Game Thread: Spurs vs. Clippers — Thur. 3/25/2021 - 7:30pm CST

[slick'81]

Samanic DNP-CBAA. Coach being an ass


He will wait his turn behind gay and like it

[YoungbuckMurray]

Did Luka get hurt or something tonight?

[RD2191]

Kawhi probably sits tonight. Clips by 10.
:wakeup

[Sugus]

Just remember fellas, all the losses watched will make the 6th ring that much more satisfying :downspin:

[spurraider21]

Patty Mills 1-5, 1-4 from 3... Tonight's "doesn't have it" award winner.
i think that award goes to White tbh... 4-11, 1 assist. poor defense.

[spurs1990]

DeRozan has made 5 total 3's in his last 16 games.

That's 25 for a 82 game season.

[Spur4ever]

I hope Chriss can help us next year because this team is straight garbage.

[212094ever]

30 points scored in the second half

[TheGreatYacht]

Craterface literally told the media that Luka has earned playing time :lol

[Robz4000]

Murray limping

Spurs are gonna run out of bodies while Luka still sits on the bench with a DNP-CD.

[BillMc]

Just an absolute embarrassment of an organization from top to bottom :lol

And that was just the moves at the trade deadline.

[slick'81]

i think that award goes to White tbh... 4-11, 1 assist. poor defense.

and a 70 mil extension kicking in. Hopefully next season he turns things around

[Kurgan]

Just a reminder, we have the third hardest schedule remaining for the rest of the season

[spurraider21]

murdered on the boards as usual

[Robz4000]

Just remember fellas, all the losses watched will make the 6th ring that much more satisfying :downspin:

Team will be in Vegas by that point tbh.

[murpjf88]

Derrick White is a steaming hot pile of shit.

[slick'81]

The days on relying on lma and derozan just to limp into the playoffs are ova

[spurraider21]

Team will be in Vegas by that point tbh.
:tu

[poopbox]

Game was lost as soon as Mills and Gay stepped on the court together as usual tbh

[spurraider21]

and a 70 mil extension kicking in. Hopefully next season he turns things around
bubble white... a mirage?

[duncan2k5]

Luka's definitely bolting the first chance he gets

[boutons_deux]

30 points scored in the second half

-19 in 2nd half

clips shoot 38% and win by 13

[BillMc]

Did Luka get hurt or something tonight?

Nope. Fouled Jackson and was done for the night. Cleary, he should be more passive on D.

[ECOV]

on to the neXt one GO SPURS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!

[Sugus]

Team will be in Vegas by that point tbh.

I don't really think so, the NBA is looking to add expansion teams right now, and Vegas is a top-2 location they'd be wanting to branch out to alongside a Seattle comeback. Las Vegas will be taken over soon... Now Austin, I could see that happening :lol

[RC_Drunkford]

Clippers basically gifted us the win by sitting all of their guys, but Spurs were to classy to accept it

[BlackAndWhite]

Spurs are imploding

[dbestpro]

Pop said they kept the vets cause they want to make the playoffs. Looks like the vets and everybody else have checked out. At least we will get a better pick.

[BackHome]

One thing is clear Spurs need to start drafting players with a Junk Yard Dog mentality the only players who have it are DJ , Keldon, Luka, and maybe Vassell. Every one else is pure Beta from Poodle, Walker, and White they just have no teeth to there bite. But Pop loves his Beta boys

[slick'81]

bubble white... a mirage?


Most of what happend in that glorified scrimage seemed to be

[murpjf88]

Spurs are imploding
They're just reverting to the norm.

[Robz4000]

I don't really think so, the NBA is looking to add expansion teams right now, and Vegas is a top-2 location they'd be wanting to branch out to alongside a Seattle comeback. Las Vegas will be taken over soon... Now Austin, I could see that happening :lol

Maybe LA will need a third team. Gotta put more franchises on the coast while everyone making less than $200k/year heads inland.

[ECOV]

READY FOR A BOUNCE BACK

[slick'81]

READY FOR A BOUNCE BACK

:lmao

[Spur4ever]

I hope Chriss can help us next year because this team is straight garbage.

[murpjf88]

Buy out Derrick White please.

[ECOV]

:lmao
:flag:

[slick'81]

:flag:

:lobt2:

[spurs1990]

Maybe we should just build around DeRozan. Nothing else seems to be working.

[R. DeMurre]

Derozan has registered a +/- of -65 in the last 4 games.

[slick'81]

Maybe we should just build around DeRozan. Nothing else seems to be working.


Most definitely

[Kurgan]

Maybe we should just build around DeRozan. Nothing else seems to be working.

Toronto tried that for a decade.

[RD2191]

Buy out Derrick White please.
:fishing

[TheGreatYacht]

Derozan has registered a +/- of -65 in the last 4 games.
Poor bastard has to share the court with pinhead. Not surprising tbh

[BillMc]

Okay, night fellows. Have a goodweekend.

[ECOV]

:lobt2:
:lobt2::lobt2::lobt2::lobt2::lobt2: FIXED

[mo7888]

This season is lost...

[talkspurs]

:pop:He’s beginning to prove himself deserving of time. He's played well (since being called up from G League). He has more confidence, he’s a good athlete, w/ good size. Hopefully, he'll continue to improve."
:pop: now enjoy your 2 min 56 seconds.

[spurraider21]

Most of what happend in that glorified scrimage seemed to be
he also looked amazing in that playoff series against the nuggets a couple years back. his flashes last for multiple games at a time, then he just vanishes

[itzsoweezee]

Lol @ demar’s +/-

Please let the demar era end with this season. I really can’t stand watching this perennial loser anymore. Please, take pop with you

[spurraider21]

if white keeps shitting the bed, and lonnie cant be counted on for consistent offense, then we're going to have no choice but to go back to Derozan to be a viable team, but while he raises the floor of the team, he also limits the ceiling. sad...

[gambit1990]

it is really going to get ugly.

[spurs10]

Okay, night fellows. Have a goodweekend. See ya 'round the bend. :bobo

[Robz4000]

he also looked amazing in that playoff series against the nuggets a couple years back. his flashes last for multiple games at a time, then he just vanishes

He was great for the second half of that season tbh. Last season Pop kept fucking with his role until the bubble when he put him back in SL and he dominated, and now this season he can't stay healthy. If he can stop getting injured I expect him to get back to a high level, but avoiding injury is a big question mark.

[The Truth #6]

Derozan has registered a +/- of -65 in the last 4 games.

A good reminder that his presence is overvalued. You can’t build around him. I’m fine with letting him go and let Devin get those minutes. In the longterm, on average, we’d probably do about the same when you consider DDR’s long awful spells.

[The Truth #6]

I’m considering this as a 9-man rotation from our current squad:

DJ
Devin
Keldon
Luka
Yak

White
Walker
Rudy
Eubanks

We’d need playmaking and outside shooting. We’d still be a lottery team. We’d likely have to sign a free agent to meet salary requirements, though perhaps not. Regardless, I’m fine to let DJ continue to be lead ball handler. It’s a direction. Keep developing, getting picks, and eventually make a trade move. Ironically, cheap Holts would be fine with this in the short term.

[ThaBigFundamental21]

"The Spurs have elite defensive guards, Murray and White." "Jakob Poetl is an elite defensive big." The team proceeds to get shit upon by every guard they come across culminating in the corpse of Reggie Jackson handing us a 4th loss in row.

[Robz4000]

I’m considering this as a 9-man rotation from our current squad:

DJ
Devin
Keldon
Luka
Yak

White
Walker
Rudy
Eubanks

We’d need playmaking and outside shooting. We’d still be a lottery team. We’d likely have to sign a free agent to meet salary requirements, though perhaps not. Regardless, I’m fine to let DJ continue to be lead ball handler. It’s a direction. Keep developing, getting picks, and eventually make a trade move. Ironically, cheap Holts would be fine with this in the short term.

Prolly the best thing they can realistically do going forward, while adding in a draft pick to take Gay's spot while adding in Mills who the Spurs will overpay to keep.

[ginobilized]

Why did Luka play 3 mins?
Did he make a bone headed play?

[The Truth #6]

Prolly the best thing they can realistically do going forward, while adding in a draft pick to take Gay's spot while adding in Mills who the Spurs will overpay to keep.

I prefer Rudy over Patty due to positional need. And maybe Tre plays more for playmaking. But yeah something like this.

[cd98]

We are exactly where we want to be...competitively losing. We need to lose as many games as possible so we can increase our odds of a good lottery pick.

[Robz4000]

We are exactly where we want to be...competitively losing. We need to lose as many games as possible so we can increase our odds of a good lottery pick.

Agreed, but they need to play the youngins along the way. There's no reason they should've held on to DePression/Gay/Mills, albeit we all know Mills is off limits to Pop.

[timtonymanu]

Oof the state of this team in just a weeks time :lol. Time to embrace the lottery again.

[TimDunkem]

Clippers basically gifted us the win by sitting all of their guys, but Spurs were to classy to accept it
Gotta' do right by the other team. It wouldn't be fair. :pop:

[ace3g]

Another team (Kings) reaches 20 wins

#11thSeedHereWeCome

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ExYO5kcXEAA88PK?format=png&name=large

[Degoat]

Honestly should we really be upset tho? Of course I want the spurs to succeed but it’s obvious we’re still a lottery team

[daslicer]

Honestly should we really be upset tho? Of course I want the spurs to succeed but it’s obvious we’re still a lottery team

I have accepted the Spurs are going to be bad for a while but the conflict is Pop believes this team can still be competitive by playing veterans at the expense of young guys when in reality they are still going to lose and miss the playoffs.

[KobesAchilles]

Worst part is that even if we do tank the best we will get this late in the game is the 8th pick. Another Devin Vassell ain’t gonna do shit for us. We need to luck out out in both free agency AND the draft at this point. Like Collins and a top 4 pick. Plus trade White for Bogdon in the summer.

[Robz4000]

Another team (Kings) reaches 20 wins

#11thSeedHereWeCome

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ExYO5kcXEAA88PK?format=png&name=large

Didn't realize the Kings were that close. If they manage to take both games from the Spurs the Spurs will miss the play-in.

[timtonymanu]

Spurs did nothing to improve their team and managed to look even worse now. I don’t think the team even needs to try that hard to tank lol

[ace3g]

Didn't realize the Kings were that close. If they manage to take both games from the Spurs the Spurs will miss the play-in.

Yep that is why it is frustrating Spurs reverted back to pre-bubble level of play.

[BackHome]

Without a good backup Center we all but guaranteed a lottery pick just pray those bouncing balls land us another first round pick.

[SpurPadre]

he also looked amazing in that playoff series against the nuggets a couple years back. his flashes last for multiple games at a time, then he just vanishes

He was absolutely horrid by the end of that series, too. Let's not forget he was a deer in headlights in Game 7 and got benched for Forbes, who at least showed heart in that game. When he's bad, he's really, really bad...and then he has flashes of a jack of all trades player. Rinse, wash, repeat. So frustrating he can't put it together entering his 27th year of age.

[Slippy]

A good reminder that his presence is overvalued. You can’t build around him. I’m fine with letting him go and let Devin get those minutes. In the longterm, on average, we’d probably do about the same when you consider DDR’s long awful spells.

Ya his lack of D is frustrating.. he seems lost and always off balance on that side of the ball but on offence he looks smoothe as fuk.

If spurs resign him, surely they taking this into account on deciding his value.

[tim_duncan_fan]

I'm not one for defending Derozan, or anyone who gets more than 15 minutes a night at this point, but let me just say that it's probably difficult to win with guys who don't know how to run a 3-man fast break on pure instinct. Have you guys noticed how often we fuck up a 3-on-1 fast break? It's insane.

These guys literally need to practice.

I'm talkin' bout practice.

[venitian navigator]

This game has been a good reality check about our current players...we had all of our supposed best players available.
This simply means that actually we're not that good and also if we play our veterans we're not good enough to win at home against a team that just destroyed us, and used in this second game just a lot of green people with only 1 "star".
We could say that after what's happened at the trade deadline this was the second reality check...the first being about our actual F.O.

I'm actually glad that LMA is finally gone. Not a bad boy at all, but imho he's been the main reason of our fall...simply because he selfishly questioned the integrity of our core.
That's been the worst mistake made from the F.O.....considering him the leader after Tim and so passing from a team's first mentality to a selfish player's mentality. N° 2 (and his uncle) took note and behaved (in a horrible way) accordingly...

Pop alone is not enough to put all the players in line, he needs his best players to show by example...the only good thing we had since Tim, Manu and Parker is evening the record for playoffs appareances...but apart of that the game we played and the perspective to be a contender declined by the day just after the first LMA trade request (incredible as it sounds that a player that never won anything makes such a demand after the best record joined by his new franchise).

Al that said, what are we gonna do now? is there any possible explanation about the choices we're making these days? (I mean, playing the veterans also if we're losing, buy out players with some potential trade value, suffering players trade requests like Lyles one, making no trade, aquiring non playing players just to save owners money)?


The only explanation is that:

1) we realized long ago we're not that good anymore as a team and we, at the moment, have no power in convincing veteran star players to buy on our team first mentality (tha's the only mentality that can make us, as happened in past, a winning franchise);
2) nontheless we want to mantain a "we want to win, no tanking at all" mentality for the good growing of our young players;
3) playing veterans gives you a sort of stability in losing enough to be back in the lottery and guarantee in any case a decent draft position and at the same time preserves the young guys from injuries letting them learn the game and playbook step by step;
4) going on this way will probably let our veterans realize what's their real market value and then next year they will be probably more inclined to leave (DDR, Lyles), retire (Gay) or to re-sign making some money request in line with their actual value (maybe DDR, Mills, Gay);
5) we don't have to forget that as of now we still have for next season already 9 (potentially eleven) players under contract and all of them re young ones...White, Vassell, KJ, DJ, Samanic, Tre Jones, Walker, Poeltl, Eubanks being the 9, Q and KBD being 10 and 11 (if they grow from 2 way contracts).
Our draft picks will probably be 12 and 13...this means just 3/4 spots available with a ton of money to use.

Ultimate goals: just try to get back in full control choosing only young minds with team first mentality. No waste money on players not deserving it. No more divas behaviors or requests allowed. Spare money at the best for this seson (already achieved...). Explore the next trade market just as sellers of sign and trade deals...that' our only remaining market card after being immobile at this trade deadline...

[cd98]

I think the Spurs are on the right track...to the lottery. That's where they need to be for the next two years. Play your young players and decide which ones you want to keep and which you want to trade, but there is no player on this roster that is good enough to lead to a title. None of the players will get to that level. We need to draft someone special, like Tim or David. It's possible those guys are in the next two drafts and the Spurs need to get lucky or amass enough talent to trade for an unhappy all-star should the possibility present itself.

[rah88sa]

Which kind of mentality?
I personally hate the concept of tanking, Miami never tanked, they lost Lebron for free. Situation comparable to ours. Look at them now.

But they have a competent front office.

They had a star player choose to sign with them...

[Spurtacular]

I think the Spurs are on the right track...to the lottery. That's where they need to be for the next two years. Play your young players and decide which ones you want to keep and which you want to trade, but there is no player on this roster that is good enough to lead to a title. None of the players will get to that level. We need to draft someone special, like Tim or David. It's possible those guys are in the next two drafts and the Spurs need to get lucky or amass enough talent to trade for an unhappy all-star should the possibility present itself.

Most ST'ers really don't understand this or accept it.

[EasyMoney]

Most ST'ers really don't understand this or accept it.


Yep. Only way to know what the team has for the future is to play the young guys and see their potential. Playing rudy gay and patty mills the minutes they're playing, while luka struggles to see the court, and vassell fluctuates in minutes isn't helping.

[cd98]

Outside of a game with Houston and Orlando, looking at the Spurs schedule, they can really make a move...to the lottery. Lot's of loseable games. Here's to Sacramento. You have been a lousy team perennially in the lottery. It's time for you to beat the Spurs a few times in the next two months so they can have you spot in the lottery and see if they have better luck.

[Prime BEEF]

Outside of a game with Houston and Orlando, looking at the Spurs schedule, they can really make a move...to the lottery. Lot's of loseable games. Here's to Sacramento. You have been a lousy team perennially in the lottery. It's time for you to beat the Spurs a few times in the next two months so they can have you spot in the lottery and see if they have better luck.
Yup. Agree and onboard with this