The Offense without Murray...

[JakeCuenca]

Really helping Derozan, Aldridge and Gay find their sweet spots. Very rarely do I see them get cloged and swarmed.

Obviously forbes, Beli, Mills have to do their jobs but just having two guards that can shoot from the outside really opens things out.

Wonder if teams will adjust against forbes and Mills.

[JakeCuenca]

I dont know how Murray is going to fit into all of this..Derozan is clearly their best point guard.

[DAF86]

This is true, tbh. I don't know if Murray's defense would have made it up for his lack of shooting. Right now we are winning games with offense and we are needing every bit of those 3's we are making. I don't know if trading those 3's for better defense at PG would have us at 2-1, tbh.

[TDMVPDPOY]

check how many pts mental midgets gave up on the counter, stupid and1 plays

[JakeCuenca]

With how refs are calling fouls, defense in the PG spot becomes even less relevant. Really defense now is all about switching, scramble switches etc. Players today are way too skilled with the ball and the shooting skills even better.

[Immortal Spur]

Murray’s transition offense shouldn’t be disregarded. We had like 7 pts in transition tonight... Factor in his defensive playmaking and rebounding and I think it would be close. Pop would have to adjust but if Forbes can average 15 then Murray could’ve done about as much if not more.

on a side note, this new nba feels bizarre but it’s very entertaining. It’s like the old Rocky movies; it’s an all out brawl. With how much the offense is protected, defensive playmakers are gonna be more valuable especially if they can do anything on offense.

[Chinook]

If Murray has learned to shoot the way he projected on Instagram, he'd fit in well enough. He'd add speed to the offense too. We've seen a number of fastbreaks where the guards can't quite shake the D by the time they make it to the basket. That wouldn't be the case if Murray were there. DeJounte being out certainly helps Gay to say in the SL, though. I don't think those two are tenable unless they're both having tremendous years from three. I'd need to see it before I believed it.

[bigdickboys]

What's unfolding before our eyes is the beginning of a trifecta. Not all post players are created equal, and Derozan operating as the initiator actually frees Aldridge up on the elbow for the jumper while simultaneously creating for Rudy on the perimeter. If Gay wants to step in for the two, that works as well. Importantly, with Aldridge acting as the pivot and Derozan acting as the swing, the team creates multiple movement options on the perimeter. Derozan is so good attacking the basket that he draws in defenders, so you can run motion on the outside reacting off of him. The 1-2 playoff between Aldridge and Derozan could become very important as the season moves on. Beyond the X's and O's, however, the trifecta seem to really 'get' each other. Kawhi Leonard was undoubtedly our best player two years ago, but no other players seemed to vibe off of him. The ball bounces between Aldridge, Derozan, and Gay in ways that keep defenders moving.

[cutewizard]

What's unfolding before our eyes is the beginning of a trifecta. Not all post players are created equal, and Derozan operating as the initiator actually frees Aldridge up on the elbow for the jumper while simultaneously creating for Rudy on the perimeter. If Gay wants to step in for the two, that works as well. Importantly, with Aldridge acting as the pivot and Derozan acting as the swing, the team creates multiple movement options on the perimeter. Derozan is so good attacking the basket that he draws in defenders, so you can run motion on the outside reacting off of him. The 1-2 playoff between Aldridge and Derozan could become very important as the season moves on. Beyond the X's and O's, however, the trifecta seem to really 'get' each other. Kawhi Leonard was undoubtedly our best player two years ago, but no other players seemed to vibe off of him. The ball bounces between Aldridge, Derozan, and Gay in ways that keep defenders moving.


A semi beautiful game in the making!!

[TDMVPDPOY]

Kawhi Leonard was undoubtedly our best player two years ago, but no other players seemed to vibe off of him. The ball bounces between Aldridge, Derozan, and Gay in ways that keep defenders moving.

i still take kawhi to take those shots instead of passing it out to a brick chucking party team...not his fault those players cant hit open shots, look at those perimeter players efficiency stats all decline

[testies]

if we play murray, we dont make the playoffs

[duncan2k5]

What's unfolding before our eyes is the beginning of a trifecta. Not all post players are created equal, and Derozan operating as the initiator actually frees Aldridge up on the elbow for the jumper while simultaneously creating for Rudy on the perimeter. If Gay wants to step in for the two, that works as well. Importantly, with Aldridge acting as the pivot and Derozan acting as the swing, the team creates multiple movement options on the perimeter. Derozan is so good attacking the basket that he draws in defenders, so you can run motion on the outside reacting off of him. The 1-2 playoff between Aldridge and Derozan could become very important as the season moves on. Beyond the X's and O's, however, the trifecta seem to really 'get' each other. Kawhi Leonard was undoubtedly our best player two years ago, but no other players seemed to vibe off of him. The ball bounces between Aldridge, Derozan, and Gay in ways that keep defenders moving.

wait...what???? dude with kawhi we had one of the best regular seasons in NBA history...and one of the best in franchise history...we were a top offensive AND defensive team...dont downplay kawhi fam...just because Aldridge was bitching about his shots doesnt mean we werent a great team and had chemistry...we torched the warriors for three quarters before kawhi got dropped...do u think this team could do that? be honest...in the playoffs???

[bklynspursfan]

wait...what???? dude with kawhi we had one of the best regular seasons in NBA history...and one of the best in franchise history...we were a top offensive AND defensive team...dont downplay kawhi fam...just because Aldridge was bitching about his shots doesnt mean we werent a great team and had chemistry...we torched the warriors for three quarters before kawhi got dropped...do u think this team could do that? be honest...in the playoffs???

Kawhi was great, but he wasn't a great ball handler/creator. He was a damned good efficient iso scorer who was going to get the shot he wanted

[duncan2k5]

and the team would be much better with murray...not only would they be faster and better defensively, but he has improved his jumper...u are judging murray last year on a team that didnt have LMA to a team this year that barely won over a trash ass laker team, and a dysfunctional wolves team WHILE having Demar and Jacob (which murray didnt have last year)...forbes scoring 15 in an early overtime regular season game doesnt make up for the points his absolute horrid defense causes...not only the points his man scores, but the points created by his missed reads and other players having to help him on defense which leads to the opposite team finding an open guy...we were able to be a top defensive team last year with murray as our best defender...that speaks volumes...also it i important that your non- bigs be able to rebound as well as murray does because bigs are usually drawn away from the basket in this NBA, so it puts pressure on the rest of the team to rebound...i trust murray MUCH more in a playoff series than forbes...forbes has reached his ceiling

[pgardn]

Because we won a game against a horrible team...

Murray may not be the answer, but neither is DeRozan doing this all year. He is forced to take some very tough shots along with the easier ones. And LAs defense is God awful. The D still does not work either. Maybe we can work out something with White but right now... Its gonna be a long grinding season.

Hes a better ball handler than Patty or Forbes because he is likes to back in and he’s very strong gets good separation from his opponent on the dribble and shot. But he does not see the whole floor using his backside. It will have to do for now... but long term... yikes. It’s gonna get ugly.

[in2deep]

Derozan best playmaker we have had sice Head of the Snake

[Diego20]

Derozan best playmaker we have had since 2000

fixed it for you..

[acoelho1]

If Murray has learned to shoot the way he projected on Instagram, he'd fit in well enough.

I guess you must have been out of the country when he showed an improved jumper during preseason.

[Mugen]

Should have flipped Dejounte to Borrego in Charlotte for Kemba when they had the chance tbh

[TheGreatYacht]

24-24 record as a starter last year, tbh...

[Chinook]

I guess you must have been out of the country when he showed an improved jumper during preseason.

Stop it. I'm not criticizing him here. But he didn't take a bunch of threes in the pre-season. His ability to hit a jumper off a PnR isn't the same thing as him spacing the floor. The only thing we have to go on for that are the videos he posted.

[rjv]

I dont know how Murray is going to fit into all of this..Derozan is clearly their best point guard.

offensively, for murray to fit in he has to shoot better and i hope one of the pluses of being out for the year will be the opportunity to work and work on his shot. defensively, murray would be of great help to our woeful perimeter defense.

[james evans]

Forbes shooting +Murray's ball handing/defense combined into one player and you have a top 10 pg. Do these guys seriously not like each other? You have teammate that you know lacks something that you're good at. WHY are they not helping each other get better? Allen Iverson tells the story of a practice player named Dean Berry teaching him the crossover dribble at Georgetown. Kenny Smith talks about being taught to shoot 3's in Houston(I forgot whom he said taught him). Maybe the Spurs aren't that much of a family as everyone claims lol. Patty mills have been in the league for years and still can't dribble worth shit and Murray still can't consistently hit an open 3

[Amuseddaysleeper]

Kawhi was great, but he wasn't a great ball handler/creator. He was a damned good efficient iso scorer who was going to get the shot he wanted

Kawhi >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> DeMar


DeMar has historically ALWAYS been a choker. What you saw late in the fourth and in OT last night is the DeMar you'll get come playoff time.

[duncan2k5]

Kawhi >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> DeMar


DeMar has historically ALWAYS been a choker. What you saw late in the fourth and in OT last night is the DeMar you'll get come playoff time.

They don't get it... They'll learn... Demar may be more flashy than Kawhi... But Kawhi is leagues better... Shoot dude IMO is third best in the league when healthy... Demar would never gain that level of brilliance

[SAGirl]

It's probably more explosive in terms of more shooters (forbe s and Mills) getting playing time but you lose other things he provides and which the team needs to be better, transition scoring, rebounding, switchability, defense, deflections, steals, faster pace and his development as a PG, allowing demar to rest some minutes and another ballhandler (which Mills and Forbes are poor). Spurs are definitely worse off without him, but since he's injured, got to wish for the best for everyone else.

[RC_Drunkford]

Somehow this thread turned into Demar vs. Kawhi

Kawhi is a key piece for a championship cause he's the best perimeter defender of all time and can shut down your best perimeter player. He's the only one who can really guard KD/LeBron. Pop always needed a player like this to win championships (Bruce Bowen). Demar is nowhere near that and that's really why Kawhi is the superior player. On offense Kawhi is stronger and is better when finishing through contact. Kawhi is also clutch, although he only proved that in 1 season (16/17). Derozan is the better passer. Where Kawhi is a iso-scorer with no court vision, Derozan knows how to find open shooters. That's why Derozan has way better chemistry with Lamarcus than Kawhi. So Demar is a better fit for the Spurs offense, but Kawhi's impact on defense is really more crucial and takes a team to contender status. There are not too many players who can shut down top-10 NBA players like he can and that is crucial in playoff series.

[K...]

It sucks though, because If we wanted to build through kawhi we'd have to sell low on LMA replace his position, and get several young 3d guys to maximize the severely arachaic Kobe offense that kl wants to run. Much easier to build a lower cieling team around LMA.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

They don't get it... They'll learn... Demar may be more flashy than Kawhi... But Kawhi is leagues better... Shoot dude IMO is third best in the league when healthy... Demar would never gain that level of brilliance

Exactly

[TheGreatYacht]

Truly groundbreaking stuff from K....

It is easier to build a team with a lower ceiling than it is to build a championship contender.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

The offense is far better this year without Murray and actually without Leonard. Mills is a swinging gate on D, and Forbes is trying but he doesn't have the tools to do what Murray can do. If defense wins championships this team is in trouble come playoff time...but they're sure fun to watch. Seeing Mills and Forbes out there is crunch time still makes me cringe though.

[TheGreatYacht]

The offense is far better this year without Murray and actually without Leonard. Mills is a swinging gate on D, and Forbes is trying but he doesn't have the tools to do what Murray can do. If defense wins championships this team is in trouble come playoff time...but they're sure fun to watch. Seeing Mills and Forbes out there is crunch time still makes me cringe though.
That's exactly what PATFO were aiming for. They don't give a shit about winning playoff games. Gregg is gone in 2 years. Their goal is to be a fringe playoff team and play cute basketball that will put asses to seats. No different than the Melo Nuggets of back in the day.

[bigdickboys]

and the team would be much better with murray...not only would they be faster and better defensively, but he has improved his jumper...u are judging murray last year on a team that didnt have LMA to a team this year that barely won over a trash ass laker team, and a dysfunctional wolves team WHILE having Demar and Jacob (which murray didnt have last year)...forbes scoring 15 in an early overtime regular season game doesnt make up for the points his absolute horrid defense causes...not only the points his man scores, but the points created by his missed reads and other players having to help him on defense which leads to the opposite team finding an open guy...we were able to be a top defensive team last year with murray as our best defender...that speaks volumes...also it i important that your non- bigs be able to rebound as well as murray does because bigs are usually drawn away from the basket in this NBA, so it puts pressure on the rest of the team to rebound...i trust murray MUCH more in a playoff series than forbes...forbes has reached his ceiling

You need to learn some reading comprehension before you pogo stick all over your keyboard trying to dick ride Kawhi.

[r0drig0lac]

They don't get it... They'll learn... Demar may be more flashy than Kawhi... But Kawhi is leagues better... Shoot dude IMO is third best in the league when healthy... Demar would never gain that level of brilliance

2nd and honestly only Giannis can overtake him