GAME DAY, BALA!!! PLAY IN GAME 1: SPURS AT GRIZZLIES, 19-5-2021, 6:30PM (CT)

[imagump1313]

We can talk about Derozan's bad game, the comeback, the draft, the cap space all we want...

Fact is this team is going nowhere with Murray as a starting point guard. It was embarrassing watching him try to shoot in such an important game.

You know I am one of the biggest Murray skeptics around. But he did actually make some strides this season. I'm still not 100% sold on him and things like him opening his mouth last night but not really doing much to back it up don't help. If he continues down the path he is on and keeps improving I'll be willing to see what happens. He is never going to be a superstar but I don't think we need him to be to win games.

We must move on from DeRozan. I admit I was a supporter of the trade when Leonard left at the time but now looking back, I would have rather taken draft picks. His time here was just treading water. We are about in the same position now as we were when Leonard left minus Aldridge and we won little to nothing when Mister Stat Padder was here. We are stuck in mediocre land now. If they resign him I will be pissed.

[G R E Y]

I agree with gump that DJ has improved and with Phreak that we don't go far with DJ as 1B option for us. I think with Derrick out and with DJ being the next most versatile scorer after DeMar on the starters, he has taken it upon himself to try to step up and fill in when others are not scoring or are not quite up to the task.

I don't know the exact W-L record when DJ gets a triple double, but I think it's pretty even. So even when DJ fills in a lot, it's not a reliable indicator of a W.

There are few PGs who are great difference makers - Curry, Dame - who elevate their teams almost single-handedly. We don't need that from DJ, even as an improved 3 shot from him can help us immensely. He's not that guy, but he is important for us.

Derrick's presence is actually a solid W indicator as we were 18-18 with him and 2-11 without in the last injury he had. Now that record also reflects a lot of other factors - schedule, fatigue, effects of missing players previously - but Derrick us undoubtedly hugely important for us.

DeMar should shoulder his share of responsibility for the loss. Yes he did a lot to get us here all season and one game does not erase all that, but teams rely on their best players to be just that in the most important games. I am looking for a stat that shows his first games of playoff series going back like seven years. In each game he has been woeful, around 30% efficiency, and last night followed that pattern. It's weird and unfortunately predictable.

Edit: Here it is

Read on Twitter

Wow.

I am still travel quarantining in a hotel so typing on cell is horrible. But I will make a thread about our patterns this season and where we can / should (I think) improve.

Strengthening some patterns and working to shed others are part of the progress we can make to further raise our floor.

[G R E Y]

Post-game interviews:

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