five-point lead up to 12 – helped put some much needed breathing room between us and our opponent. I love that he did it on both ends.

In addition to putting Keldon on their C and LMA sitting over a quarter of the game, we also smartly went away from what wasn’t working and pushed ahead with what was. It sounds obvious, but sometimes it’s more a swing and a miss than pounding the rock when we keep taking a shot that isn’t working. We put only 24 3s in this game, putting ourselves out of our own misery considering we only made 5. We kept driving instead, and expanded our mid range game as well as getting 3s in more traditional ways through and 1s and Devin getting fouled at the arc. We also won the rebounding battle 58-51 (including, importantly, 17-12 on O) for a change, only our third time this season. Second chance points, controlling the clock as well as keeping the ball out of opponent hands all helped. These are hustle and mental plays, and improving them in this game helped us get the win.

They say it’s not how you start but how you finish, but if every play counts, then how we start needs improving. We have too many weapons to get into such scoring droughts, and I think pushing our transition game will help facilitate getting ahead and staying ahead early. Our fast breaks still need fundamentals tweaking – DD drove into two players on one of them. He scored, but we do need better recognition across the board of who to pass to. Here’s a more glaring example:

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If all the guys buy in completely into bubble style of play we will have far fewer O possessions in which there’s passing around the arc without anything actually being constructed. We also need to be mindful to not leave as many easy points on the floor and finish with fundamentals – and dunks! - at the rim.

Our D now ranks 9th, and this is without Derrick. We do need to pick up our scoring as the last four games in particular we have not been as efficient which puts more pressure on our D. Such dips in certain aspects of team play will happen and it’s a good thing we have the D to ride it out, but we do need to get quick easy points more often. I loved our interior D,

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our reading of plays and getting hands on many deflections, our concerted effort to rebound better on both ends, and in pushing the ball more. We made good adjustments individually as well as in match-ups specific to this opponent to get a much needed win. Staying true to our D to O transition game and our bubble style of play identity is central to getting a better D and O balance and being a bigger threat on both ends.

NOTEWORTHY ACHIEVEMENTS

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