SPURS GAME DAY! GAME 28: SPURS AT JAZZ, 17-12-2021, 8PM (CT)

[G R E Y]

We embark, smarting, on a four-game road trip, the first versus the hottest team in the league. It's as if the basketball gods want to see what we've learned. Well we have to do better in just about every aspect of our defensive game: communication, rotations, contests in the paint and at the arc, rebounding, and ball protection. On O it's no secret that making more than our average of efficient 3s is a good buffer, but having them flow from our transition and movement-based game is key. Nothing short of our best two-way play will do. Let's surprise everyone but ourselves with it.

WHERE: Vivint Arena, Salt Lake City, UT

WHEN: Friday, December 17, 2021, 8pm (CT)

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GO SPURS GO!!!

[ducler]

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[G R E Y]

Too easy alley oop that had us late on the coverage a minute or so in, Pop timeout. Not playing around tonight.

[G R E Y]

REALLY glad to see Pop is back to wearing the mask on the bench again.

[G R E Y]

Libations Lonnie is back and just subbed in!

[G R E Y]

Really liking the fight on D boards, the boxing out, and the push in transition. Scrambly scrappy effort.

[G R E Y]

LONNIE PLAYING SOME GREAT DEFENSE TONIGHT! MOVING FEET, STAYING WITH DRIVERS, CONTESTING AGGRESSIVELY, ACTIVE HANDS FOR THE POKE OUT STEAL JUST NOW. LOVE IT!

[imagump1313]

I don't understand our rotations. Vassell hits a couple nice shots, plays good defense and immediately gets sent to the bench.

[G R E Y]

We keep getting caught on these mismatches of our guards on opponent bigs inside and our bigs on their perimeter...

Drew long J, eh? Hmm... Not what Pop 'drew' up.

[G R E Y]

I don't understand our rotations. Vassell hits a couple nice shots, plays good defense and immediately gets sent to the bench.

Match up or something? Noticed the quick minutes for him, too. But 'quick' just feels that way - he played 6 minutes in the 1ST Q, like two starters, and second highest on the bench.

[G R E Y]

1ST Q: SPURS 36

JAZZ 37

But for their I think 9-2 run to end the Q, we held out own with making 3s, getting to the FT line, and scoring efficiently. Liked the boxing out and transition play.

We have to find ways to finish harder at the rim - lots of strips and blocks. Maybe reverse it or go in for dunks. Just harder finishes.

Loved this version of Lonnie on both ends. Except for that too fast missed bunny to end the Q, but that was after a steal.

Drew's main advantage is that bowling ball bully physicality and he's not really using it well. Still the first big off the bench (more on that in another thread), but the drop off in talent from Jakob is noticeable in games where the opponent bench bigs feast.

Considering how we tend to start slow or flat out suck in cold climates, our 36 is a very solid start. Just need to curb their high low actions and limit getting caught on those pain big-guard / guard-big perimeter switches. Every game we get caught in these.

[imagump1313]

I don't understand our rotations. Vassell hits a couple nice shots, plays good defense and immediately gets sent to the bench.

Match up or something? Noticed the quick minutes for him, too. But 'quick' just feels that way - he played 6 minutes in the 1ST Q, like two starters, and second highest on the bench.

Now Vassell is out of it, playing tentative and missing shots. This is what I'm saying. Why couldn't we ride him a few minutes and give him some confidence?

[G R E Y]

Woosh do they ever go on runs fast. Another 12-3 one for a Pop timeout. We're making our 3s, and contesting theirs well enough, so the stops have to be on the passes or get there before the ball to force secondary options.

[G R E Y]

Don't like the series of settling for outside shots without trying to create anything the last four shots or so...

[G R E Y]

WEAK. ASS. CALL. ON THE DERRICK POKE FROM BEHIND.

[G R E Y]

I don't understand our rotations. Vassell hits a couple nice shots, plays good defense and immediately gets sent to the bench.

Match up or something? Noticed the quick minutes for him, too. But 'quick' just feels that way - he played 6 minutes in the 1ST Q, like two starters, and second highest on the bench.

Now Vassell is out of it, playing tentative and missing shots. This is what I'm saying. Why couldn't we ride him a few minutes and give him some confidence?

I get it, but you could say that about Doug or Lonnie, for instance, too. The rotations are what they are, not sure about match-ups being a factor. And Jazz are bringing up their intensity, too, which is putting us on our heels a bit, too.

[G R E Y]

DEVIN 3! JUST PUT HIM ON THE RIGHT SIDE!

[G R E Y]

Drew wrecking ball with his third foul.

SO MANY FT'S. This game's going to like midnight...

[G R E Y]

We're getting killed on the boards on both ends.

[G R E Y]

OH FFS GET A **** HAND ON THE BALL...