SPURS GAME DAY! GAME 4: SPURS VS. LAKERS, 26-10-2021, 7:30PM (CT)

[G R E Y]

4TH Q: SPURS 114

LAKERS 114

Gut check, deep breath, all out hustle and execution on both ends time, Spurs!!!

p.s. Make every FT from now on, Spurs!

[G R E Y]

Two days off, younger team and we're sucking air...

[imagump1313]

All those missed FTs were the difference. Shouldn't have went to OT.

Still a fun game and we are exciting to watch when we aren't tentative.

[G R E Y]

OT: SPURS 121

LAKERS 125

We didn't score in the final minute. We looked tired late in the 4TH Q and into the OT. We wouldn't have had to go into OT had we not gone 0-7 from the FT line in the 4TH Q.

I liked our fight, I'm proud of how we fought back after we gave up a lead and how we fought back from a five-point deficit in OT. But we certainly made it harder on ourselves with some far too open shots allowed, with allowing drives to the rim time and again, and with stalled O for stretches in the game.

DJ got his triple double and Jakob led us in scoring but I'm willing to bet we have losing records when either happens. Can't fault Jakob at all. He did everything you could ask and more on both ends. DJ went "I'm the main man" mode and frankly we didn't get a good egalitarian rhythm going.

He kept on missing Doug with passes. This is the same Doug who hit seven three pointers for us the previous game. Lonnie and Devin had the hot hands so DJ went ISO mode in the 4TH Q.

He needs to just stop trying to be the main **** guy and do what's best for the team which is pass to the open guys who are running around so hard to get open. Tunnel vision from a PG, one who drives into taller defenders to get blocked, isn't what you want from a PG.

I wish Tre had gotten some minutes. I could have lived with his mistakes. Not sure why he's not playing more. Is it to set in the roles now? Might as well incorporate him. Tre was wonderful in SL. I'd love to see a bench of Tre, Lonnie, Devin, Diop, Drew/Jock get established at some point and not just from end-of-game minutes.

Back to the game. By the time Lonnie and Devin were in again, they were largely spectators to DJ's attempts. I don't care that he 'normally' makes these shots from the elbow and from the top of the key. He's had poor shooting so far this season and they had the hot hand.

You know when we got a 12-point lead? When we ran in transition and passed the ball quickly, pushing it ahead to Lonnie and Devin. They were both big bright spots on O but they can't shoot a ball that doesn't get back to them. The old slow it down to a screen and J just was too much to resist for DJ. He had as many FGAs in the 4TH Q as Lonnie and Devin combined. And NONE of them were from drives. Everything was outside the paint. I just don't like him calling his own number at the expense of team mates when we have a lead and he keeps doing this. It's like each of the other games a different Spur led us in scoring and no matter what he looked like he was looking to get his first rather than serving the hot hand and doing what was best in each play. TWENTY-FOUR **** FGAs. TWENTY-FOUR. Nine made FGs.

Career night for Jakob. Drew is serviceable behind him but Jock is now there as well and I think he can help. Jakob is putting in great work and needs some relief to have more in the can late in the season. Primo can, too. That young man just has a knack for positive impact. Great feel and instincts.

Derrick is frankly disappointing on O for the most part. Too many games where he's like 2-for-everything, even if he does his thing on D. He and Keldon had off O night but at least Keldon got to the FT line a lot and connected on 7-8. I think he may have been held out some because his arm was nearly **** torn off.

Bryn is worse as FA than as undrafted player. He's coming off a career year from the 3. Just... UUGH...

Thad has been... unimpactful on the court.

Just a lot of wasted opportunities. Some of it was team-inflicted - a woeful 12-22 FTs. Some was a PG who needs to play like a PG. Some was allowing the opponent open shots. We didn't fight over screens enough, we didn't run out to contest enough, we allowed too many drives down the middle. And on a night when we made enough 3s, it was our tried and true shots that we weren't focused enough on hitting.

My sense is that DJ is trying too hard to be 'the man' and over-tries to prove it. It's hit and miss. I'd much prefer if his go-to move were giving the ball to the hot hand regardless of how many games in it hasn't been his. My sense also is that we need to get used to the bigger responsibilities team-wide. Because we are now a dedicated D-out team, the energy we expend on that end means we are more tired on O, and because we don't have that established go-to guy, it's in transition that we have our best scoring chances. But running on both ends and bigger roles means guys have to adjust to the grind.

Frustrating that we were in another close one and didn't push through when we had it in our hands to do so. No moral victories. I hope this stings enough to take it out on our next opponent. Tough, selfless basketball and made FTs is the best way to do it.

[G R E Y]

Ok on to some positives:

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

[Phreak50]

You summed it up perfectly with the Murray comments.

When I saw we had the Lakers, I knew DJ was going to take the most shots.