SPURS @ Timberwolves - 12/6 7:00 CT 3:00 AM Riga time 10:00 PM Ushuaia

[cutewizard]

the comeback begins, hahahahaha

:bobo

[FaM0us Skins]

Let's keep this lead

[RD2191]

Lma!!

[cutewizard]

yes!!!!!

Lamarcus hits a difficult shot!

[RD2191]

Why do our guys always look so depressed?

[cutewizard]

Lamarcus should get MORE touches, tbh

[Robz4000]

Refs swallowing their whistles for Minny on D. LMA was fouled on three straight possessions.

[tonight...you]

#SadSpurs

[ace3g]

806327101049671680

[tonight...you]

:lol

[TheGreatYacht]

Probably Kawhi's best game defensively of the season

[RD2191]

Kawhi!

[cutewizard]

Kawhiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

:claw

[FaM0us Skins]

:claw

[bklynspursfan]

Now we're playin

[timtonymanu]

Det time people were saying Cavs should have kept Wiggins for defense. Kawhi has been lighting him up all game.

[Joseph Kony]

Kawhi shitting all over Wiggins

[tonight...you]

http://stream1.gifsoup.com/webroot/animatedgifs6/1985427_o.gif

[cutewizard]

David Leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee !!!!!!

[Robz4000]

Det time people were saying Cavs should have kept Wiggins for defense. Kawhi has been lighting him up all game.

A lot of it has to do with Kawhi making his shitty shots tbh.

[TheGreatYacht]

Kawhitstorm Spurs run with Juice + Kawhi on the floor :wakeup

[Amuseddaysleeper]

Man, I got worried Patty had TOO much time there :lol

[FaM0us Skins]

PATTY THRILLS

[RD2191]

Was that a shot or lob by Kawhi?

[RD2191]

How's we get 3 extra points?

[cutewizard]

austrialian bomber!!!!

woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[sasaint]

Was that a shot or lob by Kawhi?

A shob. And ugly, too.

[RD2191]

WTF is mills doing out there? Pass the fucking ball to Kawhi.

[$pursDynasty]

Man Tony would get killed in here for that, dribble dribble dribble

[spursistan]

Mills ballhogging with Kawhi there..fuck him.

[spursistan]

I love Mills but I'm not paying more than 7 millions to keep him..

[TheGreatYacht]

That fat sloppy Euro on the Wolves reminds me of Lorbek. Airball floater as well :lol

[cutewizard]

72 to 64

well take it, haha

[bklynspursfan]

Kawhi has played this whOle quarter thus far. Don't get all crazy if he sits the first 5-6 mins of the 4th. It's expected

[DarrinS]

Man Tony would get killed in here for that, dribble dribble dribble

:cry

[Robz4000]

Kawhi has played this whOle quarter thus far. Don't get all crazy if he sits the first 5-6 mins of the 4th. It's expected

Glad Pop at least stuck with him there while he was feeling it. If he sat him the Spurs wouldn't have a lead.

[RD2191]

Oh gawd

[bklynspursfan]

Glad Pop at least stuck with him there while he was feeling it. If he sat him the Spurs wouldn't have a lead.

Yea. He usually gives more time in the 2nd half, he's let Aldridge go a whole quarter too if he's feeling it.

It's surprising for a b2b honestly, but it shows Pop is aware of what's happening

[SPURt]

Glad the T Wolves are an awful 3rd quarter team. Kawhi gonna in trouble with PETA for beating these pups.

[bklynspursfan]

806327101049671680

That's hilarious lol

[DeRozan m8]

There is literally no point passing it to Kyle.

Thats it.

I hope they lose him on the way to the airport

[RD2191]

Simms!

[cutewizard]

:bobo

[timtonymanu]

Simmons! He's been growing on me lately.

[bdictjames]

Anderson actually makes the ball move for the Spurs. That's a plus, right? :lol

[RD2191]

Come on guys

[RD2191]

KA!

[pgardn]

Anderson actually makes the ball move for the Spurs. That's a plus, right? :lol

Last few minutes he has been good.

[Raven]

KA is playing great

[bklynspursfan]

U know pop doesn't want to put his starters in again. We'll see if these guys can keep the lead

[bdictjames]

Aggressive Anderson, let's go!!!

[Amuseddaysleeper]

LMA just 2-7 :(

[Robz4000]

Time to come back with LMA in place of Lee here.

[boutons_deux]

LMA is really sucking.

[Robz4000]

LMA just 2-7 :(

Happy with his D on KAT though.

[$pursDynasty]

Pop was trying to steal some time with that offensively challenged lineup out there as long up by double digits. Need one scorer in there. Maybe Pau

[bdictjames]

Is Bjelica their Teletovic??? lol

[RD2191]

Is Bjelica their Teletovic??? lol

No, he's their Bjelica.

[$pursDynasty]

Looks like LMAlpha

[Kawhitstorm]

I love Mills but I'm not paying more than 7 millions to keep him..

It would be wise to sign-&-trade him rather than overpaying him or losing him for nothing.

[RD2191]

Nico!!

[Raven]

how do you not block that...

[DAF86]

It's a damn soccer game outthere. :lol

[RD2191]

Nico's head oh shit.

[RD2191]

Come on Kawhi

[TheGreatYacht]

Towns 2-13 lol

[Raven]

Towns 2-13 lol

taking awful shots too

[RD2191]

Kawhi come on man

[William Hung]

Fathead carrying these scrubs

[Robz4000]

Fathead giving the Spurs some great minutes in the second half. Just wish he could shoot the damn ball.

[ducks]

LMA is really sucking.

he must like clinton

[Raven]

KA is actually playing really really good, especially on D

[Kawhitstorm]

Kyle guarding the fastest guy on the floor.:lol

[TheGreatYacht]

he must like clinton
more like what Ivanka does to her father

[DarrinS]

Kyle laying down a solid TP stat line, but more rebounds

[Kawhitstorm]

Towns 2-13 lol

Softridge 2.0:lol

[Robz4000]

Why the fuck is Gasol in?

[cutewizard]

beat them boys,

go SPURS go!

[Kawhitstorm]

Can't play zone & leave LaVine open.:rolleyes

[bklynspursfan]

Fathead giving the Spurs some great minutes in the second half. Just wish he could shoot the damn ball.

Yea, or even play like this more. He will play like this, then next game look like a completely different player. Looks tentative, scared, or whatever. If there is a church of KA, this is probably the time to post, cause this is probably his best game. Much better this half than the first

[SpurPadre]

Fuck, just put this team away already

[RD2191]

Kawhi!!

[FaM0us Skins]

Easy three by Kawhi

[LoneStarState'sPride]

Kawhi just abusing fools

[Kawhitstorm]

Why the fuck is Gasol in?

:pop:"I'm the coach"

[LoneStarState'sPride]

Fuck I wanted one of those corner treys just now.

[LoneStarState'sPride]

The Baker's Man, people.

[spursistan]

Bricking two wide corner open 3s :pctoss

[LoneStarState'sPride]

KAWHI! GOOD NIGHT MINNESOTA!

[RD2191]

:lol Kawhi

[FaM0us Skins]

31 pts for Kawhi

[bklynspursfan]

Point differential might actually change!

[Robz4000]

Kawhi shut this game the fuck down.

[Spurs9]

Finally almost a 20 point win.

[Raven]

game

[TheGreatYacht]

Some fan just got up pissed and started leaving as soon as Kawhi hit that three :lmao

Worth the rewind tbh, he was behind Spurs bench

[$pursDynasty]

Who would have thought that this game would be good for the good old point differential :lol

[spursistan]

Best Kawhi game since the opnener :tu

[SpurPadre]

31 pts for Kawhi

Loving the points, not liking only 1 rebound.

[Joseph Kony]

Spurs actually up by almost 20?? :wow is this real life

[bdictjames]

Nasty three by Kawhi :pump

[William Hung]

Sean: "put on your parka and your scarf cuz it's time to go home!" :lol

[LoneStarState'sPride]

Kawhi shut this game the fuck down.

Strangler

[Kawhitstorm]

D-League Danny made a layup:wow

[cutewizard]

Another quality win by the Spurs!!!!!

yes!!!!

wooooooooooooooo!!

[313]

Brilliant game from Kiwi tonight(aside from the 1 rebound)

[SpurPadre]

Best Kawhi game since the opnener :tu

Disagree in that he only has 1 board. He's had better overall games than tonight, tbh.

[313]

Spurs actually up by almost 20?? :wow is this real life
Road game tbh

[spursistan]

Watch Dejounte crew choke this out in minute :lol

[Kawhitstorm]

Best Kawhi game since the opnener :tu

Big Game Kawhi warming up for the Jimmy Butler matchup on Thursday.:claw

[bklynspursfan]

Maybe not a point differential change.

Their starters are still in haha

[spursistan]

Eat the clock dumbasses ...

[BatManu20]

Maybe not a point differential change.

Their starters are still in haha

Thibs is notorious for running his players into the ground.

[cutewizard]

SPURS WIN EVEN WHEN THEY ARE NOT AT THEIR BEST!

thats scary for the league

for what if the Spurs reach their peak someday, hmmmm.....................

[SpurPadre]

Forbes sucks

[Kawhitstorm]

I thought Forbes was in the league b/c he's a knockdown shooter?:lol

[$pursDynasty]

:lma great game on the defensive side of the ball, might not show up in stats but he skinned the Kat

[Kawhitstorm]

Eat the clock dumbasses ...

Gary Neal Jr. has other ideas.

[Robz4000]

:lmao Forbes is such a fucking scrub

[bklynspursfan]

Thibs keeping his starters in is laughable

[BatManu20]

Our scrubs are going to make this score look respectable

[boutons_deux]

dammit, LMA is not worth the contract. 2 RB and 6 pts? :lol

[Robz4000]

Also, :lol Thibs leaving his starters in to statpad...

[bklynspursfan]

Thibs is notorious for running his players into the ground.

Yup haha

[Kawhitstorm]

dammit, LMA is not worth the contract. 2 RB and 6 pts? :lol

He has transformed into Splitter the past 2 games which isn't a bad thing.

[bklynspursfan]

Wiggins and towns scoring now finally haha.

[BatManu20]

Why the fuck are the Twolves intentionally fouling :lol

[Kawhitstorm]

Forbes sucks

Murray should play over him at every opportunity, tbh.

[RD2191]

:lmao fuck off thibs

[FaM0us Skins]

Lol the T'Wolves don't want the game to end

[spursistan]

lol at Thibs having the starters out :lmao

[Kawhitstorm]

Why the fuck are the Twolves intentionally fouling :lol

Thibs ALWAYS do it as long as it's not a 50 point game, most annoying coach in the league.:lol

[BatManu20]

Great win on a b2b.

[bklynspursfan]

Towns fighting hard to pad his stats! Dude was not playing around

[Robz4000]

That was some pathetic shit right there. Down by 18 with 2 mins to go and they're finally ready to play some basketball.

[pgardn]

Expecting a blowout loss tonight. T-Pups will be looking to make a statement about turning their season around only to lose the next four games.


This probably.

I expect Ricky Rubio to shoot like he can see the basket tonight.


Ricky Rubio gonna stroke that jumpshot like he's Steph Curry tonight, per usual against the Spurs.


This could be the elephant in the room as the season moves forward.


You can tell this game won't go well. Spurs look lethargic.


That's game


Post up brick
Post up brick
Post up brick

Fuck this team when Parker is out


Trade mills


SPURS WIN EVEN WHEN THEY ARE NOT AT THEIR BEST!

thats scary for the league

for what if the Spurs reach their peak someday, hmmmm.....................

Win.

We play better basketball.

[Raven]

great second half, very relieved to see the D improving.

[UNT Eagles 2016]

LOL those faggots fouled just so they could get to 90 :lmao

[Robz4000]

dammit, LMA is not worth the contract. 2 RB and 6 pts? :lol

He shut KAT the fuck down tonight.

[SpurPadre]

Murray should play over him at every opportunity, tbh.

Yeah and cut Forbes and bring up someone who has more to offer like Garino.

[SPURt]

Great win! Kawhi looked great! Danny... um... kind of poopy

[DarrinS]

W

[SAGirl]

It's my time to do grades and I am going to be delayed.... I feel tempted to give everyone an A since I am so happy about this win.... but I 'll have something better tomorrow...
:flag:

[gambit1990]

Tony is out so I'm expecting a loss because i'm a faggot, but who knows.

[BatManu20]

dammit, LMA is not worth the contract. 2 RB and 6 pts? :lol

Yea but he's also the reason KAT had a lousy game. D'd his ass up tonight.

[Robz4000]

Win.

We play better basketball.

T-Pups decided to get back to losing sooner than I thought. Saw a lot of pathetic things from them tonight; makes me understand why their record is as bad as it is despite having so much talent.

[Robz4000]

Double post

[sasaint]

Role Reversal Play of the Game: Bertans drives the lane and hits Kyle in the corner for an open 3, which he nails. :wow

[LoneStarState'sPride]

Role Reversal Play of the Game: Bertans drives the lane and hits Kyle in the corner for an open 3, which he nails. :wow

#BizzaroWorld

[Pauleta14]

SPURS WIN EVEN WHEN THEY ARE NOT AT THEIR BEST!

thats scary for the league

for what if the Spurs reach their peak someday, hmmmm.....................

The level of the league is scary low tbh...

This is one of the worst/weakest Spurs team I've seen in 20 years and they are beating almost every teams. :wow

[SAGirl]

Role Reversal Play of the Game: Bertans drives the lane and hits Kyle in the corner for an open 3, which he nails. :wow
Kyle has been hitting the 3 at a respectable rate this season.... over 40%.... him not taking many is the issue... I thought he played well all things considered.... he came up with some big rebounds and was solid.

[BatManu20]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CzCwT1lXUAAGLgO?format=jpg&name=large

[SAGirl]

The level of the league is scary low tbh...

This is one of the worst/weakest Spurs team I've seen in 20 years and they are beating almost every teams. :wow
Kawhi is spectacular... He's just solid all around.... Amazing player to watch and team bc if him...

[cutewizard]

yes!

[apalisoc_9]

T-Pups decided to get back to losing sooner than I thought. Saw a lot of pathetic things from them tonight; makes me understand why their record is as bad as it is despite having so much talent.

Much talent? Not really.

[Emperor]

Spurs coasting till Rodeo road trip.

[Nathan89]

LMA with a whopping 6pts and 2rebs

[TheGreatYacht]

Laprosy: 21 minutes, 2ast, 3TO, -15

[DPG21920]

Nice to see Patty's shot come back tonight. Was really hoping that an incoming slump was not going to happen.

[Robz4000]

Much talent? Not really.

KAT, Lavine, Wiggins (overrated yes, but still has some talent), Dieng, Dunn, and Bjelica. All good young players.

[Kawhitstorm]

Yeah and cut Forbes and bring up someone who has more to offer like Garino.

Garino is a hesitant shooter so he would be overkill w/ Fat Head on the roster who can defend backup wings/rebound.

Forbes should be cut for someone who can offer more than just shooting since Patty can already do that at an elite level & Leprosy can make open shots.

I'm not sure what the deal is w/ Norris Cole since he was playing over in China but he can provide the team w/ some much needed penetration & he has playoff experience unlike Leprosy who they would have to depend on when Porker *gets* injured.

i3T2iuBXjac

[BatManu20]

804915397820616704

[apalisoc_9]

KAT, Lavine, Wiggins (overrated yes, but still has some talent), Dieng, Dunn, and Bjelica. All good young players.

Many players are talented, its the potency of those specifc talents is the real question. KAT in a sense is a lava in terms of talent, and Wiggins and Lavine is barbecue charcoal. They have the ability o heat once every few games but not enough.

The comparison with OKC is stupid since at 22-23 Harden-Durant-Westbrook were already top 20 level players and Ibaka was one of the lesser but useful talent.

[apalisoc_9]

Is Garino passive in the D-League?

I wouldnt want that guy in the main this year. Dude would destroy the offense with his Tony Allen like usefullness in that end.

[urunobili]

LMA with a whopping 6pts and 2rebs I wonder which account at which point in the season he'll have to close to get his head out of water...

[sasaint]

It's my time to do grades and I am going to be delayed.... I feel tempted to give everyone an A since I am so happy about this win.... but I 'll have something better tomorrow...
:flag:

Serendipity... Kyle's best game is a game that SAGirl will grade. :lol

I thought he played his best all-around game, and I was particularly excited to see him nail the three. Perhaps it will be a big boost to his confidence...

[pgardn]

Very good interview with Lapro with Bill Land and Sean after the game.

He is a really a likeable fellow.

First question: How do you prepare for a game when you never know for sure what role you will play or even play?

Nico: It's very very difficult. But I am proud to be on this team.

Why is it the foreigners seem so honest and don't give the standard answer " oh I gotta be ready every night cause you never know." Nico said it's very difficult because it is. Nico said the coaches showed him film before tonight's game but it's difficult. Then he apologizes for his English profusely, which was not that bad. Pop likes the guy because he is not afraid to fail at a super difficult position. Liked his courage when he saw him in the summer. Pop said he could be physically beaten one play and just did not care, it did not affect him mentally. He adjusts and finds a way.

Nico is obviously limited, but it's nice to have such an honest, hard working guy who just does not let the NBA talk and bravado affect him. Nico also said Manu was/is his idol so it makes sense.

[bklynspursfan]

Yea but he's also the reason KAT had a lousy game. D'd his ass up tonight.

Yup. People only look at the box score though. He's been showing far more effort on the defensive side. He'll score more as the season goes on. His defensive improvement is more important to us

[BatManu20]

806341356318818304

[JonNOKC]

LMA with a whopping 6pts and 2rebs

I liked LMA tonight, maybe his best defensive effort for a full game this season - Towns 3-16 speaks volume - and he didn't force many bad shots (ironically two of his makes were his toughest looks of the night).

[pgardn]

Pop:

Tony is 50/50 for Thursday

[TheGreatYacht]

Very good interview with Lapro with Bill Land and Sean after the game.

He is a really a likeable fellow.

First question: How do you prepare for a game when you never know for sure what role you will play or even play?

Nico: It's very very difficult. But I am proud to be on this team.

Why is it the foreigners seem so honest and don't give the standard answer " oh I gotta be ready every night cause you never know." Nico said it's very difficult because it is. Nico said the coaches showed him film before tonight's game but it's difficult. Then he apologizes for his English profusely, which was not that bad. Pop likes the guy because he is not afraid to fail at a super difficult position. Liked his courage when he saw him in the summer. Pop said he could be physically beaten one play and just did not care, it did not affect him mentally. He adjusts and finds a way.

Nico is obviously limited, but it's nice to have such an honest, hard working guy who just does not let the NBA talk and bravado affect him. Nico also said Manu was/is his idol so it makes sense.
Jan. 20, he'll have to go back #MAGA

[Robz4000]

Many players are talented, its the potency of those specifc talents is the real question. KAT in a sense is a lava in terms of talent, and Wiggins and Lavine is barbecue charcoal. They have the ability o heat once every few games but not enough.

The comparison with OKC is stupid since at 22-23 Harden-Durant-Westbrook were already top 20 level players and Ibaka was one of the lesser but useful talent.

I'm not expecting them to be young OKC, but with how bad the West is this year, and the NBA in general, they should be in the playoff hunt like the Kings. No reason or excuse for them to only have 6 wins.

[pgardn]

Yup. People only look at the box score though. He's been showing far more effort on the defensive side. He'll score more as the season goes on. His defensive improvement is more important to us

This was huge. Especially on these young stars who can get discouraged when faced with a relentless opponent.

[pgardn]

Jan. 20, he'll have to go back #MAGA

Its too bad.

Pretty obvious Pop pickup though. Good man.

[bdictjames]

I like Nico. He seems very grateful to be on the NBA stage and have this opportunity, and he always gives his best and looks to learn every night. Who wouldn't want a player like that?

[TheGreatYacht]

Its too bad.

Pretty obvious Pop pickup though. Good man.
It was in the Holy Bible, Donald said so himself. I believe whatever he tells me

[tholdren]

Remember when you all thought gasol was good?

[DAF86]

This feels like a law of averages game: Spurs actual record is 3 games better than their expected one; Timberwolves actual record is 3 games worse than their expected one.

Many seem to think the Spurs have a lot of room for improvement, but maybe they're just not that good and their inability to control games starts to catch up to them.

Or maybe not.

[cutewizard]

the wolves suck, imo

[apalisoc_9]

It was in the Holy Bible, Donald said so himself. I believe whatever he tells me

:lmao

[313]

804915397820616704Tim really wasn't much of a scorer huh

[pgardn]

It was in the Holy Bible, Donald said so himself. I believe whatever he tells me

Im not sure what he tells you or anyone else tbh.

[Spur|n|Austin]

I like Nico. He seems very grateful to be on the NBA stage and have this opportunity, and he always gives his best and looks to learn every night. Who wouldn't want a player like that?

Agreed!

[pgardn]

Remember when you all thought gasol was good?

I think we would have problems if he got injured.

[Kawhitstorm]

Tim really wasn't much of a scorer huh

Team saved up his bucket for the playoffs unlike chokin' ass Admiral who used to stat pad in the regular season.:wakeup

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

Thibs is so annoying with his constant shouting.

Oh and Rubio is such a shitty player.

[r0drig0lac]

good game for Kyle and Lapro, Kawhi going superstar

[cutewizard]

the Wolves are wasting their all star talents.......

[Fireball]

Kawhi really destroyed Wiggins ... the young man had a good season so far but Kawhi showed him he still has a long way to go

[Fireball]

the Wolves are wasting their all star talents.......

three main guys are 21 years old each ... nothing is wasted there

[cutewizard]

the streak continues........................

:bobo

[NameLess Scrub]

Win.

We play better basketball.

And Ricky shot like 22% :flag:

[TheDoctor]

Strangler

The Strangler. Tons better than a cheesy "Klaw".

[TheDoctor]

Tim really wasn't much of a scorer huh

Thought the same thing.

[Canyonero]

Jan. 20, he'll have to go back #MAGA

Are you sharing the ride?

[TheGreatYacht]

Are you sharing the ride?
Why would I? I'm just a god loving Christian with a trucker hat and a pocket bible. God bless Dale Earnhardt Jr

You have to go back "amigo"

[cutewizard]

The poundingtherock article on this win was very insightful, so may I just post it here.....

From http://www.poundingtherock.com/2016/12/7/13864798/spurs-defense-offers-t-pups-another-harsh-lesson:

Spurs defense offers T-Pups another harsh lesson
I admit that I’m not always pumped up for every game on the schedule, but truly I’ve been looking forward to this one for a while. Wednesday offered an interesting match-up, a contrast in styles and developmental bell-curves. The Timberwolves are supposed to be the next big thing in the league, the successors to the Warriors’ throne in, oh, 2020 or so. They’ve got successive number one overall picks in Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns, another freakish wing in Zach LaVine, and more talent in the pipeline. They’re the envy of downtrodden teams –and fan-bases—around the league and League Pass darlings for Warriors off-nights.
They don’t have a Kawhi Leonard on their squad though, which means they’ve still got a ways to go.
To be clear, as amazing an athlete as Leonard is, Wiggins, Towns and LaVine are in a different phylum than even him. They can do freakish things that Leonard couldn’t dream of. Wiggins has a season-high of 47 points and has also had games of 36 and 35. Towns scored 47 and pulled down 18 rebounds at New York last week, but tellingly, it came in a loss. Even LaVine has had games with 37, 31 and 31 points as a third-banana.


It seems unfathomable for the T-Pups to be 6-15 with all that talent, with a credible, respected tactician in Tom Thibodeau leading them, yet here they are. And it’s the latest example of why even today, with all our metrics, we don’t pay enough respect to defense when evaluating players. Sean Elliott gets a lot of flak –some deserved, some not—for his homerism from national writers, but I thought he raised an excellent point a couple weeks back when he observed that it’s rather silly to designate players like Leonard or Chicago’s Jimmy Butler as “two-way” stars, as if what they’re doing is going above and beyond the responsibilities and expectations we should have for players. No, you’re supposed to play as hard and well as possible at both ends. That’s the job. And those demands are even more implicit for elite high-lottery athletic specimens of which the T-Wolves have in spades. When Gregg Popovich was asked earlier in the season if he was worried about putting too much on Leonard’s plate (file:///C:/Users/Owner/Documents/When%20Gregg%20Popovich%20was%20asked%20earlier%20 in%20the%20season%20if%20he%20was%20worried) these days, he blanched.



"He’s done it for us the entire time he’s been there," Popovich said. "At the offensive end, I think our players get less minutes than other players at those positions if I’m not mistaken. I don’t think he’s ever going to be worn out. I’m not going to play him like Latrell Sprewell. The bottom line is that he’s getting paid to do both. So get your ass out there and do both, if you want to know the truth. If you don’t want to do both then we’ll pay you $4 million."
Towns and Wiggins are already making well north of $4 million and LaVine will too, in short order. So far none of them have shown the willingness to affect games positively on the defensive end, the will to keep their team in games even when the offense isn’t flowing or to stretch leads when it is. Their highlights almost all come with the ball in their hands and as long as this is so, the Wolves will be a fun diversion but no serious threat to anyone.
The Spurs were fortunate Wednesday night, let’s be clear. They caught Towns and Wiggins on an off night. They did some smart things, like shading Towns to his left and encouraging him to shoot from outside. Having Leonard naturally gave them an edge in defending Wiggins. They had but 11 turnovers, and few of the “live ball” variety, limiting Minnesota’s fast break opportunities. But things certainly didn’t start out in their favor. They were without the services of the injured Tony Parker and resting Manu Ginobili and on a SEGABABA after a physically demanding game at Milwaukee the night before while their youthful, energetic opponents had two days of rest. The visitors had disastrous start in the opening 4:36, in which the Spurs made one of their first 10 shots and found themselves trailing 12-3, and a dismayed Popovich opted for a full line change, with Kyle Anderson in Ginobili’s usual spot. All five reserves scored in the opening quarter, with Patty Mills, coming off a 0-of-8 outing at Milwaukee, leading the way with eight, and the Spurs found themselves trailing only 22-19 after one despite their starters combining for all of three points in the opening period.


The starters checked back in to start the second and again the T-Pups were off to the races, back to a 10-point lead before the Spurs started clawing back. While Towns and Wiggins struggled to a combined 4-of-17 shooting line in the first half, the Spurs had no such issues with two of their stars, Leonard and Pau Gasol, who shook off their first quarter doldrums, scoring 22 of San Antonio’s 24 points in the second period, accounting for 10 of the team’s 11 field goals and 13 of their 16 attempts in a rather undemocratic stretch of offensive basketball. Basically Leonard canned a bunch of pull-up jumpers and Gasol threw in a couple of half-hooks and open threes. Minnesota offered their best Spurs impression in turn, cobbling together 24 points with eight players contributing between two and five points for the cause, and they still led by three at half.
You may have heard during the broadcast that the third quarter has been Minnesota’s undoing so far this season, where ranked 29th in the league with a -26.6 net rating (somehow Brooklyn’s is even worse) and indeed that average sunk even lower after the Spurs outscored them 29-18 in the period to take control of the game. At long last LaMarcus Aldridge, Danny Green and Nicolas Laprovittola all showed up to the party and Leonard was well into Teen Wolf mode by now, a perfect 3-of-3 from the field and 4-of-4 from the charity stripe. Wiggins was lost against him on both ends and oddly both he and Towns were in a fog the whole period, combining to take just three shots. The Spurs’ marksmanship from outside progressed toward the mean and they took care of the board, not allowing any second-chance points in the quarter, and it provided them the gap they’d need.
Leonard outscored Minnesota’s dynamic duo 9-8 in the fourth quarter too, though again that number is misleading. Neither Towns nor Wiggins really sprung to life until the score was well out of hand, with the former launching a pair of half-hearted three-point attempts while being defended by Gasol and the latter content to let Leonard do as he pleased. Surprisingly, it was Anderson who had the hammer to nail in the opponent’s coffin on this night, as he scored nine of his season-high 11 points in the period and had a fine overall showing with six rebounds and four assists.


Things will likely get better for the T-Pups. For whatever reason Towns wasn’t inspired tonight but that’s not the norm for him. I trust Thibodeau’s track record to get him to buy in defensively at least, though I don’t know if Wiggins or LaVine can be salvaged in that regard. The guy who really impressed me was rookie point guard Kris Dunn. He’s just a terrifying athlete on a squad full of them, and I can’t imagine Ricky Rubio will be here much longer. But he and his teammates suffered an out-and-out punking at home to a tired Spurs club that had no business dictating terms of pace and physicality to them. It was an unacceptable performance that I don’t know can be described fairly without questioning the team’s focus, resolve and determination.
With the Spurs Pop would call it “soft” and question the team’s “competitive fiber,” and I’m guessing Thibs will have similar assessments. I’ll be interested to see how Minnesota comes out for their next game. The Spurs perspective meanwhile, is nothing but pride and admiration. The team was shorthanded and tired but put together one of their better defensive performances on the season beginning to end, protecting the rim well, not giving up anything easy and paying attention to the game plan, with Dewayne Dedmon a godsend back there again and Jonathon Simmons making a couple hustle plays. The offense wasn’t always pretty –it rarely is—but eventually a number of guys contributed, including Mills with 15 and Laprovittola with 10. Their 13-0 road start is second-best in NBA history only to last year’s Warriors, who started 14-0 and they’re only a half-game behind the current Warriors for best record in the league at the quarter pole despite a 6.0 net rating and a 5.0 scoring differential.
That’s crazy, man.

[TD 21]

Or maybe not.

Had it been, would you have quoted this?

[DAF86]

Had it been, would you have quoted this?

Maybe, or maybe not.