SPURS GAME DAY! PRE-SEASON GAME 3: SPURS VS. HEAT, 8-10-2021, 7:30PM (CT)

[G R E Y]

Back at home for some more reps, with hopefully growing cohesion even as line-ups with doubtless continue to be tinkered with. Seeing some burgeoning chemistry among the new Spurs and our young vets, and more familiarity with our system tonight is a bonus. A competitive game on both ends throughout is the foundation.

WHERE: AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX

WHEN: Friday, October 8, 2021, 7:30pm (CT)

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GO SPURS GO!!!

[G R E Y]

Um... ok... Do they have enough players?

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Looks like they're going to be bombing away from 3 time and again. Good practice for us.

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Along with Zach who's still recovering.

Jakob out means Jock and Drew get a lot more minutes. KBD out means... not sure who but hopefully Luka gets more reps tonight.

[G R E Y]

Yeah! Let's go, Luka!

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Luka and Drew (and Keldon) have some familiarity from G-League so that should help.

[G R E Y]

Well... looking less aggressive, less cohesive, and missing a whooooooole lot of shots so far. No starter has made more than one shot so far. A lot of off balance attempts as we're covered inside. We're only 5-20 and 0-5 from 5, so again, just aim for the basket in the middle.

Ont he D end, we're getting pushed around a lot. That's one thing about us this season - we're deep, but who's the bruiser? Drew, sometimes Keldon and...?

[G R E Y]

1ST Q: SPURS 17

HEAT 24

DJ taking pride in his D is great to see.

Devin coming in and taking and making the shot he's been practicing all summer is great to see.

Keldon is hit and miss. Not sure why. Maybe his rhythm is off from the extra time in Japan? Maybe he's pressing a bit. Some errant misses.

Lonnie with some errant misses, too. He just has to settle into himself and not rush.

Derrick's been disappointing this pre-season so far. No other way to put it.

Luka had some nice defensive plays, but he has to be FAR more assertive on O to earn minutes.

If we can just hit some shots...

[G R E Y]

OH LOOK. We finally score. A DJ J. If he's our best player this season we're in for a long one lol

[G R E Y]

We have EIGHT points half way through the second Q...

[G R E Y]

2ND Q: SPURS 45

HEAT 54

Well some better defensive effort, and finally some made shots.

Lonnie and Luka (who hesitated earlier) are making quicker decisions with the ball.

Derrick had a stronger second Q, taking a charge, pushing the ball, driving more. Some errant finishes and misses as the Heat are disciplined in help D and closing any chances up close, but I like the extra intensity.

We closed a 19-point deficit down to 10 which is good. To close it further still, our D rebounding has to be better, and we need to push the ball in transition more.

Not sure if we've been instructed to run more half court sets for game practice or what, but we're a lot slower this game and last one, too. We pushed it noticeably more in the first game. I get that we need to practice a full repertoire, but it's an imbalance right now. When we push we don't settle for outside shots as much. We don't have guys who can break down opponents one on one outside of DJ, maybe Keldon and sometimes Lonnie, so playing to our strengths in the second half should reap better rewards.

[G R E Y]

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Pop did this last game as well. Now it's Luka out, Doug in. Good spacing, and Doug hasn't been afraid to take his open shots.

[G R E Y]

3RD Q: SPURS 77

HEAT 78

Nice to see assertive Keldon back doing some work inside. Derrick and DJ stepped up as well. We've done well to come back and actually get a lead a couple of times this Q, but when we do we make some boneheaded plays to give it up.

I loved how we pressed their PG towards the end of the Q there, didn't love how Keldon allowed his man who shot and missed the 3 to get after the O reb and put it back.

The less Bryn ahndles the ball and just shoots off movement the better.

Jock is immediately impactful on both ends. He's a great passer.

Any time Lonnie wants to show up on O would be a great time.

We need more Devin now...

[G R E Y]

4TH Q: SPURS 105

HEAT 109

Well, new team, old habits. This time via a slow start, a familiar foe. I thought we'd push the ball far more to start the game but we settled into a Sunday pace because I guess like I said before it's something to practice? There's enough continuity on the team to push the pace.

Luka got subbed to start the second half, which wasn't a surprise as Pop's been playing around with various line-ups. Luka sucking air and tugging at his shorts in the first half was a surprise. He's gotten stronger, but you have to wonder how much cardio was a priority or how much was followed through on.

He finally made some shots at the rim in both halves which is an improvement, and his D was on the whole steady. But he got outhustled on D boards time and again. He's taller but not jumping and getting outbodied consistently. Good shot making late in the game. I don't mind mistakes of the hustle variety; I do of the timid variety. He's tightened up his game, but there's something a bit off. I don't recall the last time he smiled or looked like he was enjoying himself out there in games or in his social media posts.

Keldon picked it up in the second half. Each game he shows a little bit more of his growth on O. He was staunch on D, using his legs to get stay with perimeter players.

Lonnie has shown quicker decisions with the ball, but man o man he's getting in his own way mentally. He only put up 6 shots, made 1 for 2 points in 23 minutes. Decent D put got blown by a few times. Just a disappointing output so far in the three games overall. What's followed him since his college days is what's still an issue - disappearing in games, consistent effort that makes an impact on both ends.

Not sure how much I like Thad in our line-up. He took a charge and made some nice passes. But overall he's looked slightly out of place, affecting spacing. I thought he'd have some O impact but he aparently has no post moves.

Loved what Drew and Jock brought. Energy, physicality, smart plays (Drew with trailing cuts and power dunks, Jock with great passes and O rebounds).

Derrick and DJ played together at times, but were staggered at others. We're trying out a variety of looks in a variety of line-ups.

DJ's been our most consistent player on both ends through the two games he's played. Good decisions (save for a couple of contested 3s he took tonight), good drives and passes, good use of screens to get to his mid range Js.

Devin's crisp O shows the work he's put in over the summer. Very good D as well. He's seriously going to be dangerous with more reps. Speaking of which, it would be great to see Devin featured more as Lonnie and Luka have been. He's frankly already shown a bigger jump than both of them.

We don't want Bryn taking the most shots per game, right? We also don't want him handling the ball, but I think he's subbing in for Tre's role. Doug was solid from the arc and off ball.

As a team our 3s coverage and contesting needs work. We have some players still learning the system and it made for some awkward sets at times. We got outbodied and outhustled for in a lot of 50/50 plays. Lots of slow sets (only 88FGAs; 36 from 3 is better; 13-19 FTs needs work) and tons of missed shots. Playing to more of our strengths and reps in the system overall will help. So, too, will more assertive starts. Hopefully in the last two games we coalesce our talents and game in preparation for the season.

[Phreak50]

Keldon was a big fish in a little pond last year. He is nothing more than an average player with a big heart.

Murray is not a starter on any other team in the league.

We will be celebrating if we hit 20 wins this season.

[G R E Y]

l'll try and find the video to the post-game interviews, but some quote for now:

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That's faint praise. He should be further along by now.

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[Ballings7]

Keldon was a big fish in a little pond last year. He is nothing more than an average player with a big heart.

Murray is not a starter on any other team in the league.

We will be celebrating if we hit 20 wins this season.

So, overall, what makes Keldon just an average NBA swingman? Especially since he's been involved in Team USA?

He probably won't get to an all-star level in his career, but also isn't just an NBA athlete that hustles. On this kind of team instance of the Spurs, his impact will naturally be less consistent; however, that still doesn't equate to he's just an average NBA player individually.