timvp
10-28-2018, 12:47 AM
https://i.imgur.com/Kb9LLZA.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/zQ5mkED.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/cyeVUtO.jpg
The San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Lakers played another nail-biter and, like the first contest this season, the good guys prevailed. After a sluggish start that saw the Lakers score 36 points in the first period and lead by double-digits for much of the second quarter, the Spurs eventually found their footing.
Surprisingly, the Spurs can thank partially thank their defensive effort for the win. The Spurs outscored the Lakers 23-18 in the fourth to escape with a 110-106 victory at home.
In what was almost an exact replay of their last game against Los Angeles, the Spurs got up by eight points with a minute and a half remaining. Last time, the Lakers scored eight straight points to send the game into overtime. This time, the Lakers scored seven straight points before DeMar DeRozan delivered the biggest bucket of the night.
https://i.imgur.com/AgUkA50.gif
LaMarcus Aldridge
https://i.imgur.com/1nluyNF.png
In the first game of the season against the Lakers, LaMarcus Aldridge was fantastic. In the rematch, not so much. He struggled on his way to another sub par shooting night, missing more shots that he usually makes. (That's become a concerning trend early this season.) Aldridge wasn't nearly as physical tonight and seemed to be slow off his feet, which led to iffy work on the glass and mediocre defense overall. To his credit, Aldridge kept plugging away and come up with a couple big plays late to help seal the victory. The Spurs need more from the 33-year-old but he was just barely good enough tonight to get the win.
Grade: C
Summary: Aldridge never really got on track but he at least kept his head up.
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DeMar DeRozan
https://i.imgur.com/ZKxGADZ.png
DeMar DeRozan suddenly can't lose against LeBron James. In the two games against the Lakers, he's averaging 31 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds. Not bad. Not bad, at all. This evening, besides that big shot at the end, he was really, really good. His defense in the final three quarters was as good as we've seen out of him in silver and black. DeRozan competed really well, boarded with a purpose and was very alert with regard to his help-defense responsibilities. In fact, I'd say he was the team's best defender tonight. Offensively, he was also quite impressive. He was a little bit sloppy at times but that's about the extent of my critique. I loved his quick pass-aheads when he noticed mismatches, in addition to all the playmaking he did in the halfcourt sets. DeRozan has embraced the gigantic role the coaching staff has carved out for him and is playing as well as anyone could have expected him to play.
Grade: A
Summary: DeRozan played at a superstar level, finishing two rebounds away from a triple-double.
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Davis Bertans
https://i.imgur.com/ucY2jSF.png
Pop started Davis Bertans at small forward and the Latvian fumbled the opportunity given to him. Los Angeles' first eight points of the game were due to lackadaisical, soft defense by Bertans. He was caught out of position or with his head turned way too often during his 13 minutes of play. Bertans will never be a great defender but he needs to play smarter and with more forcefulness on that end or he's not going to carve out a niche on this team. He didn't do much on offense -- he was oftentimes caught in no man's land on that side of the court as well. And, as we've come to expect, Bertans was invisible on the glass.
Grade: D-
Summary: Bertans got the start but played so poorly that the coaches will think twice before giving him another one.
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Bryn Forbes
https://i.imgur.com/yXVIEAs.png
Bryn Forbes is looking more and more like a capable starter on the NBA level. That in itself is a huge step forward for him. Against the Lakers, his confidence was bubbling over on the offensive end. He took it upon himself to create off the dribble and was successful just about every time he called his own number. He did a really good job moving without the ball and spreading the court. Forbes did have issues on the offense with bouts of shaky ball-handling and a few weak, looping passes . . . but overall he did a fine job on that end. Defensively, he was locked in. He made mistakes -- quite a few, in fact -- but at least he's scratching and clawing as much as he can.
Grade: B+
Summary: Forbes continued his strong play as the team's starting point guard.
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Dante Cunningham
https://i.imgur.com/W3QWUCI.png
It wasn't pretty but it worked. Dante Cunningham isn't much of a match for LeBron but it wasn't a total disaster. He did the best he could to stay in front of him and keep a hand up. Cunningham also found time to wrestle in the paint for rebounds and keep his hands active in the passing lanes. He hasn't figured out where he fits on offense. Personally, I'd like to see him be a little bit more of a willing passer and to only shoot when he's wide open.
Grade: B
Summary: Cunningham started at power forward against the Lakers and was serviceable.
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Rudy Gay
https://i.imgur.com/vqYr2we.png
Rudy Gay came off the bench in the first half but started the second half. In both roles, he was very effective. He came into this game shooting 58 percent from the field so he came down to earth shooting-wise but those misses were easy to overlook due to how much Gay helped out. He rebounded extremely well, authored a number of nifty passes, took care of the ball and was active on defense. Gay experienced struggles on the defensive end but his activity helped mask some of that. The Spurs wouldn't have won this game without his all-around contributions.
Grade: A-
Summary: Gay was a key cog in the machine and provided indispensable contributions.
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Patty Mills
https://i.imgur.com/gTa4B5z.png
Patty Mills set a low bar in his first four affairs of the season but give him a pat on the back for taking a step in the right direction on Saturday night. On defense, he was caffeinated enough to be a little bit disruptive. And, honestly, given his lack of size and strength (and, since we're being honest, speed at this stage of his career), that's all the Spurs can ask from him. Offensively, I'd still like to see him more aggressive but he did a better job taking care of the basketball and hitting open shots. Baby steps.
Grade: B
Summary: Mills was hyperactive and that alone was a breath of fresh air from the backup point guard.
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Marco Belinelli
https://i.imgur.com/hP9vIFY.png
Marco Belinelli cut well without the ball and was just passable enough on defense. Unfortunately, his shot selection and decision-making weren't tuned correctly. And, when he did find himself open, he didn't connect, particularly from deep. All in all, it was an okay evening that would have been a lot brighter if he had shot it straight.
Grade: C+
Summary: Belinelli was shooting blanks but did find ways to not be totally worthless.
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Pau Gasol
https://i.imgur.com/oF0jVre.png
On one hand, it's difficult to be mad about Pau Gasol's production. I mean, 11 points and 12 rebounds is certainly nothing to scoff at, especially when Gasol's physicality under the basket was a game-changing attribute. No one on the court was up to the challenge to try to muscle him out of the paint. On the other hand, Gasol's help defense left a whole lot to be desired. The Lakers got a lot of clean looks simply because he wouldn't (or, more likely, couldn't) move his feet. In sum, though, Gasol was a net positive on this night.
Grade: B+
Summary: Gasol was a beast in the lane and aided the cause even though he was incapable of helping on D.
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Pop
https://i.imgur.com/x7B1It7.jpg
I actually like a lot of subtle changes Pop made tonight. Bringing Gay off the bench was a good idea because it gave the bench unit a go-to scorer. Pop also seemed to think twice before pairing Mills with Forbes in the backcourt -- let's hope that continues. Tonight, he only went to it after the Lakers went with small guards first. Pop also learned his lesson from the first Lakers game and bought DeRozan a breather in the fourth quarter to make sure he had his legs to finish the game. Three positive adjustments in one night? And a victory over the Lakers? I'm not complaining.
Grade: A-
Summary: Pop is showing a willingness to tinker and it resulted in a win and some signs of life on the defensive end.
Looking ahead: Good win. FTL. The Spurs now have an opportunity to start a winning streak with a home game against the Mavericks on Monday and a road in game in Phoenix on Halloween.
https://i.imgur.com/zQ5mkED.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/cyeVUtO.jpg
The San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Lakers played another nail-biter and, like the first contest this season, the good guys prevailed. After a sluggish start that saw the Lakers score 36 points in the first period and lead by double-digits for much of the second quarter, the Spurs eventually found their footing.
Surprisingly, the Spurs can thank partially thank their defensive effort for the win. The Spurs outscored the Lakers 23-18 in the fourth to escape with a 110-106 victory at home.
In what was almost an exact replay of their last game against Los Angeles, the Spurs got up by eight points with a minute and a half remaining. Last time, the Lakers scored eight straight points to send the game into overtime. This time, the Lakers scored seven straight points before DeMar DeRozan delivered the biggest bucket of the night.
https://i.imgur.com/AgUkA50.gif
LaMarcus Aldridge
https://i.imgur.com/1nluyNF.png
In the first game of the season against the Lakers, LaMarcus Aldridge was fantastic. In the rematch, not so much. He struggled on his way to another sub par shooting night, missing more shots that he usually makes. (That's become a concerning trend early this season.) Aldridge wasn't nearly as physical tonight and seemed to be slow off his feet, which led to iffy work on the glass and mediocre defense overall. To his credit, Aldridge kept plugging away and come up with a couple big plays late to help seal the victory. The Spurs need more from the 33-year-old but he was just barely good enough tonight to get the win.
Grade: C
Summary: Aldridge never really got on track but he at least kept his head up.
-------------
DeMar DeRozan
https://i.imgur.com/ZKxGADZ.png
DeMar DeRozan suddenly can't lose against LeBron James. In the two games against the Lakers, he's averaging 31 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds. Not bad. Not bad, at all. This evening, besides that big shot at the end, he was really, really good. His defense in the final three quarters was as good as we've seen out of him in silver and black. DeRozan competed really well, boarded with a purpose and was very alert with regard to his help-defense responsibilities. In fact, I'd say he was the team's best defender tonight. Offensively, he was also quite impressive. He was a little bit sloppy at times but that's about the extent of my critique. I loved his quick pass-aheads when he noticed mismatches, in addition to all the playmaking he did in the halfcourt sets. DeRozan has embraced the gigantic role the coaching staff has carved out for him and is playing as well as anyone could have expected him to play.
Grade: A
Summary: DeRozan played at a superstar level, finishing two rebounds away from a triple-double.
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Davis Bertans
https://i.imgur.com/ucY2jSF.png
Pop started Davis Bertans at small forward and the Latvian fumbled the opportunity given to him. Los Angeles' first eight points of the game were due to lackadaisical, soft defense by Bertans. He was caught out of position or with his head turned way too often during his 13 minutes of play. Bertans will never be a great defender but he needs to play smarter and with more forcefulness on that end or he's not going to carve out a niche on this team. He didn't do much on offense -- he was oftentimes caught in no man's land on that side of the court as well. And, as we've come to expect, Bertans was invisible on the glass.
Grade: D-
Summary: Bertans got the start but played so poorly that the coaches will think twice before giving him another one.
-------------
Bryn Forbes
https://i.imgur.com/yXVIEAs.png
Bryn Forbes is looking more and more like a capable starter on the NBA level. That in itself is a huge step forward for him. Against the Lakers, his confidence was bubbling over on the offensive end. He took it upon himself to create off the dribble and was successful just about every time he called his own number. He did a really good job moving without the ball and spreading the court. Forbes did have issues on the offense with bouts of shaky ball-handling and a few weak, looping passes . . . but overall he did a fine job on that end. Defensively, he was locked in. He made mistakes -- quite a few, in fact -- but at least he's scratching and clawing as much as he can.
Grade: B+
Summary: Forbes continued his strong play as the team's starting point guard.
-------------
Dante Cunningham
https://i.imgur.com/W3QWUCI.png
It wasn't pretty but it worked. Dante Cunningham isn't much of a match for LeBron but it wasn't a total disaster. He did the best he could to stay in front of him and keep a hand up. Cunningham also found time to wrestle in the paint for rebounds and keep his hands active in the passing lanes. He hasn't figured out where he fits on offense. Personally, I'd like to see him be a little bit more of a willing passer and to only shoot when he's wide open.
Grade: B
Summary: Cunningham started at power forward against the Lakers and was serviceable.
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Rudy Gay
https://i.imgur.com/vqYr2we.png
Rudy Gay came off the bench in the first half but started the second half. In both roles, he was very effective. He came into this game shooting 58 percent from the field so he came down to earth shooting-wise but those misses were easy to overlook due to how much Gay helped out. He rebounded extremely well, authored a number of nifty passes, took care of the ball and was active on defense. Gay experienced struggles on the defensive end but his activity helped mask some of that. The Spurs wouldn't have won this game without his all-around contributions.
Grade: A-
Summary: Gay was a key cog in the machine and provided indispensable contributions.
-------------
Patty Mills
https://i.imgur.com/gTa4B5z.png
Patty Mills set a low bar in his first four affairs of the season but give him a pat on the back for taking a step in the right direction on Saturday night. On defense, he was caffeinated enough to be a little bit disruptive. And, honestly, given his lack of size and strength (and, since we're being honest, speed at this stage of his career), that's all the Spurs can ask from him. Offensively, I'd still like to see him more aggressive but he did a better job taking care of the basketball and hitting open shots. Baby steps.
Grade: B
Summary: Mills was hyperactive and that alone was a breath of fresh air from the backup point guard.
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Marco Belinelli
https://i.imgur.com/hP9vIFY.png
Marco Belinelli cut well without the ball and was just passable enough on defense. Unfortunately, his shot selection and decision-making weren't tuned correctly. And, when he did find himself open, he didn't connect, particularly from deep. All in all, it was an okay evening that would have been a lot brighter if he had shot it straight.
Grade: C+
Summary: Belinelli was shooting blanks but did find ways to not be totally worthless.
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Pau Gasol
https://i.imgur.com/oF0jVre.png
On one hand, it's difficult to be mad about Pau Gasol's production. I mean, 11 points and 12 rebounds is certainly nothing to scoff at, especially when Gasol's physicality under the basket was a game-changing attribute. No one on the court was up to the challenge to try to muscle him out of the paint. On the other hand, Gasol's help defense left a whole lot to be desired. The Lakers got a lot of clean looks simply because he wouldn't (or, more likely, couldn't) move his feet. In sum, though, Gasol was a net positive on this night.
Grade: B+
Summary: Gasol was a beast in the lane and aided the cause even though he was incapable of helping on D.
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Pop
https://i.imgur.com/x7B1It7.jpg
I actually like a lot of subtle changes Pop made tonight. Bringing Gay off the bench was a good idea because it gave the bench unit a go-to scorer. Pop also seemed to think twice before pairing Mills with Forbes in the backcourt -- let's hope that continues. Tonight, he only went to it after the Lakers went with small guards first. Pop also learned his lesson from the first Lakers game and bought DeRozan a breather in the fourth quarter to make sure he had his legs to finish the game. Three positive adjustments in one night? And a victory over the Lakers? I'm not complaining.
Grade: A-
Summary: Pop is showing a willingness to tinker and it resulted in a win and some signs of life on the defensive end.
Looking ahead: Good win. FTL. The Spurs now have an opportunity to start a winning streak with a home game against the Mavericks on Monday and a road in game in Phoenix on Halloween.