Grades: Spurs @ Grizzlies - Jan. 9, 2019

[timvp]

https://i.imgur.com/wFXq3V8.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/mI2sWH5.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/9KpVKT8.jpg

Welp, that was unfortunate. The Spurs, riding a five-game winning streak, were in Memphis to play a Grizzlies team that had lost six in a row. When the opposites collided, the Grizzlies were the ones left standing with a 96-86 victory.

Throughout the contest, the Spurs were lethargic. They never found a rhythm and any energy that bubbled to the surface was relegated to a possession here and a possession there. Among the gruesome statistics: 33.9% on two-pointers, 65.2% from the free throw line, only nine forced turnovers and only two blocked shots.

What was the cause of the lethargy? Maybe all the emotion expended during Kawhi Leonard's return finally caught up to the team. Maybe it was a trap game, as the Spurs easily dispatched this Grizzlies team a couple days ago with minimal effort and could have been caught looking ahead to OKC tomorrow night. Maybe the Spurs just aren't as good as their recent play indicates and their margin for error was slimmed even further without Rudy Gay (injury) and Davis Bertans (tantrum). Maybe it was just one of those nights where nothing goes right.

Despite the uninspired play and dismal shooting, the Spurs actually kept the game reasonably tight. The Spurs had a myriad of runs as they attempted to cut into the lead. Their last best chance for a comeback occurred with nine minutes remaining when a Marco Belinelli three-pointer minimized Memphis' advantage to four points, 76-72. Unfortunately, the Grizzlies immediately responded with a 12-2 run that ended San Antonio's hopes and dreams.

All in all, I don't think this was a terrible loss. These aren't our father's Spurs who could win games even when they noticeably lacked energy. As the Bulls loss has been a reminder that they can't let their foot off the gas, perhaps this loss will be a reminder that they need to come with the appropriate amount of energy each and every night. We'll see.

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LaMarcus Aldridge
https://i.imgur.com/1nluyNF.png
Although LaMarcus Aldridge didn't shoot well, there were a few bright spots. I thought his physicality was really impressive. Considering his game usually rises or falls based on how physical he's playing, I give Aldridge credit for bringing the wood. And while he too was lost in the twilight zone early on, he upped his effort level once he realized the team needed him. I thought Aldridge's defense against Marc Gasol was mostly solid and his rebounding was respectable. Along with poor shooting, he wasn't running as hard as usual and he was oftentimes not quick enough when passing out of the post.
Grade: B-
Summary: Aldridge got outplayed by Pau's brother but he at least came to play.

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DeMar DeRozan
https://i.imgur.com/ZKxGADZ.png
Yikes. I don't know what was wrong with DeMar DeRozan but this was undoubtedly his worst game of the season. Was he sick? Is he hurt? Was he just out of it? Whatever the case, he was about two steps slower than usual and was simply terrible on both ends. Give some credit to Kyle Anderson for frustrating him with his come-from-behind-pokes but, truthfully, DeRozan struggled against a variety of Grizzlies. He was sloppy with his dribble, had no touch in the paint, constantly disrupted the offensive flow and things were even worse on defense. His individual D was lazy, and help-defense was laughably slow and shockingly laissez-faire. Let's just hope we don't see this version of DeRozan ever again.
Grade: F
Summary: Can't think of how he could have played much worse.

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Bryn Forbes
https://i.imgur.com/yXVIEAs.png
Part of me thought Bryn Forbes was trying too hard and trying to shoulder too much of the slack. Another part of me thought Forbes should be applauded for trying to step up and carry the Spurs to victory. Reality is probably somewhere in the middle. His shot-selection wasn't great but the Spurs would have been even more doomed without him. Defensively, his lack of size was an issue at times but he mostly held his own.
Grade: B-
Summary: Forbes tried to will the Spurs to victory.

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Derrick White
https://i.imgur.com/IrTA2dV.png
Derrick White has had a lot of success recently on the defensive end. And, before tonight, I don't remember him ever getting into foul trouble despite him tussling with bigger, stronger, more experienced superstars. But, tonight, he found himself in persistent foul trouble in each quarter. Mike Conley taught the young apprentice a few scrolls worth of lessons Wednesday evening. Conley is a smart, crafty player and he caused White to make a number of mistakes on both ends. White's foul trouble likely played a part in San Antonio's overall struggles ... or, at the very least, didn't help matters.
Grade: C-
Summary: White was taken to school.

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Jakob Poeltl
https://i.imgur.com/FUIlW00.png
Look, I actually agree with what Pop is trying to do with Jakob Poeltl by putting him in the starting lineup with Rudy Gay out with a wrist injury. Considering Aldridge could have another five years left, if Poeltl is going to ever be anything more than a backup center, he needs to learn how to play next to Aldridge. It's a must. And there's no substitute other than throwing him into the fire and letting him figure it out. If the Spurs were simply trying to win tonight's game, starting Poeltl would be a mistake. But taking a long-term view of the situation, there's no better time than the present to allow Poeltl a chance to learn and grow on the job. Again tonight, the experiment was ugly. Poeltl essentially plays power forward next to Aldridge and it's a completely different set of responsibilities on both ends. Right now, he hasn't shown the ability to make the adjustments. Defensively, he's a bit too lead-footed out on on the perimeter. Offensively, he looks like a fish out of water trying to operate from the high post. But, still, I think the experimentation is worthwhile. If Pop could unlock Power Forward Poeltl, that'd be a momentous (and valuable) accomplishment.
Grade: D-
Summary: Poeltl started. It was unsightly.

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Patty Mills
https://i.imgur.com/gTa4B5z.png
I didn't have much of an issue with how Patty Mills played. He had something resembling pep in his step. The Spurs needed him to be aggressive offensively and he was up to the task -- although his shot-selection was dialed up a notch too hot. Defensively, he was actually better than White at defending Conley (surprising, I know). Unlike White, Mills wasn't allowing Conley to sneak his way to middle penetration to collapse the defense and wasn't falling victim to his veteran foul-drawing hijinx.
Grade: B+
Summary: Mills remembered it was game day, balas.

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Marco Belinelli
https://i.imgur.com/hP9vIFY.png
Marco Belinelli hit some big shots to try to carry San Antonio over the finish line. He scored eight points in the first three minutes of the fourth quarter to cut the deficit to four points. When the Spurs were most desperate for points, Belinelli did what he could to provide a spark. Defensively, I thought he was paying more attention that usual. While his efforts proved to be too little, I liked Belinelli's competitiveness.
Grade: B+
Summary: Belinelli wasn't going down without a fight.

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Pau Gasol
https://i.imgur.com/oF0jVre.png
Seven points and 12 rebounds in 20 minutes? That's a lot of production from Pau Gasol. Truth be told, though, he wasn't as good as those numbers indicate. He's still a work in progress in terms of meshing into the offensive attack. While he had a couple good passes, he also disrupted the flow at times. Defensively, his timing is askew. His reactions were slow when playing man-to-man and his help-defense was even slower. Gasol's running of the court is where he looks the worst right now. To say he's lumbering would be an understatement.
Grade: C+
Summary: Gasol is back to putting up numbers but he's not in game shape yet.

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Davis Bertans
https://i.imgur.com/ucY2jSF.png
So dumb. With Gay out and Poeltl sputtering in the starting lineup, the Spurs really needed to lean on Davis Bertans tonight. And what did he do? He picked up a pair of cheap technicals and got himself ejected. Frustratingly stupid. What makes it worse is he was playing pretty damn well. His rebounding was as good as it gets and he was putting in a ton of effort defensively. But Bertans was whining all night and then got thrown out when a call went against him. I appreciate the fire but he has to have more self-awareness. The Spurs desperately needed him tonight but he couldn't keep his composure.
Grade: F
Summary: Bertans was showering when the Spurs needed him most.

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Dante Cunningham
https://i.imgur.com/W3QWUCI.png
His shooting was arrhythmic -- understandable given his recent lack of playing time. He was getting in the way on offense, per usual. Defensively, he didn't do much outside of rebound ... and most of those were needlessly emphatic uncontested boards.
Grade: C+
Summary: Cunningham was his try-hard self.

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Quincy Pondexter
https://i.imgur.com/CCz8zuZ.png
After Bertans' first technical, Quincy Pondexter was put into the game. He didn't really do anything other than foul a Grizzly under the basket. We'll see if Pop holds Bertans' ejection against him. If so, Pondexter could be in line for more minutes. (For those not keeping track, Pondexter's contract became guaranteed for the rest of the season recently. I'm a bit surprised that the Spurs kept him because he's not a very good basketball player. He does seem to be a fine teammate and he does play a position [small forward] of need, so I guess it makes sense in that context.)
Grade: Inc.
Summary: Congrats, Q-Pon, for getting that contract guaranteed.

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Pop
https://i.imgur.com/x7B1It7.jpg
I agree with starting Poeltl with an eye to the future, so I can't ding Pop for that. I also thought he did a great job of keeping minutes to reasonable level considering the back-to-back. There really wasn't any way to play White more than he played. Gasol probably played too much but Bertans' ejection played a part in that. Against Detroit, Pop was able to awaken his sleepwalking squad with a pair of angry timeouts. He couldn't do it two games in a row, unfortunately.
Grade: B-
Summary: Pop didn't overplay his players on the first night of a back-to-back but also couldn't coax much out of them.

Looking ahead: The second night of this back-to-back is in San Antonio against the Thunder. Afterwards, the Spurs travel to Oklahoma City to play the Thunder again on Saturday night.

If the Spurs can turnaround and beat OKC, this loss against the Grizzlies will be forgotten. We'll see if the good guys can bounce-back with a much better effort. Here's to hoping.

[horseshue]

This is harsh. I mean F's for Derozan and Bertans. Seriously?

[vavvi]

Thanks timvp

But I can't disagree with you more on starting Poeltl. In the modern NBA LA-Poeltl combo will never work, it has arguably costed us this game and will cost us more if we continue with that experiment.
Even theoretically I wonder how are you seeing this work? LA is too heavy to play outside, he's a strictly inside guy at this stage of his career. Poeltl can't space the floor. Playing both of them is just a gift for opponent's defense and in meaningful games they would be killed by small ball on the other end. It takes away the lane for DeMar penetration and makes life difficult for Forbes and White.
We've found our offense playing of DeMar and LA double-teams. Poeltl in the starting line-up just makes it impossible.

I like Poeltl and think he's a perfect back-up 5 for our bench unit. I think we've found our game but now partly because of Gay's injury and partly because of the necessity to play Gasol we are voluntarily going away from it.

[vavvi]

Also...
What's up with the Grizzlies and the refs? Why are the refs killing us specifically against Memphis second time this season?!
Bertans ejection was so cheap. You can eject everyone on every team this way. But it's not even that. So many one-sided calls.

[Hoops Czar]

This is harsh. I mean F's for Derozan and Bertans. Seriously?

Are you kidding me? F's are compliments. I would have given them Z's. Has Kawhi played this poorly just once for Toronto? Also, last time Bertans had a temper tantrum on the court, he was in Pop's doghouse for over a months.

[horseshue]

Are you kidding me? F's are compliments. I would have given them Z's. Has Kawhi played this poorly just once for Toronto? Also, last time Bertans had a temper tantrum on the court, he was in Pop's doghouse for over a months.

Kawhi is a superstar, Bertans is a bench player. There is no way you can compare them.

[SouthTexasRancher]

Everybody deserved D's and F's last night. A good middle school 'B' team would have given our guys a run for the money the way we played. Pitiful, sadly!

[RC_Drunkford]

Are you kidding me? F's are compliments. I would have given them Z's. Has Kawhi played this poorly just once for Toronto? Also, last time Bertans had a temper tantrum on the court, he was in Pop's doghouse for over a months.

if sitting out games counts then yes

[Hoops Czar]

if sitting out games counts then yes
Actually, sitting out games gives you a +/- of 0. You neither help or hurt your team. DeFrauden shot 4-15 from the floor, along with 4 Turnovers, a team leading +/- of -17 and woefully pathetic defense. If that's the kind of effort a star player is going to putforth for his team, he should sit out too.

[Dave_ET]

DeMar looked like he soaked his hands in butter last night. What was that? He simply couldn’t dribble, at any point in the night.

[Uriel]

In hindsight, Pop should have just sat the starters in preparation for tomorrow’s OKC game. Playing without them might have inspired the bench to play harder and we might have even won the game.

[sananspursfan21]

The only positive I saw to White getting in foul trouble was the hope that Patty would help jumpstart a dead offense. He did his part, but the others just let him go ahead instead of joining last night. Patty invited them, they just declined

[BackHome]

It’s weird the whole team played terrible I new it was going to be bad cause no one looked happy before game. I was thinking how come no one is laughing and joking around they all looked like someone passed away or they all got yelled out by Pop. A curious thing is that the Toros played the same way the day before which is kinda weird.

[objective]

1. Demar's decision making was awful. I remember what must have been a 1-on-3 break with all three in the paint and DeMar just barreling in getting easily blocked.

2. I mentioned this in the DW thread, but White is really getting some bullshit rookie calls that are altering games. Seems like he gets a legit charge called a block or no-called (big turning point against Houston) or getting these other cheap calls against him that I don't think he picks up if the Refs know him better.

If he had played last year maybe the Refs would think he's over himself and not think they can rook him.

3. Not having Gay is a big deal, but White is the engine that makes the Spurs any good. Without him they're just mediocre, and there's too many games where either one or both of the big two don't show up. The team is a bad White injury away from missing the playoffs. It's a little surprising maybe that one second-year end of first round player who didn't play as a rookie is so important to their success, but that's the roster.

[MVPCues]

Are you kidding me? F's are compliments. I would have given them Z's. Has Kawhi played this poorly just once for Toronto? Also, last time Bertans had a temper tantrum on the court, he was in Pop's doghouse for over a months.

I took a gulp of coffee as I started reading your post. I was barely able to contain it.

[superbigtime]

In hindsight, Pop should have just sat the starters in preparation for tomorrow’s OKC game. Playing without them might have inspired the bench to play harder and we might have even won the game.

Have to agree. dismal game. Spurs are a pathetic road team and there were like 20 people in the stands.

[Spurs Homer]

Here is the bright spot:

Spurs will be extra motivated at home? against OKC!

[ceperez]

Spurs might have been EXPOSED! A lengthy team shutting down the passing lanes and DeRozan.

[TDomination]

1. Demar's decision making was awful. I remember what must have been a 1-on-3 break with all three in the paint and DeMar just barreling in getting easily blocked.


I remember this play, i'm like c'mon really. You're going to go on a fast break by yourself against 3 defenders. That is dumb basketball. Little plays like that are what matter in games like these where nothing is falling. You have to be extra smart, extra aware of the situation.

[Allan Rowe vs Wade]

Spurs might have been EXPOSED! A lengthy team shutting down the passing lanes and DeRozan.

thank goodness for :lol today's nba :lol 'defenses'

[in2deep]

So bertans gets F for 2 undeserved techs while White gets a C+ for 4 dumb fouls in his first minutes???

Very biased poster there

[therealtruth]

If TD/Splitter worked I would think Aldridge/Poetl be able to work.
Also you've got to give DDR some slack. He has depresssion.

[vavvi]

If TD/Splitter worked I would think Aldridge/Poetl be able to work.
Also you've got to give DDR some slack. He has depresssion.

It was a different league back then. Very different.
Also none of LA-Poeltl is a passer of both TD and Splitter caliber.

[Dex]

It should be noted that the refs were allowing the Grizzlies to be exceptionally physical last night. It definitely seemed like they were getting away with a lot of bumping, grabbing, and slapping...but the same tactics drew whistles for the Spurs nearly every time (as evidenced by White's foul trouble, Bertans' frustration and ejection, etc.)

You look at the stat sheet and say, "Well, the Spurs shot more free throws"...but that doesn't tell the whole tale, particularly for things that weren't called. It's comparable to a football team who is willing to give up some penalty yardage to hold on every play; they know that a ref isn't going to throw a flag on every down. By the fourth quarter, it seemed like the Spurs (and LaMarcus in particular) were more focused on just drawing a damn whistle from the refs than they were playing smart, solid basketball.

I know Memphis is the place of grit & grind and I don't like to blame the refs, but it's frustrating when the teams aren't allowed to compete on an even playing field (or court, as it would be in this case).

[Amuseddaysleeper]

This is harsh. I mean F's for Derozan and Bertans. Seriously?


DeRozan absolutely deserved an F, that was a pathetic showing last night. Majority of the Spurs sucked last blight but DD was REALLY bad.

[objective]

I'll add this game showed the problem I have with Cunningham and Pondexter and why guaranteeing Pondexter was a waste imo.

I think your 11th and 12th men, or 12th and 13th, whatever, should be able to enter a game and make an impact with youthful exuberance, fire, and hustle. Change the mood of the game. Maybe those players aren't polished, maybe mistake prone. But bring energy and attitude to get some life into a struggling team. Or if not that, be specialists like 3-pointers or blocks.

Pondexter and Cunningham can't do that. These are guys in their 30s who play tired, and they won't get better skill-wise. They aren't specialists, because they don't do anything that well. They're just hanging onto their spot in the league as sluggish jack-of-all-trades. They just kind of exist, kind of playing defense, maybe hitting threes and being useful against an old team they have a grudge against.

But the Spurs needed some energy, a wake up call, something infectious. These two guys don't do that.

[Dex]

DeRozan absolutely deserved an F, that was a pathetic showing last night. Majority of the Spurs sucked last blight but DD was REALLY bad.

The fact of the matter is that the Spurs can't afford for both Aldridge and Derozan to play poorly.

They can find ways to win if one or the other is off, but if both are sucking it up, they simply don't have the weapons to pick up the scoring slack.

If LaMarcus and DeMar combine to go 8/27 from the field, you can pretty much chalk that one up as a loss.

[SpursDynasty85]

1. Demar's decision making was awful. I remember what must have been a 1-on-3 break with all three in the paint and DeMar just barreling in getting easily blocked.

2. I mentioned this in the DW thread, but White is really getting some bullshit rookie calls that are altering games. Seems like he gets a legit charge called a block or no-called (big turning point against Houston) or getting these other cheap calls against him that I don't think he picks up if the Refs know him better.

If he had played last year maybe the Refs would think he's over himself and not think they can rook him.

3. Not having Gay is a big deal, but White is the engine that makes the Spurs any good. Without him they're just mediocre, and there's too many games where either one or both of the big two don't show up. The team is a bad White injury away from missing the playoffs. It's a little surprising maybe that one second-year end of first round player who didn't play as a rookie is so important to their success, but that's the roster.I feel the same way too. White has to play to his full potential this season and supplant Gay as the 3rd best player on the team to truly contend. It looks like White was heading towards that direction but yesterday was definitely growing pains for him. A couple of calls did not go his way.

Needing White is not that surprising because before the season started Dejounte was the one who many hoped would make that type of leap and leadership for the team. Luckily this year, Forbes, Bertans, and Mills really picked it up from last year. If Rudy is going to be in and out of the lineup this year we are probably missing one more piece unless Bertans can make strides in his rebounding and defense. His ejection last night looks like he is trying really hard to do that. Hopefully he starts playing smarter on those ends. Right now his efforts are causing him to get into foul trouble. He got frustrated too easily last night. Those were fair calls imo.

[XDT76]

This game shows our limitation with DDR playing SF, he is a bit short in that position. If we had a legit SF and allows DDR to slip back to SG, his effectiveness would be higher.

[vavvi]

Starting line-up with Poeltl is one of the worst Spurs line-ups this season. It's -20 in points and curiously enough -6 in defensive rebounds (probably because of the longballs and long rebounds)

[BillMc]

Thanks as always OP

[monty4329]

Well, Memphis defense was superb. Got to to give credit when credit is due: they were beasts, contesting every pass and locking the lane against most of penetrations.
Spurs got a good dose of playoffs defense: "beat me with 3-pointers, if you can". I expect more of this in the coming games, when you win 6 in a row the other coaching staffs notice and react.

We'll see tonight, hope Davis will show poise after the almost certain scolding from Pop.

[RD2191]

Well, Memphis refs were superb. Got to to give credit when credit is due: they were beasts, contesting every pass and locking the lane against most of penetrations.
Spurs got a good dose of playoffs defense: "beat me with 3-pointers, if you can". I expect more of this in the coming games, when you win 6 in a row the other coaching staffs notice and react.

We'll see tonight, hope Davis will show poise after the almost certain scolding from Pop.
:tu agreed. Great post.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

The fact of the matter is that the Spurs can't afford for both Aldridge and Derozan to play poorly.

They can find ways to win if one or the other is off, but if both are sucking it up, they simply don't have the weapons to pick up the scoring slack.

If LaMarcus and DeMar combine to go 8/27 from the field, you can pretty much chalk that one up as a loss.

And this is why I think the Spurs have been playing wildly over their heads lately. I also don't trust either of those players come playoff time but if the Spurs can miracuously make it to the second round I'll be ecstatic.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

Are you kidding me? F's are compliments. I would have given them Z's. Has Kawhi played this poorly just once for Toronto? Also, last time Bertans had a temper tantrum on the court, he was in Pop's doghouse for over a months.

He shot terribly in a handful of games this year:

http://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/id/401070873

http://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/id/401071214

http://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/id/401071195


Still an amazing player though

[r0drig0lac]

without Bertans and Gay, our team gets extremely small, it's complicated to beat one of the most physical teams in the league

[Larry O]

I feel the same way too. White has to play to his full potential this season and supplant Gay as the 3rd best player on the team to truly contend. It looks like White was heading towards that direction but yesterday was definitely growing pains for him. A couple of calls did not go his way.

Needing White is not that surprising because before the season started Dejounte was the one who many hoped would make that type of leap and leadership for the team. Luckily this year, Forbes, Bertans, and Mills really picked it up from last year. If Rudy is going to be in and out of the lineup this year we are probably missing one more piece unless Bertans can make strides in his rebounding and defense. His ejection last night looks like he is trying really hard to do that. Hopefully he starts playing smarter on those ends. Right now his efforts are causing him to get into foul trouble. He got frustrated too easily last night. Those were fair calls imo.

To Add to this: In my observation from last night, as well as other games, now for the starting lineup, it is up to them to get Aldridge's rhythm going early, so they feed him early and often. Now, when he's struggling; doesn't have energy or he's facing a good defensive big or he's doubeled teamed, this affects his rhythm which leads to his lack of scoring in the begining of the game, which can put them in a hole & cause a rippple affect on the starters, so Pop has to do either a hockey substitution to get the 2nd unit in there or other substituions to stop the bleeding by getting them to generate offense to get the Good Guys back into the game (we see more of the "Beautiful Game" with the 2nd unit!!!). RG22, when healthy, is truely an important cog to the starting lineup while DW4 holds the keys to making this team go, but the refs last night; the Grizz's need for a desperate win & SAS's lack of energy, along with Aldrigde's early offensive struggles, & DD... well, I don't know what happened to him, in my opinion, all factored in for last night's loss. Hope they right the ship for tonight's game against OPeePee! GSG!!!

[DAF86]

Pop
https://i.imgur.com/x7B1It7.jpg
I agree with starting Poeltl with an eye to the future, so I can't ding Pop for that. I also thought he did a great job of keeping minutes to reasonable level considering the back-to-back. There really wasn't any way to play White more than he played. Gasol probably played too much but Bertans' ejection played a part in that. Against Detroit, Pop was able to awaken his sleepwalking squad with a pair of angry timeouts. He couldn't do it two games in a row, unfortunately.
Grade: B-
Summary: Pop didn't overplay his players on the first night of a back-to-back but also couldn't coax much out of them.

Looking ahead: The second night of this back-to-back is in San Antonio against the Thunder. Afterwards, the Spurs travel to Oklahoma City to play the Thunder again on Saturday night.

If the Spurs can turnaround and beat OKC, this loss against the Grizzlies will be forgotten. We'll see if the good guys can bounce-back with a much better effort. Here's to hoping.

What future, the day Aldridge retires? As long s Aldridge is part of the team, Poeltl can't start with him.

[tenbeersbold]

REFS,pretty simple,all of the offensive struggles/frustration come from not being allowed to play the way the other team does.
Add in Grizz losing record,declining tv/ fanbase numbers,political pressure of a majority black city with another losing black coach and the Spurs get a league sanctioned loss

Bickerstaff's dad was a loser of a coach and so is he
Dad posted a .447 record for his career and Jr is really stinking it up with a .388 record so far

[Allan Rowe vs Wade]

REFS,pretty simple,all of the offensive struggles/frustration come from not being allowed to play the way the other team does.
Add in Grizz losing record,declining tv/ fanbase numbers,political pressure of a majority black city with another losing black coach and the Spurs get a league sanctioned loss

Bickerstaff's dad was a loser of a coach and so is he
Dad posted a .447 record for his career and Jr is really stinking it up with a .388 record so far

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/dragonage/images/2/2a/Anchorman-well-that-escalated-quickly.jpg

[dbestpro]

There is a bit of a story that some folks may have had a bit of a good time the night before and simply were a little too hungover to play.

[Immortal Spur]

I believe it was mental for DeMar. Personally I think he’s tired of getting fouled and not getting the call and it got to him. Spurs should make a vid for the league office for how many times he gets hit on the pull through. Harden and Durant get those calls all the time.

[phxspurfan]

Wow, in SA for OKC on a B2B and then in OKC on Sat? We could be looking at 3 straight losses

[objective]

What future, the day Aldridge retires? As long s Aldridge is part of the team, Poeltl can't start with him.

I have to agree with this. Maybe they can pair for stretches against rare bigger teams or bad teams, but these 2 won't be starting together on a serious Spurs team.

And that wouldn't be a problem except they have Pau. If anything Pau should work better as a starter with his three point range and passing. Poeltl better with the bench working on screens and going to the rim.

There's still not a great fit for getting minutes to all three centers. Pau is just taking up space.

[TDomination]

Wow, in SA for OKC on a B2B and then in OKC on Sat? We could be looking at 3 straight losses

We could be but i think we split the OKC games. Then win 4 in a row after that.

[wildbill2u]

When was the last time any team, much less the Spurs, got 8 shots blocked. Late shots, bad shots, lazy shots produced domination from some big men on Memphis. Not too mention some lazy bad passes and turnovers.

However, Memphis was almost as bad as they couldn't pull away past 11 points on a night when the Spurs just weren't into the game.

[spurs10]

We could be but i think we split the OKC games. Then win 4 in a row after that. I think they will split. Tonight they need to bounce back after that strange game in Memphis. I think it's the ribs at the Rendezvous.

[Killakobe81]

I think they will split. Tonight they need to bounce back after that strange game in Memphis. I think it's the ribs at the Rendezvous.

Overrated tbh ...
Had better ribs at: Neely's and Corky's when i was there ...in Memphis, Redezvous is overrated AF
Austin has better ribs tbh

[sasaint]

Well, Memphis defense was superb. Got to to give credit when credit is due: they were beasts, contesting every pass and locking the lane against most of penetrations.
Spurs got a good dose of playoffs defense: "beat me with 3-pointers, if you can". I expect more of this in the coming games, when you win 6 in a row the other coaching staffs notice and react.

We'll see tonight, hope Davis will show poise after the almost certain scolding from Pop.

I just hope Davis gets to play, tbh.

[emanueldavidginobili]

I'll add this game showed the problem I have with Cunningham and Pondexter and why guaranteeing Pondexter was a waste imo.

I think your 11th and 12th men, or 12th and 13th, whatever, should be able to enter a game and make an impact with youthful exuberance, fire, and hustle. Change the mood of the game. Maybe those players aren't polished, maybe mistake prone. But bring energy and attitude to get some life into a struggling team. Or if not that, be specialists like 3-pointers or blocks.

Pondexter and Cunningham can't do that. These are guys in their 30s who play tired, and they won't get better skill-wise. They aren't specialists, because they don't do anything that well. They're just hanging onto their spot in the league as sluggish jack-of-all-trades. They just kind of exist, kind of playing defense, maybe hitting threes and being useful against an old team they have a grudge against.

But the Spurs needed some energy, a wake up call, something infectious. These two guys don't do that.

Spot on. It literally makes no sense at all why these two are on the roster taking up a spot. I really want to know the justification for it because I cannot think of one.

Giving 2.2 million to a player that brings really nothing to the floor and is clearly not apart of the Spurs future makes absolutely no sense. There has to be players out there in the G-League that are younger, more athletic and have some what of a ceiling.

[JeffDuncan]

When was the last time any team, much less the Spurs, got 8 shots blocked. ...

Not that long ago. Last Nov 7, at Miami, Whiteside blocked 9 Spurs shots.

[timvp]

What future, the day Aldridge retires? As long s Aldridge is part of the team, Poeltl can't start with him.

Exactly my point. If the Aldridge and Poeltl combo is incompatible, then Poeltl will always be a bit player -- 15 to 18 minutes per game at most. For Poeltl to be a valuable long-term piece, he needs to play more than that. Thus, Poeltl's value is tied to learning how to play next to Aldridge. Maybe it will never work but the upside is worth attempting to achieve.

Doesn't really have anything to do with Pau, tbh. Even with him out of the equation completely, Poeltl is still a bit player unless he figures out how to play next to Aldridge.

Right now it's ugly but I think it's possible. Poeltl is mobile enough to potentially be capable of playing power forward. It'll take him a while to learn but I agree with Pop that it's a worthwhile attempt. It doesn't help short-term but it'd be a huge development long-term.

[Fusternino]

Of course, LMA developing a 3-ball would really help a potential LMA/Poeltl combo do well . . .

[DAF86]

Exactly my point. If the Aldridge and Poeltl combo is incompatible, then Poeltl will always be a bit player -- 15 to 18 minutes per game at most. For Poeltl to be a valuable long-term piece, he needs to play more than that. Thus, Poeltl's value is tied to learning how to play next to Aldridge. Maybe it will never work but the upside is worth attempting to achieve.

Doesn't really have anything to do with Pau, tbh. Even with him out of the equation completely, Poeltl is still a bit player unless he figures out how to play next to Aldridge.

Right now it's ugly but I think it's possible. Poeltl is mobile enough to potentially be capable of playing power forward. It'll take him a while to learn but I agree with Pop that it's a worthwhile attempt. It doesn't help short-term but it'd be a huge development long-term.

It's not possible.

[BackHome]

How was that not a walk by Westbrook?