Grades: Spurs vs. Cavaliers - Dec. 12, 2019

[timvp]

https://www.spurstalk.com/grades-san-antonio-spurs-cleveland-cavaliers-december-12-2019/

tl;dr: :td

[timtonymanu]

Great stuff. Props for being able to rewatch that shit show. :lol this team still being 2 games out of 8th. They really don’t deserve a playoff spot at all.

[cd021]

Pop's decision making in OT was cringe worthy. He found a lineup that worked; White, Beli, DeRozan, Walker, and Aldridge and then went away from it for no reason.

[BillMc]

Accurate grades.

We should also not forget that DeMar got a tech for throwing the ball into the stands. That 1 point came back to haunt us.

[tbdog]

Don't be sorry. Losing to that team in a game we just have to win, that's on Pop. No sorry's. The thing is, what are we, 30 games in? And we saw the results for 82 games last season. Nothing has really changed in our rotation and our younger players really need to start getting ahead of Pop's pets (Forbes, Mills, Beli). And we need to play a lot faster. It's not LMA team anymore, just get out there and run. It makes DD play better, and White/Walker/Murray will make mistakes, but you live with it. Also Mills and Beli benefit from a faster game too.

And still no Carrol?

[SayTown]

Accurate grades.

We should also not forget that DeMar got a tech for throwing the ball into the stands. That 1 point came back to haunt us.

Can't really blame him, he was probably frustrated with Pop's shitty rotations. I honestly was thinking he was going to get a second T on purpose so he could get kicked out of that shit show.

[John B]

https://www.spurstalk.com/grades-san-antonio-spurs-cleveland-cavaliers-december-12-2019/

tl;dr: :td
Well written and to the point. Demar, Aldridge and Pop lost us this game. Simple as that. Aldridge needs to set-up the pace from the get go. Attacking the rim. Demar has to learn to channel his emotion to win and not lose games, and Pop? Loosen up. The team has exciting young talents eager to prove themselves but are shelves back. Come on. Walker would sell that tickets with his athleticism, and inspire the team. Note, please revisit the Rockets game. The young guns did it. Let them play. The game of basketball is not just X’s and O’s, but having fun. The leaders of this team are NOT having fun. NOPE, and it’s pulling down the entire team. Walker, Murray, White, Lyles, Poeltl are fun. Come on! We like something to root for, not tired, strolling, stats padding dinosaurs. And Demar, lighten up. Have fun and maybe that will loosen the nerves. Let’s get this back with a win at Mexico City.

[Dr. John R. Brinkley]

It’s Orwellian, so to speak. Up is down. Playing to win is essentially tanking. Trading our two stars to rebuild would likely lead to winning more games. Whatever you’re doing Pop, just do the opposite.

[objective]

Pop gets an F from me.

He is coaching like the worst coach in the league. Even Boylen figured out that Gafford is a better option than scrubbier players before Pop solved the sphinx's riddle of playing his best players together. And Boylen is the guy who forgot he had Kawhi on his team after subbing him out in the 3rd quarter of a game.

In a 53 minute game where neither White nor Murray have minute restrictions, they combine for 49?

White-Murray-Walker need to average 85 total minutes MINIMUM, and if the Spurs are serious about either winning or developing, try 90+.

It's less important who starts than the total minutes. They could start White-Walker, or White-Murray, or Murray-Walker, doesn't matter. But they have to be getting big time minutes starting months ago.

Sure, the rest of the roster might be a mish-mash of chokers, quitters, divas, scrubs, pets, washed-up vets, underachievers and mistakenly drafted over-estimated or low-potential rookies.

But at least play White-Murray-Walker.

As infuriating as it is to know that we'll have to wait until next season or April to finally see White-Murray, together, it'll be another year after that until we see White-Murray-Walker on the floor at the same time.

Maybe Pop is missing having another old codger on the bench with him as an assistant, someone he can relate to, and someone who can talk to him as a peer. Having to only young and inexperienced assistants must be lonely. Can't they dig up some ancient guy for Pop to be chummy with, like, Dunleavy or Hanzlik or Carlesimo or Brian Winters or Bristow or Jim O'Brien? Someone for Pop to commiserate with that wasn't 40 years younger than him?

[picnroll]

Seeing the Spurs players starting OT i have to believe Pop has fully embraced tanking, that or he's full on alzheimers.

[sananspursfan21]

LaMarcus has got to go. Derozan is hard to watch too but he still plays with heart at least. LMA is 100% checked out as evidenced by this game. If the Spurs trade Demar before or instead of LMA, Wright’s gonna need a head check.

Anyway, thanks for the grades! Just an all around lousy effort. It’s still so hard to watch because when engaged, I still fully believe this team is a 4-5 seed. But we’ve only seen this team exert that full effort for fractions of a few games. So damn aggravating.

[Strategic]

Your finisher can’t make free throws in clutch time. Your best player checks out throughout the games. The coach doesn’t know or care which is the best line up. With this trio, no success is forthcoming.

[UZER]

Don't be sorry. Losing to that team in a game we just have to win, that's on Pop. No sorry's. The thing is, what are we, 30 games in? And we saw the results for 82 games last season. Nothing has really changed in our rotation and our younger players really need to start getting ahead of Pop's pets (Forbes, Mills, Beli). And we need to play a lot faster. It's not LMA team anymore, just get out there and run. It makes DD play better, and White/Walker/Murray will make mistakes, but you live with it. Also Mills and Beli benefit from a faster game too.

And still no Carrol?

This is why when so many of us were bitching about the rotations in game 5 of the season, people were pulling the usual Pop shielding (sniffers), but I said its not game 5, is game 87 because it’s the same shit from last year. Not we’re at game 106 of the exact same garbage.

Now finally everyone is on the wtf is Pop doing bandwagon. But people still pulling the “well it’s the rosters fault, fault what is he supposed to do?” Um, he put this roster together. The blame is still on him. It’s one and the same.

[get_mills_out]

Don't be sorry. Losing to that team in a game we just have to win, that's on Pop. No sorry's. The thing is, what are we, 30 games in? And we saw the results for 82 games last season. Nothing has really changed in our rotation and our younger players really need to start getting ahead of Pop's pets (Forbes, Mills, Beli). And we need to play a lot faster. It's not LMA team anymore, just get out there and run. It makes DD play better, and White/Walker/Murray will make mistakes, but you live with it. Also Mills and Beli benefit from a faster game too.

And still no Carrol?

Carrol is washed. He's this year's Dante Cunningham. When we played the Celtics Scalabrine called it out instantly, that Carrol looked like he was running in sand.

[UZER]

Pop gets an F from me.

He is coaching like the worst coach in the league. Even Boylen figured out that Gafford is a better option than scrubbier players before Pop solved the sphinx's riddle of playing his best players together. And Boylen is the guy who forgot he had Kawhi on his team after subbing him out in the 3rd quarter of a game.

In a 53 minute game where neither White nor Murray have minute restrictions, they combine for 49?

White-Murray-Walker need to average 85 total minutes MINIMUM, and if the Spurs are serious about either winning or developing, try 90+.

It's less important who starts than the total minutes. They could start White-Walker, or White-Murray, or Murray-Walker, doesn't matter. But they have to be getting big time minutes starting months ago.

Sure, the rest of the roster might be a mish-mash of chokers, quitters, divas, scrubs, pets, washed-up vets, underachievers and mistakenly drafted over-estimated or low-potential rookies.

But at least play White-Murray-Walker.

As infuriating as it is to know that we'll have to wait until next season or April to finally see White-Murray, together, it'll be another year after that until we see White-Murray-Walker on the floor at the same time.

[b]Maybe Pop is missing having another old codger on the bench with him as an assistant, someone he can relate to, and someone who can talk to him as a peer. Having to only young and inexperienced assistants must be lonely. Can't they dig up some ancient guy for Pop to be chummy with, like, Dunleavy or Hanzlik or Carlesimo or Brian Winters or Bristow or Jim O'Brien? Someone for Pop to commiserate with that wasn't 40 years younger than him?[b]

That’s Pops fault for not walking away. Dude is 70 and has no business still coaching, but he won’t give up the reins. I don’t feel sorry for him.

[tbdog]

This is why when so many of us were bitching about the rotations in game 5 of the season, people were pulling the usual Pop shielding (sniffers), but I said its not game 5, is game 87 because it’s the same shit from last year. Not we’re at game 106 of the exact same garbage.

Now finally everyone is on the wtf is Pop doing bandwagon. But people still pulling the “well it’s the rosters fault, fault what is he supposed to do?” Um, he put this roster together. The blame is still on him. It’s one and the same.

To be fair, our roster last season was not only unbalanced, but we didn't have many options. Now Murray and Walker are in the rotation, plus Carroll should be in the rotation also. Yet its the same thing as last season.

[Dr. John R. Brinkley]

Tangent, but was Tim not on the bench coaching last night? Bare with me while I speculate wildly, but I want to think that Pop was trying to assure Becky that she has a strong role on this team. And so not only is Pop having difficulties building trust with his young players, but his young coaches as well.

I think Becky has to be the coach next year, and the idea of the Kansas coach, who has been in college forever, wiuld likely have an awful transition, not matter how good he is in college.

[UZER]

To be fair, our roster last season was not only unbalanced, but we didn't have many options. Now Murray and Walker are in the rotation, plus Carroll should be in the rotation also. Yet its the same thing as last season.

The pets always play regardless. Yes it’s the same as last season.

[TDomination]

So sad, pops completely lost it

i wanted to take my brother to a game when he comes to town and thinking to myself that hopefully by then Walker will be playing 30+ minutes but seeing Pops lineups I already know that’s not going to happen. I don’t even want to spend a penny on this team right now. Not cause they’re losing but because of these pathetic lineups.

we won’t see any lineup we’ve been wanting to see all year until they have been officially eliminated from playoff contention. And then we’ll finally see them and they’ll look good and all we’ll be able to do is shake our head.

[mo7888]

I agree with the grades. At what point will we start looking to move LMA and DDR? I'm not sure theres anything they can do to salvage the season and it makes more sense to lose with young guys than with those two.

[JADG79]

Hope that this loss trigger the trades. Dec 15 is the date.
It's a shame to lose against the Cavs in our home.
Our bench is better than our starters.

I'm not super fan of Poeltl but the guy is a good defensive player and with the lack of defense in our team he need to play more.
Pop is a confidence killer. Look Bertans how relax is playing in Was is a killer now and Baynes is playing great after leaving SA.

He like to control the players to fit a broken system, same as Phil Jackson in NY.

[RC_Drunkford]

Flopovich, DeRozan, Aldridge, Mills: F-

The Spurs were up 3 with 25 seconds to go and Belinelli caught the inbound. Cavs tried to foul him, but Pop called time out before that, so he could draw up another inbound play. On that play LaMarcus barely catches the ball and commits a back court violation that doesn't get called. The ball gets to Mills and he gets fouled and knocks down 2 free throws. Genius coaching tbh.

Mills then falls on the floor, with no contact at all, while backpedaling and gives up an open lay up to Sexton, not to mention those 4 wide open 3-pointers he gave up to him in the rest of the game. DeRozan gets fouled and bricks both free throws. Then he also bricks the game winning shot in classic DeRozan fashion.

Pop starts OT with a Poeltl/Aldridge/DeRozan/Belinelli/Mills line up. I'm not even sure that line up has ever played together. So no PG out there, but 2 bigs and no perimeter defender to check Jordan Clarkson who's been lighting the Spurs up all night. Walker was defending him well, but you know pets need to play in crunch time. White was the most efficient scorer all night and is a good defender as well, but he's glued to the bench. Same with Murray.

DeRozan bricks various shots from 3 feet and lay ups, while missing open 3-point shooters on the perimeter. Aldridge saved his ass once with a tip dunk.

With 1:50 left in OT and the Spurs down 4 Pop then subs in Walker for Poeltl. Still no Derrick White. Spurs are down 2 with 1:01 to go and Pop finally subs in White for Belinelli. Cavs score and then Mills shoots a 3-pointer who hits the backboard and not even the rim. Ball game.

Genius coaching by Flopovich. By the way DeRozan's technical also played a big part of this game going into OT


By the way Duncan was probably not on the bench because of the old lady dying. Might've went to the funeral or visit the fam. Just my assumption.

[EasyMoney]

I'm hoping this game is the last game I see this team constructed the way it is.

[Mugen]

The neutering of Dejounte is a sight to behold tbh. He started off the season attacking the basket on every fast break. It only took Pop 25 games to make sure he looks completely lost in transition and making terrible decisions every time he's out on the open court.....

Actually - the entire team outside of Lonnie is straight garbage whenever they have 2-1, 3-2 advantage in the open court.....I wonder how long before Lonnie is neutered as well :lol

[Floyd Pacquiao]

I just can't stand watching derozan. How could the spurs not know he was horrible mentally and basketball wise? Spurstalk knew, I knew... But the "best ran front office in NBA history" didn't?

[UZER]

The neutering of Dejounte is a sight to behold tbh. He started off the season attacking the basket on every fast break. It only took Pop 25 games to make sure he looks completely lost in transition and making terrible decisions every time he's out on the open court.....

Actually - the entire team outside of Lonnie is straight garbage whenever they have 2-1, 3-2 advantage in the open court.....I wonder how long before Lonnie is neutered as well :lol

So predictable. I joked with a buddy early on that Pop was going to pull the reins on Murray and he going to completely stunt everything he was doing and look completely different before long. I was hoping after the Kawhi fiasco that Pop has learned his lesson. Nope. He ain’t changing his ways at 70.

[JADG79]

I'm hoping this game is the last game I see this team constructed the way it is.

Amen!

[Mugen]

Some more fun musings:

-Retard Derozan going from 5 3point attempts the previous game to 0 again :lol
-They should have lost the Kings game as well
-Imagine being retarded enough to say Lonnie wasn't an NBA level player and not killing yourself immediately after the Rockets game :lol
-Outside of a Derozan/LMA trade, the best thing that could happen to this franchise would be Bryn blowing out his achilles. What an absolute piece of shit garbage player. Him suffering a career-ender is the only thing that could save the franchise from picking that loser over White/Lonnie down the line...
-I'd rather have present day Jerry Sloan than that POS running the team now....

Ban me, tbh. Save me from having to care about this garbage organization. :lol

[Chomag]

I said this in another thread that I can take watching Spurs lose and go through some growing pains , however Pop is making this team so unfun to watch as a fan. I don't know how much more I can stomach watching his shit show pet line-ups.

[r0drig0lac]

The neutering of Dejounte is a sight to behold tbh. He started off the season attacking the basket on every fast break. It only took Pop 25 games to make sure he looks completely lost in transition and making terrible decisions every time he's out on the open court.....

Actually - the entire team outside of Lonnie is straight garbage whenever they have 2-1, 3-2 advantage in the open court.....I wonder how long before Lonnie is neutered as well :lol

true

[rjv]

hoping that the benching of forbes at the end of the game is a sign of things to come.

[Kobe'sAchilles]

I told ya'll all along that this is Pop's last year coaching. I also feel like Mike D'antoni will be in serious consideration for being the next coach after being let go by the Rockets. He is the perfect coach for us tbh.

The young guns will get their minutes in January.We are tanking boys by playing the vets and that's a good thing. Pop hates it and probably isn't doing it purposefully, but here we are anyways. The worst part is that the West beyond sucks this year and we may backdoor ourselves into the playoffs :lol

[Dr. John R. Brinkley]

Hope that this loss trigger the trades. Dec 15 is the date.
It's a shame to lose against the Cavs in our home.
Our bench is better than our starters.

I'm not super fan of Poeltl but the guy is a good defensive player and with the lack of defense in our team he need to play more.
Pop is a confidence killer. Look Bertans how relax is playing in Was is a killer now and Baynes is playing great after leaving SA.

He like to control the players to fit a broken system, same as Phil Jackson in NY.


Agreed. Our best lineup is probably Jakob, White, Walker, Murray, and Gay/Lyles?

[D-Robinson 50 fan]

These rotations Pop trots out there every night is so frustrating to watch. As bad a Murray was on offense he still should’ve gotten more minutes. Him and White were getting toasted by Sexton but at least Murray was causing tipped passes and rebounding. Walker was the only guy who played really good defense on Sexton.

the GM has got to save Pop from himself and trade Forbes, DeRozan, or Aldridge. Pop needs to stop being afraid of playing Walker, Murray, and White together also.

I hate to say it but this loss like a lot of them so far this season is on Pop and his bad rotations

[Truth4sale$]

Great write up Timvp. I think that was your harshest criticism of the team that I have ever read. It was deserved. I think we all agree , this was pathetic. Not sure what was worse, this game or the pistons. Coaches, and players lose their jobs and spot in the rotations with these performances. The loss of seasoned coaches who could challenge Pop and players respected is huge. Our veterans are stuck in their ways with poor habits, and our head coach cant seem to figure out the beat rotation to start or play during the game. The end result is this Yeas's Spurs.

[ZeusWillJudge]

My opinion - Pop was so worried about dropping a game against the Cavs that he kept going with the older, more experienced (and more highly paid) players. But those are the guys who got the team into this mess. Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result. Maybe he's just gone off the deep end?

Whatever the reason, leaving Lonnie on the bench so long is worthy of an F. An F- TBH. I don't think he needs to be given bonus points for finally cutting back on Forbes. The Spurs got outscored in the first by 9 points, and Forbes started. Not a coincidence.

[$pursDynasty]

LMA's shot wasn't falling tbh but the reason we lost that game was DeFrozen. I can't believe they got the same grade. If LMA deserved a D+ then DePression needs a F.

[itzsoweezee]

Agreed. Our best lineup is probably Jakob, White, Walker, Murray, and Gay/Lyles?

White, Walker, and Murray. Has that obvious lineup even played one minute together this season? To be that uncurious suggests Pop really is not altogether there, mentally. On the other hand, he might be being exposed as a guy that only knows how to win one way: by relying on vets

[Dex]

Carrol is washed. He's this year's Dante Cunningham. When we played the Celtics Scalabrine called it out instantly, that Carrol looked like he was running in sand.

Sadly, Cunningham was actually more useful than Carroll this season. At least he could be bothered to make an occasional three.

[sasaint]

Sadly, Cunningham was actually more useful than Carroll this season. At least he could be bothered to make an occasional three.

And Cunningham was on a 1—year deal at about half the salary.

[Sugus]

Some more fun musings:

-Retard Derozan going from 5 3point attempts the previous game to 0 again :lol
-They should have lost the Kings game as well
-Imagine being retarded enough to say Lonnie wasn't an NBA level player and not killing yourself immediately after the Rockets game :lol
-Outside of a Derozan/LMA trade, the best thing that could happen to this franchise would be Bryn blowing out his achilles. What an absolute piece of shit garbage player. Him suffering a career-ender is the only thing that could save the franchise from picking that loser over White/Lonnie down the line...
-I'd rather have present day Jerry Sloan than that POS running the team now....

Ban me, tbh. Save me from having to care about this garbage organization. :lol

Has anyone seen that retard Monty on the forum after the Rockets game at all? Might just have done it... What a god awful take that was

[horseshue]

The Gay-Love experiment was regrettable on this night:bobo

[talkspurs]

My Favorite line in the article.

he seemed to start to get things straightened out at the end of the third quarter … only to watch the game from the bench in the fourth quarter and overtime.


This is why I think Murray is not doing well this season. Pop needs to learn to let them play. Walker is still doing well but how long before he gets tired of it. White Played well and did last season but has looked bad out there earlier this year.

Pop Should have got a 0. I know these are letter grades but people need to know he did nothing good not even F worthy.

Derozen should have got an F also.

Pop needs to go or else I am worried what trades we make this year.

[baseline bum]

All the vets have to go, burn this shit down. I was willing to wait to see if they could get the season turned around by the new year but getting killed by a post-LeBron Cleveland team at home is unforgivable. Get rid of Aldridge, DeRozan, Mills, Belinelli, Forbes, Gay, Carroll, burn this motherfucker down.

[spurraider21]

Pop's grade was too high but otherwise agree

murray absolutely needs a longer leash. he's going to make mistakes, but having him learn through them is critical. this isn't game 7 of a playoff series where we absolutely cant afford to have growing pains. this is exactly the time to allow guys to learn, so that when the end of the season rolls around, they're playing at a more desirable level.

walker's issue isn't even having a short leash. that would imply his playing time is getting cut short after he makes a mistake. no. his playing time is short for absolutely no good reason, and in favor of more minutes for belinelli.

[timvp]

But at least play White-Murray-Walker.

To Pop's credit, he did play White and Murray at the same time :tu



JK, it was only for two seconds.

>Murray at the scorer's table
>White (embarrassingly, tbh) gets his layup pinned between the rim and the backboard by Cedi Osman
>Jump ball
>Coaches think White has to be in the jump ball so Murray comes in for Forbes
>It was a jump ball at midcourt so any two players could jump
>Spurs win the jump ball but Murray watches the ball go out of bounds
>Murray watching the ball go out of bounds was the two seconds White and Murray played together
>"It just didn't work out"
>Pop has Patty Mills sprint to the scorer's table to check in for White





It's almost comical at this point when White and Murray accidentally end up on the floor at the same time during the scrambled lineups and Pop acts like it's a national emergency that must be corrected immediately :lol

[BackHome]

All the vets have to go, burn this shit down. I was willing to wait to see if they could get the season turned around by the new year but getting killed by a post-LeBron Cleveland team at home is unforgivable. Get rid of Aldridge, DeRozan, Mills, Belinelli, Forbes, Gay, Carroll, burn this motherfucker down.

I agree I hardly Watch anymore of their games I just toon it and then end to see if they lost and then I go to my safe space “Draft Net 2020” and hope we get a top 10 pick.

[Dex]

1205514603364585472

It was premeditated, damn it!

[tholdren]

Literally the OP didn't watch the game. Giving murray white better grades than f. Lonnie with an A? Please.

[Joseph Kony]

nice to see timvp finally going in on the Spurs and Pop in his grades :tu

[C-Dub]

It seems Pop is doing this on purpose. I was amazed when I seen him sub in DJM for Forbes and left White in. I got a little excited but just like that he realized it at the last moment and subbed out White for mills. He did it because he has to show he's in charge. Pop understands that's what the fans want to see but haven't gotten over himself. His post game interviews have gotten old and I'm a use to be huge Pop fan. Carma should get him. LW4 should ask out of San Antonio and I'll start to pull for Whatever team he goes to besides the Lakers, GSW, Dallas or Houston. There is no reason LW4 shouldn't be at least the 7th or 8th man at the very least. Pop is messing up his growth. DJM is not more talented than LW4 but he has his niche which is hustle, rebounding and defense. Lamarsha Softridge needs to be traded but may be hard to do that after resigning him. WHY DID SA DO THAT? If LMA jumper isn't on than he is a worse player than Poetl. He has no touch at all around the basket ( have you ever noticed that he never has a chance at an AND 1 because he can not finish around the basket) therefore he takes his fadeaway jumpers. He can't dribble so it's hard for him to drive to the basket. DDR should not be traded before LMA but should be traded because if he can't start at the shooting guard position than he has to go because he is no SF. As long as LMA is the so called best player on the team this team is going no where. Riddle me this, Why does Pop insist on playing G- League Forbes and Fifty together and not DJM and White. Doesn't add up. Bench unit as of now should always be DJM-FIFTY-LW4-GAY-POETL. Gay only because there is no other option at that spot but he looks very slow and old and should not be starting. I believe he's only starting because of the money they signed him up for. Him and LMA is not good for the Spurs. Starters for the time being should be White-DDR- BELI-LYLES-SOFTRIDGE. Forbes should be sent down to play with our rookies in the H- League. Carroll in this scenario should eventually get Gay's minutes. Give DJM till next year to judge because he is coming off a significant injury. Pop deserves a big F Minus. Peace out.

[beachwood]

It is criminal that Lonnie is being misused like this. He is their most explosive player and arguably their best on ball defender. I don't understand anything this season.

[offset formation]

Their performance was UN-FUCKING-ACCEPTABLE.

It was embarrassing to the point that I now want the tank to ensue or I want to trade DeRozan because he's just simply not able to control his emotions.

But most likely, it just needs to be blown the fuck up. Forbes has to go and should never start again. Etc. Etc. Etc.

[ducks]

The Spurs are 3-0 in their last three games vs West playoff hopefuls.
They are 1-4 in their last five games vs. sub-.500 East teams

[ZeusWillJudge]

To Pop's credit, he did play White and Murray at the same time :tu



JK, it was only for two seconds.


It's almost comical at this point when White and Murray accidentally end up on the floor at the same time during the scrambled lineups and Pop acts like it's a national emergency that must be corrected immediately :lol


It was almost funny for just a minute. Then it was just sad. How can you think anything other than Pop just really doesn't want them on the floor together? I keep thinking that can't be it, but I can't come up with any logical explanation. Hell, last night you'd think he would just roll with it for a couple of minutes, but he rushed Patty in there. I'm out of excuses for him.

[venitian navigator]

Looking at our next games seems that bad times are coming...and this means that this is probably gonna be our lottery year.
Some clues about that...
a) we compete and we are sometimes winning just the games against the strong teams we hate (Clippers 'cause of n°2 and Houston) but we lose, also at home, with some miserable teams (last one the cavs);
b) Pop sometimes makes line ups that don't make sense if you wanna win the game;
c) we are playing a kind of rythm just for the sake of DDR, Gay and LMA and they are still having decents stats years but not enough to contribute to a winning squad when they're in...

The point is that we are full of players with important roles but losers mentality aka "if we're not competing for the title, I'm gonna be in my best shape and give the maximum effort just in my last year before free agency". So this is not the year for LMA to produce at his best...simply because he's guaranteed for another year. For Rudy Gay its the same. They both are over 30 by some years and both will have their last "career years" next year. Probably the same will be for Carroll in the sense that his effort for learning the system will be seen more next year (last one is guaranteed for only a limited amount) than this one.
DDR is only possibly in the same situation. its true that this could be his last contract year (next one is a player option)...and in fact he is looking sometimes to give his best effort...but looks like this is not enough for receiving a max offer next year (and sometimes he is simply doing too much for his capabilities...see clutch minutes) so he's probably already thinking to exercise his 27 million player option for next year.

That said, of our other players Mills, Forbes, Belinelli and Poeltl all of them in contract years, have simply too many defensive (or, in case of Poeltl, offensive) flaws to be relevant enough...and if I am the FO I'm not giving them a new contract except if its for very favorable money (Minimum for Belli, no more than 3/5 millions x year for Mills and Forbes, no more than 5/7 millions x year to Jakob).
Lyles is new to the system and so his role is not relevant enough...
The young guys are still learning the game (DJM) recovering from injuries (DJM and White) or simply not playing too much (Lonnie) or at all (all of our picks of this year plus Metu)

All signs and rational clues lead to this like our first lottery year after more than 20 years...
Probably at this point, I mean december 15, our FO is seriously evaluating the trade market value of our best veterans.... and if they are gonna be more valuable next year...(not only as a trading value but also simply as players in our team).

[Slippy]

Tangent, but was Tim not on the bench coaching last night? Bare with me while I speculate wildly, but I want to think that Pop was trying to assure Becky that she has a strong role on this team. And so not only is Pop having difficulties building trust with his young players, but his young coaches as well.

I think Becky has to be the coach next year, and the idea of the Kansas coach, who has been in college forever, wiuld likely have an awful transition, not matter how good he is in college.

Becky was very active and vocal of late ... starting to think there's something definitely going on with pop and assistant coaches. Where before she wsnt that much

[quentin_compson]

You know things are looking grim when even timvp is turning on Pop ...
Well, the Spurs can't even stop middle of the road NBA players from going off against them - and then Pop keeps riding Mills and Belinelli down the stretch. You wouldn't believe that stuff if it was in a movie ...