Grades: Spurs vs. Pelicans - Feb. 27, 2021

[timvp]

https://www.spurstalk.com/grades-san-antonio-spurs-new-orleans-pelicans-game-29/

Good stuff, for the most part :tu

[GAustex]

Thanks for the great website and for writing up the game grades.

[Mr. Body]

This is the sort of game where Aldridge can do well. Against other bigs, he's tough, physical, and is quick enough for interior defense. It's everywhere else that he struggles (esp. due to age).

If the Spurs are shopping him, teams should be interested who are facing teams with bigs, i.e. Lakers. He does well against AD, for example, because he's more physical and AD is a little bitch.

[spurs10]

Thanks for the grades. I was a little worried with all the missed jump shots in the end and didn't know why they weren't attacking the rim more. Thankfully some really important boards saw us through. A great win!

[Truth4sale$]

Good game, good write up.
Aldridge looks good coming off the bench with the second unit, he has an outside shooter in Mills, eventually Walker and Vasell. DeRozan played great, happy too see Samanic getting playing time and showing development, wish he scored though.

[Robz4000]

Glad you at least called out Mills and Pop for the near fourth quarter meltdown. LMA looked good tonight off the bench. Question is if he can do this regularly, or if this was a one-off game since he's looked abysmal for the most part this season.

[Spursfanfromafar]

Very encouraging game by Luka. Kid showed that he belonged to the NBA. That's a good beginning for him. Hopefully he takes strides going forward. We knew he had the tools..we didn't know if he had the bball IQ and court awareness at this level. His showing today was encouraging about the latter - good rotations, staying with the man, good on help and presenting himself as an option on offense..the kid did many right things. Very good sign.

[venitian navigator]

DDR and LMA have this in common, they both, for their entire carreer, played a lot of minutes, and starter minutes, at high level of involvement (first or second option).
DDR has still the body and energy to do that, these are his last years (2/3?) he can do that.
LMA can't anymore, not in the starfting unit...but his skill level could be right for anchoring a second unit. The point is just of can accept it and want to do it going further...
As I wrote some posts ago, if the veterans buy in and accept the less ooney but brighter future they can have with our "rejuvenating" team, this and next season we could be considered probably one of the deepest team in the entire nba...
Just looking at today's game a starting unit of Murray, Walker, DR, Lyles and Poeltl was looking not that bad...and has a way to play the game with a lot of teams just because there are no particular weaknesses in it, not a strenght or talent weakness nor weak by an athletic point of wiew (and that means sustainable defense).
But if these five can play together, we have a bench of : White (Jones) - Vassell (Mills) - K. Johnson - Gay (Samanic-KBD) - LMA (Eubanks)
AKA practically another starting five...probably better and at least at the same llevel of the starting unit....

[Rocalcio]

DDR and LMA have this in common, they both, for their entire carreer, played a lot of minutes, and starter minutes, at high level of involvement (first or second option).
DDR has still the body and energy to do that, these are his last years (2/3?) he can do that.
LMA can't anymore, not in the starfting unit...but his skill level could be right for anchoring a second unit. The point is just of can accept it and want to do it going further...
As I wrote some posts ago, if the veterans buy in and accept the less ooney but brighter future they can have with our "rejuvenating" team, this and next season we could be considered probably one of the deepest team in the entire nba...
Just looking at today's game a starting unit of Murray, Walker, DR, Lyles and Poeltl was looking not that bad...and has a way to play the game with a lot of teams just because there are no particular weaknesses in it, not a strenght or talent weakness nor weak by an athletic point of wiew (and that means sustainable defense).
But if these five can play together, we have a bench of : White (Jones) - Vassell (Mills) - K. Johnson - Gay (Samanic-KBD) - LMA (Eubanks)
AKA practically another starting five...probably better and at least at the same llevel of the starting unit....

Yup, we’re loaded.

[tbdog]

DDR is a monster. It is such a ridiculous assumption that people here think Spurs would be better off without him. He is a such a joy to watch too.

[duncan2150]

DDR is a monster. It is such a ridiculous assumption that people here think Spurs would be better off without him. He is a such a joy to watch too.


People are crazy with DDR, he is a really good basketball player. Don't understand the hate.

Agree for Mills, he is the guy who can make you lose like in OKC : a lot of bad choices and too much playing tiome.

[Dejounte]

https://youtu.be/IYid7RTDmsE

That fadeaway in the fourth....

[Blackhaus]

I’d take Derozan on a resign with this young core at 3 years max. Let LA go, let Rudy go, maybe give Patty a 2 year deal at less money(maybe he takes a home discount) and invest the money back into our youth and build that way.

[r0drig0lac]

7 ast and 0 turnover for the best pg in the team, good to see that "Murray hinders the development of other young people" take just disappeared from st, since in the end he was always the player to be developed as the main focus and turned into an "almost" elite 2way player.

[Blackhaus]

Luka looked the best he’s ever looked on the court as far as belong in the big boys NBA. His defensive awareness and rebounding were great and if he had finished that put back dunk.....oh my.

[Dejounte]

The amount of space they gave on Zion was disrespectful. If he's going to become a great player, he'll have to learn how to shoot.

[mo7888]

If LMA embraces a bench role it raises the ceiling for this team and it could make him a candidate to re-sign if he wants.

[Dejounte]

https://youtu.be/ylkDJXe61qM

Trey looks sad.

[NASpurs]

Random thought: It’s crazy to think that the players out due to Covid restrictions will have not played for almost a month when they’re back. Sucks for D White but for Keldon, it’s probably a good rest. Hopefully he comes back with his batteries fully recharged.

[Dejounte]

Random thought: It’s crazy to think that the players out due to Covid restrictions will have not played for almost a month when they’re back. Sucks for D White but for Keldon, it’s probably a good rest. Hopefully he comes back with his batteries fully recharged.

During quarantine:

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/WellmadeTightAlbatross-small.gif

When they're back:

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/AnguishedBruisedIaerismetalmark-small.gif

[Ocotillo]

It's nice to see this depleted version of the Spurs playing competitive games albeit thus far it has been OKC and NO. Nonetheless, the far reaches of the bench (Eubanks, Jones and Bates-Diop) are getting playing time.

I think this bodes well for the second half of the season when there are 40 games in 68 days. Teams are really going to need depth with that many games with so little down time and that plays into this groups strength.

Luka maturing before our very eyes, Vassell looking like he belongs right away and White finally getting back. Pop will need to manage how he plays Keldon since his playing style is balls to the wall and he will burn out if he overused.

LMA may be buying in to this back up role as a way of extending his career and a way to pace himself in the full second half of the season.

[lefty]

:lol the announcer called DJ Derozan at 4:19


https://youtu.be/xfjo2DVA2n4

[John B]

Thanks Timvp. Spot on.

I can’t wait for the whole team to be back healthy. I think the key is Poeltl having the defensive game like last night, and maybe scoring 12 points would be a bonus. LA coming off the bench is huge. Samanic shows that he can play D and that’s more important. We know he can string a basket or two. DJ is a star. And Demar us a keeper for the right price. Mills should never close on a tight game. Hopefully Derrick remedies that when he gets back. Lonnie needs to stay aggressive in calling his shots. He is such a good player and just trust his skills. I hope Lyles continues to play with motor. He’s another good player who just needs to will it every night. Great game.

In addition, here’s Demar answer to people voting Ingram and Zion to All Star before him. :lol

[John B]

The amount of space they gave on Zion was disrespectful. If he's going to become a great player, he'll have to learn how to shoot.
Spurs did that with LeBron in both 2013-14 finals. He learned to shoot those since then :lol

[exstatic]

The amount of space they gave on Zion was disrespectful. If he's going to become a great player, he'll have to learn how to shoot.

Giving him that space was amazing, considering how he dropped bombs on us in his return game, last year. I think he railed like 5-6 long balls. That speaks to team discipline, and following the scouting report.

[exstatic]

Random thought: It’s crazy to think that the players out due to Covid restrictions will have not played for almost a month when they’re back. Sucks for D White but for Keldon, it’s probably a good rest. Hopefully he comes back with his batteries fully recharged.

How long are they out?

[NASpurs]

How long are they out?

1365805258295959556

[John B]

How long are they out?
Today is the 14th day since the team’s Feb 14th game against the Hornets. I don’t know the NBA protocol, but if they’re not showing signs and tested Covid negative, shouldnt they be back in time for tomorrow’s game?

[Seventyniner]

7 ast and 0 turnover for the best pg in the team, good to see that "Murray hinders the development of other young people" take just disappeared from st, since in the end he was always the player to be developed as the main focus and turned into an "almost" elite 2way player.

Murray's AST% isn't much higher than last year (25.6 vs 23.1), but his TOV% has seen a drastic improvement (15.4 to 9.3).

I did a rather arbitrary filter on NBA.com of MPG >= 25, games played >= 10, and USG% >= 20, it produced 88 results. Of that group, 3 of the top 10 players in TO Ratio (not calculated the same as TOV% for some reason) are Spurs: Aldridge at #3, DeRozan at #7, and Murray at #10.

Using those same criteria for last season, Aldridge was #8 out of 98, DeRozan was #28, and Murray was #78. That shows Murray's huge improvement in turnovers (from pretty bad to well above average), but also shows that DeRozan is also doing much better in terms of taking care of the ball, even as his AST% has gone up.

Murray's AST:TO ratio is a very good 3.31. DeRozan's is an eye-popping 4.36, huge for such an important part of the offense.

[Gorepopovich]

Aldridge 21 points from the bench. That's the way. :clap

[cjw]

Aldridge 21 points from the bench. That's the way. :clap

Hope he realizes and embraces this, as he can be a wrecker from the bench against second units. Will force teams’ hands on matchups. Plus can draw double teams and kick out to good shooters on second unit.

Demar and Aldridge shouldn’t be on floor much together. Aldridge should almost certainly be out there whenever Demar isn’t, though.

[bluebellmaniac]

Random thought: It’s crazy to think that the players out due to Covid restrictions will have not played for almost a month when they’re back. Sucks for D White but for Keldon, it’s probably a good rest. Hopefully he comes back with his batteries fully recharged.

You think being out with Covid for a month is a good way to recharge your battery? WTF? You are aware that it's killed 500k in the last year?

[NASpurs]

You think being out with Covid for a month is a good way to recharge your battery? WTF? You are aware that it's killed 500k in the last year?

So I spun a shitty situation into something optimistic because the world isn't black and white and you think I said that it's "a good way to recharge your battery"? Way to take what I said out of context.

[boutons_deux]

Luka looked the best he’s ever looked on the court as far as belong in the big boys NBA. His defensive awareness and rebounding were great and if he had finished that put back dunk.....oh my.

yep, he was very active, after he was trashed on ST, I was very surprised.

Playing defense like that, esp out to the 3 pt line, will earn him minutes, had a couple strong rebounds, too

[bluebellmaniac]

So I spun a shitty situation into something optimistic because the world isn't black and white and you think I said that it's "a good way to recharge your battery"? Way to take what I said out of context.

"Hey sucks you're going through chemo for your cancer, but it's great you're losing those extra pounds you are carrying."

Gotcha.

[BackHome]

1365805258295959556

You can almost guarantee when the Flakers play a good team or start loosing in playoffs someone from the other team is going to test HOT for Covid!!!!!!!

[NASpurs]

"Hey sucks you're going through chemo for your cancer, but it's great you're losing those extra pounds you are carrying."

Gotcha.

Apples and oranges

[Robz4000]

Random thought: It’s crazy to think that the players out due to Covid restrictions will have not played for almost a month when they’re back. Sucks for D White but for Keldon, it’s probably a good rest. Hopefully he comes back with his batteries fully recharged.

I just hope they can come back and play normally tbh. Jayson Tatum had COVID and he still can't play at the level he used to, not to mention the long-term effects we know nothing about.

[NASpurs]

I just hope they can come back and play normally tbh. Jayson Tatum had COVID and he still can't play at the level he used to, not to mention the long-term effects we know nothing about.

Of course and it goes without saying and I’m also not trying to make light of the situation. I just kept thinking how Keldon looked like he hit a wall there for a while.

[mo7888]

Of course and it goes without saying and I’m also not trying to make light of the situation. I just kept thinking how Keldon looked like he hit a wall there for a while.

Your point is fine and accurate...don't let a few touchy posters get you you...

[duncan2k5]

Today is the 14th day since the team’s Feb 14th game against the Hornets. I don’t know the NBA protocol, but if they’re not showing signs and tested Covid negative, shouldnt they be back in time for tomorrow’s game?

We have elderly coaches...better to be safe than to bring the back for the sake of having a full team

[MultiTroll]

Baylors basketball team was kicking ass and taking names.
Post covid they are 1-1 and looked really bad in game 2.
Coach says nothing can simulate the real games.
Same could happen with Spurs players, might need a few live action games to get their touch back.

[RC_Drunkford]

Question is if these guys really had Covid. Some dude tested his ice tea and it had Covid

[BackHome]

They could have all tested Positive and yet there is a very good chance most of them didn’t even show any signs.