SPURS GAME DAY! GAME 70: SPURS VS. WOLVES, 14-3-2022, 7:30PM (CT)

[G R E Y]

If we're going to drive at the annoying jerk and get the O foul, make him feel it.

[imagump1313]

There was a post somewhere about soo many 50 point games this year but no one has a 60 point game yet....until tonight

[imagump1313]

Again, why try to go two for one when we can't stop anyone from scoring?

[G R E Y]

3RD Q: SPURS 106

WOLVES 121

We just gave up a SECOND 40+ point Q. Hard to win this way. Their C has 14 made FTs on 14 attempts to our team's 15 made on 19 attempts. He has a career high in 3 Qs while no other team mate has more than 15. They don't need to. He scored 32 points in this Q while our whole tam scored 33.

Just... oof...

It was all fine and chippy and competitive until he went unconscious.

But our D and rebounding and fouling caught up to us.

And our bench outside of Lonnie STILL has only 3 points. THREE POINTS!

Do better everywhere, Spurs!

[G R E Y]

Weak pass, TO, we steal, weak pass, layup...

At least a 4-point swing. Down 14 rather than down 12 or 11 potentially. Big mental mistakes leading to big actual points against.

[G R E Y]

Keldon is doing GREAT D work on their C to deny him the ball and put his body on him down low for TOs and fouls.

[G R E Y]

**** OFF FOR NOT DUNKING, JAKOB!

[imagump1313]

This team just has no interest in playing any defense.

I LIKE IT!!!! 13 more to go!

[imagump1313]

Pop commanding the stealth tank! Nice job!!

[G R E Y]

This team just has no interest in playing any defense.

I LIKE IT!!!! 13 more to go!

It was decent in spurts. But we have no one to stop a huge mobile big. No other opponent has more than 19.

[G R E Y]

Read on Twitter

[G R E Y]

4TH Q: SPURS 139

WOLVES 149

Ridiculous numbers and efficiency from both teams. This is where a franchise guy comes in handy. But in addition, we really don't have anyone big enough to impose a physical presence either on a guy like that. We did triple team and Keldon was great in the 4TH Q to deny him the ball and be physical down low, but man oh man do we really need a proper PF, whatever that means in today's NBA - you know, someone 6'10 or over, 250lbs, mobile. Is that too hard to find? Bad match up but we persevered well... 3s and TOs did us in.

More on this game in a bit...

Ok well we had three 30+ point Qs, one 40+ point Q, poured in 139(!)... and still lost by 10. I guess if we don't have anyone to stop a talent like their C, we had to do a better job to stop others, and outside of him, they scored 10 3s from everyone else. Two other starters shot it very efficiently from the arc. And those three players combined to match the 3s output of our entire team - 13.

Put it another way, their starting back court shot 6-9 from 3 whereas ours shot 3-11. Now DJ and Devin had great O games, each shooting 50% overall, combining for a nearly perfect 12-13FTs. In other words, we still had a chance despite a career scoring night from their C and despite getting outscored from the arc.

It would have been nice if JRich found his shot this game, but he was once again a poor 1-3 for 2 points, the only starter not in double figures.

But again, despite that, we still poured in 139 points! It should always be enough. I'm getting swayed into focusing on our O kind of like we were on the court.

It was the D that did us in as gump keeps pointing out. A couple of generational talents - a PG and a C - have had career highs in scoring on us and there are things we can do from the start, like denying them the ball more sooner, shadowing them more, bodying them them down low more, doubling more, etc. But you can't teach size and we couldn't stop being bodied down low, and it was compounded by some poor non-rotations for their wiiiiiide open 3s.

Keldon had a career high 34 points, leading us in attempts (21), makes (13), 3s (5), rebounds (8, 2 on O), and even had 4 assists. Terrific all around game with new wrinkles to it seemingly each time around. What I liked best is his driving at the biggest players and still finding ways to lay it in, and on D having his hands up to contest. Hasn't always been the case and stood out well. Love his improving game, and that he was relentless and contributing in several categories.

I liked Zach's defensive presence in the paint. He got a game high 4 blocks of our 11. Jakob and Devin got 3 each, too, so our work at the rim was active and diverse. Jakob had a terrific O game, too (21 on 9-12, 3-4FTs), with only 4 boards (2 on O) and 1 assist. Our bigs couldn't get the assists we normally do (the three combined for 3 assists) but we implemented a lot of weak side, back door and trailing cuts to score well. I just wish that Jakob were more aggressive with his finishes. Missed bunnies by a 7' player one foot from the rim are suck energy suckers; dunks are such energizers.

Devin showed some really nice flashes in this game. Strong defensive presence, all around stat stuffing and impactful game, and didn't settle for outside shots as much. He split his attempts with nearly half being drives to the rim, and his finishes were as beautiful as they were effective. That he can finish with either hand is a bonus. Three boards (1 on O), 3 assists, 2 steals in addition to the 3 blocks shows the two-way promise with O polish that is just beginning to flourish.

We were outrebounded 40-36 but got a 9-7 O board edge - close.

The teams were within two points of one another in points in the paint - close.

The teams were within two points of one another in points off TOs - close.

And the teams were within one point in fast break points - close.

But allowing 50% from 3 was too much of a back breaker. Keldon and Lonnie were the only ones who shot it efficiently. And we simply gave up too many far too open ones. Game.

We need to start cleaner games, too. Five TOs, four of which were by DJ meant we had to chase their lead down - lots of energy expended from start to finish. Their biggest lead was 17; ours was one. DJ's 30 on 10-20, 9-10FTs (good that he kept driving, he doesn't always assert himself in getting to the rim), game high 12 assists, 4 boards, 1 steal, 1 block, but the TOs once again were glaring. He's been adding these up with some loose TOs be it ball handling into too many defenders, trying to beat his man off the dribble rather stubbornly, or telegraphing passes or tossing it into bigs wither too low or too contested. Uncharacteristic TOs and missed bunnies in this game for a player who prides himself on clean games and using the glass more consistently than just about any other Spur.

Another close stat between teams - the benches scored within one point of each other. Our issue is that, once again, now that Devin is starting, Lonnie is most often the sole reliable scorer. He was again in this game with 22 on stellar 8-12, 3-5 from 3, 3-3FTs, with 3 boards and 2 assists. A balanced, assertive game with contributions beyond scoring is what we want and need from him. But he's not getting enough help on O with our rejigged bench. Primo has hit a rookie wall, Tre got 7 assists which is terrific for his role, but was only 1-4, 0-1 from 3, plus two terrific O boards. Zach was a wonderful, active, and impactful defender but shot 2-7, 104 from 3 along with his 5 boards (1 on O) and 2 assists. He was scoreless in the first three Qs and was part of the lineup in the final three minutes. Jock and Joe combined for 3 points in that time. The bench scoring after three Qs was 22 points.

Jock balled out last game and barely played in this one. Such is the lot of a third string big. And their lead ballooned quickly to double digits when we subbed out DJ and Devin for Tre and Primo. Well Jock is more of a known commodity for a rookie. He's older and more experienced having played professionally overseas and in the Olympics. I'm glad he's getting a shot in the NBA with us, but he is behind Zach who is the more skilled big who's game is also more of a mystery.

And so we go with Zach, Tre, and Primo far more now than we normally would in a season that prioritizes patience and development during a rebuild. That doesn't mean throwing in the towel, but it does mean that starters share more minutes with players whose peaks and valleys we have to live through and with. If we win with their contributions (or despite them) then the team guns for the play-in. If we don't, then it's year one of a rebuild and these are significant experiences for a young team in its first year together.

Both players and fans have to live with this new way of moving forward. Making sure we see more of better play as the new team continues to come together is really central and both have to endure the growing pains for a little longer. We've been showing a really good, more consistent competitive spirit in this run of games, and it continued in this one. We'll see how we use the lessons and successes in the final two games of this home stand.