SPURS GAME DAY! GAME 27: SPURS VS. HORNETS, 15-12-2021, 7:30PM (CT)

[G R E Y]

A couple of much needed days off after five games in seven nights has us in good physical and mental shape for our fifth and final home game before a stretch on the road. We face a talented, high-scoring east team that will test our defensive diligence. Staying true to our D principles, maintaining our pace, transition, and variety on O, and playing with fundamentals throughout for the full 48 will serve our task well and propel the good momentum further for the road trip. But first thing's first, and that's all two-way focus on tonight's game.

WHERE: AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX

WHEN: Wednesday, December 15, 2021, 7:30pm (CT)

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GO SPURS GO!!!

[ducler]

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[G R E Y]

Not ideal. Lonnie was just on a solid roll of good consistency:

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Dec. 14: Happy Birthday, Lonnie!

Dec. 15: Lonnie out with stomach issues

Hopefully Devin et al step up. Perhaps even more minutes for Bryn!

[imagump1313]

Soo glad Pop got a haircut....

[imagump1313]

Charlotte can score, gonna be a long night if we aren't going to defend..

[G R E Y]

Like I said: we face a talented, high-scoring team that will test out D diligence.

They're on a 13-2 run...

They're getting right up into us when we're on O and we're chasing them on D.

Plus they've made 5-7 from 3.

Protect our arc. Did I mention that's important? Yes. Yes, it is.

And Pop subs out everyone except Jakob. Tough. Play better.

[G R E Y]

So Pop subbed in Tre, Bryn, Devin, Diop with Jakob. Much better energy and hustle and getting up into players on D.

I wonder how many of our guys celebrated Lonnie's birthday with him yesterday...

[G R E Y]

We keep over-committing on one side and they just pass it around for 3.

We keep chasing passes...

[G R E Y]

1ST Q: SPURS 31

HORNETS 46

Oh dear. Well it's a 3s game turned into a 3s-on-steroids game. They scored so often that I thought they were at 39 points and I was 5 points behind.

We scored 31 points which is terrific, but holy moly we keep chasing them as they drive kick spread the floor, extra pass and have made 10-15 3s. They've made more 3s than we've taken, so that's one issue. 15 of their 26 shots are from the 3 and 30 of their 46 points are from the arc. So even though we shot 53% FG but only 2-9 from 3.

We're respecting them too much, frankly. Get physical, get into passing lanes, get into their bodies.

[imagump1313]

Looks like everyone got freshened up. Pop, Eubanks, Johnson, McDermott. Maybe a team activity...

We are playing a little defense now, good thing Charlotte doesn't play much defense either.

[G R E Y]

Yep got up into them, got some steals and stops, quick pushes in transition, some fouls for trips to the FT line and we're on a good 9-0 run. Very solid response after taking an early punch. LOVE that we didn't just lie down after their early hot start and we counter-punched based on what we do best.

[G R E Y]

I like that Derrick is driving a lot but he's already turned it over twice on bad pass decisions, unforced. The slightly uncoordinated decision-making Derrick is rearing his head but he's fighting through it.

Keldon's frustrated with the fouls. Just take your frustration out on their rim.

They've cooled off a bit from distance, but we're not heating up much. Doug's getting good looks but he HAS to make them.

We've gone back and forth 10-8 point deficit, but all it takes is a bad pass and not running back or helping on D and it's a momentum changer.

Another quality run to end the Q, come on!

[G R E Y]

By quality run, Spurs, I meant by us. In case it wasn't clear...

[G R E Y]

Soo glad Pop got a haircut....

Best move of the night so far

I like the goatee, too

EDIT to add: These 'contemplation' zoom-ins always make me laugh

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[G R E Y]

2ND Q: SPURS 57

HORNETS 73

It was JUST within 8 points. We worked hard to cut a 20-point lead down to it. And then... One mistake, we pay; one miss, we pay; one deflection, we pay; one O board given up, we pay. Repeat.

We made some good strides but it's so hard to stay with their O output. I mean, we scored 57 points. That's solid for us. But we allowed them to not only score 73 but also on 60%FG efficiency and 60% efficiency from 3.

We closed the 3s attempts gap 21-17, but they've made 13 to our 5. We were 3-8 from 3 in the 2ND Q. It's from no thanks to Doug who is 1-6. No offense, but when Lonnie or Bryn aren't scoring well they're getting criticism so fair play for Doug to get the heat, too. He simply... has to score form the arc.

We did do a good job in driving at them for 10-10FTs, though only their reserve PF has 3 fouls. More of this at everyone else. Points in the paint are just about even 24-22, and considering this is an area we usually get big leads, they're actually getting into something we're good at. Part of that is their 24-18 boards advantage, including 7-6 on O.

All they have to do it just about stay even everywhere else as their 3s shooting is scorching us. Have to limit these, plain and simple. Make them work hard for everything.

[G R E Y]

D to O transition!

[G R E Y]

Case in BBIQ department point; We get a steal, we push, Keldon drives down the middle and chooses to finish... with a **** finger roll Lonnie style at the rim for a missed bunny rather than a sure dunk or off the glass. Then they hit a 3. Five-point swing.

[G R E Y]

BALL. DON'T. LIE.

TWO **** CHICKEN ARMS USED ON DOUG AND DERRICK AND BOTH WERE CALLED DEFENSIVE FOULS. IT'S NOT EVEN 'OH IT'S A HOME CALL' IT'S JUST THE WRONG **** CALL.

THEN WE DON'T RUN BACK ON D FOR THEIR OPEN 3...

[G R E Y]

AGAIN. It was JUST an eight-point deficit. Blink and it's seventeen. Doesn't help that we're not getting calls. Refs just flat out missing them and then we're givign up points the other way while we're busy staying frustrated.

[G R E Y]

Yeah we're trying and getting open shots just... not making them. 13-3 run for them.

Derrick standing up encouraging guys is a big deal. We need that guy to keep spirits up.