Game Thread: Spurs @ Nets 6:00 PM ET (1:00 Riga Time)

[RC_Drunkford]

Get the W here, then lose to the Raptors

[LeBowen]

Ben Simmons sighting.

[paperboy77]

If Vassel does great, great. But overall, I say fuck Vassel. That dude is a selfish-ass player. Throws shitty lobs and is only "hyped" when he scores. He also seems to alays blame the pass or whatever when it's the right pass and HE took the wrong appoach. Like I always say, trade these guys when the world is drinking the juice. (Besides Wemby, they aren't that good.)

I was a huge fan of this guy when he was sold to us as a defensive player. The fact that he's tunrned into a good scorer is cool but he's gone 180 degrees on the defensive end. Pass.

[Pauleta14]

Wemby is a role player for his teammates

Even Pop took away his Technical FT...

Get over yourself frenchy!

[Pauleta14]

Vassel is good in interview, great acting about Wemby...

Reality is "FU Victor, I'm calling my number all the time" :lol

[LeBowen]

Collins with immediate impact.

[NASpurs]

Great start for Collins

[Leetonidas]

Oh look Collins playing like wet garbage, what else is new

[Spurs Brazil]

Great news. 2 on Collins. Hopefully he’ll pick the 3rd soon

[Chomag]

Collins = losses and he can do it single handedly

[hoopdreams11]

WTF Zach

[LeBowen]

The game is already over, let's pound the rock.

[NASpurs]

Why does Collins have such a green light? :lol

The dude is the ultimate scam story. How gullible do you have to be to give him his current contract :lol

[sfernald]

I told you guys he sucked. I can’t believe you thought he was a good signing. He’s the exact opposite kind of player you wanna put next to you future league MVP.

[Robz4000]

:wow Wesley

[LeBowen]

Damn, we need more of that from Wesley.

[ace3g]

https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1756462964180135977

[mystargtr34]

Zach and Dennis Smith are definitely going to get into an altercation tonight. Can see they’re getting chippy.

[mudyez]

I still believe in Zollins. Problem just is, that one of his best traits is being an enforcer. But if he can't be on the court with Wemby, this trait gets diminished.

[CGD]

https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1756462964180135977

Murdered him

[CGD]

Zach and Dennis Smith are definitely going to get into an altercation tonight. Can see they’re getting chippy.

That’s the whole point of Collins, right?

[Leetonidas]

I see we got Bricktor again tonight

[onechance87]

yea we need a better pg then tre

[r0drig0lac]

lol iq team

[baseline bum]

The fuck has happened to Victor's rebounding?

[LeBowen]

It's 2024 and opponents sag off our point guard because he can't shoot. Undersized point guard.

[Spurs Brazil]

Jones on the last few games has been horrible.

[Tyronn Lue]

Spurs cannot even dribble the ball up the court without losing it, even unguarded. Hard to watch. Victor looks like someone from the audience trying to get involved since the offense doesn't seem to include him.

[Mr. Peabody]

Victor is giving some lackluster effort on the rebounds

[Kawhi Duncan]

Pop's coaching is making us worse than we really are...we have womb and all we can do is mid-post? there are TONS of ways to get him the ball...and to keep shortening his minutes for no reason is NOT helping him develop nor gain stamina

[Pauleta14]

Victor being ignored impact his whole game, defnsive end included

He's just a role player setting screens

[onechance87]

barlow missed a wide open shot lol

[Chomag]

Man...

[spurraider21]

This entire game has been spurs defenders by default giving nets guys 2 feet of space and daring them to shoot over them. They seem completely baffled by the concept of players being able to hit 3s despite not being “wide open”

[InRareForm]

Wemby 0 rebounds ?

[onechance87]

Jones on the last few games has been horrible.

cant believe granham hasint got a shot to run pg.I mean i know hes not part of our long term future.
But i dont see tre long term either.Very unprofessional from pop not to give him a chance.

[r0drig0lac]

real nba starter level point guard Dennis killing the Spurs

[baseline bum]

Wemby 0 rebounds ?

Gotta get a stop to get a rebound tbh

[Mal]

Damn, I watch this team live for time to time, and always amazed how bad they are

[Robz4000]

Might be time to shut Wemby down til after the ASG imo.

[LeBowen]

Spurs failed to get a single easy look for their 7'4 center. Amazing.

[Kawhi Duncan]

Sad that pop can't create an offensive system where Wemby is the focal point... Overrated coach tbh

[baseline bum]

Keldon shoots a contested three instead of getting the ball into Victor two feet from the basket :lol

[mystargtr34]

This team might in the exact same position next year looking for a chance to draft Cooper Flagg 😂.

Wemby
Flagg
Risacher
Anyone but Vassell
Dillingham

I like it tbh

[Pauleta14]

Just sit Victor until Spurs have decent players

It's the most ridiculous development strategy I've ever seen

[Russ]

Wemby 0 rebounds ?

The Spurs might consider Sarr if they can't get Topic. (Although I know some will retort that Sarr is a bad rebounder, too.)

[mystargtr34]

Wemby looks awful tonight low on energy and execution. It doesn’t help this team doesn’t have anyone who can break down the defense and get him easy baskets but still his rebounding and defense has been awful too.

This group looks desperate for the all star break.

[RC_Drunkford]

Wemby with 0 Rebounds, Blocks, Steals and Assists, shooting 28% from the field. This team has no chance when he doesn't perform. Pop's game plan is terrible as usual.

[AusSpur]

Keldon shoots a contested three instead of getting the ball into Victor two feet from the basket :lol

The scrubs have definitely taken back the wheel of the team, added to Victor hitting the rookie wall.

Also the tactic from opposition teams seems to be to just hold onto Wemby with two hands and continually push him away from the basket until the rare times he gets passed the ball. It's proving effective as he doesn't have the body strength to fight back.

[Dex]

Wemby with 0 Rebounds, Blocks, Steals and Assists, shooting 28% from the field. This team has no chance when he doesn't perform. Pop's game plan is terrible as usual.

SpursTalk when the Spurs don't give Wemby the ball every possession: FUCK POP, GIVE WEMBY THE BALL

SpursTalk when the Spurs give Wemby the ball every possession and it isn't working: FUCK POP, WHY ARE YOU STILL GIVING WEMBY THE BALL

[Fireball]

I am at Barkleys Center … Victor does not have any energy whatsoever. I does not take much physicality to keep him out of the paint. And the rest of the Spurs are as awful as always. Still hoping for an adverse 3rd quarter …

[RC_Drunkford]

I wish Pop would allow Wesley to score on lay ups. He was pulling the moves on defenders, but instead of going right to the rim he pulls the ball back out and passes it to Collins or Vassell for a 3. I'd rather have him going to the rim, so he can work on his finishing. He'd be a game changer if he could do that.

[onechance87]

This team might in the exact same position next year looking for a chance to draft Cooper Flagg .

Wemby
Flagg
Risacher
Anyone but Vassell
Dillingham

I like it tbh

wright needs to be fired if he cant get us a real pg this offseason.Will suck for victor if he has to go thru this
shit another year.Selfish teammates who cant shoot and refuse to pass him the ball and suck at d.
Something major needs to change this offseason.

[RC_Drunkford]

This team might in the exact same position next year looking for a chance to draft Cooper Flagg .

Wemby
Flagg
Risacher
Anyone but Vassell
Dillingham

I like it tbh

I actually think that's the plan. There's not a good free agent market and as Pop said "you can't rush things". He will try to keep pounding the rock and probably do some dumb shit like starting Barlow at SG :lol

[Kawhi Duncan]

We do know we can give Wemby the ball and let him be the ballhandler in the pick and roll? That's one way to get him engaged offensively instead of treating him like Clint Capella

[Kawhi Duncan]

SpursTalk when the Spurs don't give Wemby the ball every possession: FUCK POP, GIVE WEMBY THE BALL

SpursTalk when the Spurs give Wemby the ball every possession and it isn't working: FUCK POP, WHY ARE YOU STILL GIVING WEMBY THE BALL

If the ball doesn't touch Wemby's hands the majority of times on offense with THIS roster, we suck at player development

[Mal]

I actually think that's the plan. There's not a good free agent market and as Pop said "you can't rush things". He will try to keep pounding the rock and probably do some dumb shit like starting Barlow at SG :lol

There is no free agent market. You just throw gazillion srp`s at some random team for your player

[Dex]

If the ball doesn't touch Wemby's hands the majority of times on offense with THIS roster, we suck at player development

That's not how basketball works, and Wemby is clearly not at the level of a Shaq where you just dump him the ball and hope for the best.

There are still 4-6 players on this roster to "develop", and the answer isn't always "give Wemby the ball and sit in the corner"

[emanueldavidginobili]

For those wanting an organic rebuild how does that going to work tbh? This team needs a complete overhaul coaching staff and players. Team hasn't drafted great in recent years either, I don't get how with this current FO and coaching staff are going to be successful with an organic rebuild. Team is going to have to try to make a splash in FA or trade to get the wheel turning. They better HIT on this upcoming draft.

[Mal]

Good luck defending Wemby shooting from there

[r0drig0lac]

from the logo...damn

[toki9]

I am at Barkleys Center … Victor does not have any energy whatsoever. I does not take much physicality to keep him out of the paint. And the rest of the Spurs are as awful as always. Still hoping for an adverse 3rd quarter …

He has hit the wall hard, hasn't he? Yikes.

[Proxy]

wemby been tired the past two weeks obv, ST would've had him dead by jan if he played all 40 mins like they wanted

[Kawhi Duncan]

That's not how basketball works, and Wemby is clearly not at the level of a Shaq where you just dump him the ball and hope for the best.

There are still 4-6 players on this roster to "develop", and the answer isn't always "give Wemby the ball and sit in the corner"

Who are these 4-6 players? And making him touch the ball doesn't mean posting him up and making him score... Even if it's a dribble handoff... Your supposed generational talent is already being restricted in terms of minutes... How in the world is he gonna develop if he doesn't get touches? To say he should have equal touches as everyone else is stupid

[Pauleta14]

SpursTalk when the Spurs don't give Wemby the ball every possession: FUCK POP, GIVE WEMBY THE BALL

SpursTalk when the Spurs give Wemby the ball every possession and it isn't working: FUCK POP, WHY ARE YOU STILL GIVING WEMBY THE BALL

It’s about passing him the ball in good positon. Not on the perimeter all the time

[onechance87]

vassell is trash,trade his stupid ass

[Pauleta14]

Tre or Vassell can't run a simple pick and roll... :lol

Victor gets hot and.... they get away from him!

[Mal]

What exactly Vassell is good at ?

[onechance87]

branham is terrible lol

[LeBowen]

It's like they're competing who's going to make the lowest IQ play.

[widowmaker]

Spurs defense always gets cooked by these half ass teams.

[widowmaker]

What exactly Vassell is good at ?


Taking shots anytime he touches the ball.

[widowmaker]

He fell bitch it was an accident lol

[objective]

I just turned the game on in the 3rd

Any particular reason Wesley and Collins have been benched?

[Mal]

I just turned the game on in the 3rd

Any particular reason Wesley and Collins have been benched?

They suck

[spurraider21]

Wesley has 9 minutes and Bran Ham has 15 :lol

[Blizzardwizard]

People thought this team was bad BEFORE they traded their best shooter.


"Wait a minute, son. Wait a minute. You ain't seen nothing yet." - Randall Flagg.

[Robz4000]

0.4

[Proxy]

:fight

[AusSpur]

What's going on with Wesley?

He played 10 minutes, 4 points, 3 assists +3 in the first half but appears to have lost his minutes to Branham in the third who is a predictable 1-5 FG 2 points 1 assist -6 in 16 minutes!

[Spurs Brazil]

The mistakes on defense are pathetic. This must be one of the dumbest team ever. And instead of playing Wesley, Pop keep giving minutes to Branham

[mudyez]

That has to be the most hurtfull 0.4 opposing basket, the Spurs ever got.

[r0drig0lac]

throw the towel

[mudyez]

I just turned the game on in the 3rd

Any particular reason Wesley and Collins have been benched?

It's not like they are bad...the other players just have been fabulous.

[spurraider21]

Pop coaches them to give up the 3 ball (or if he’s not, is doing a terrible job of getting players to follow his scheme)

then post game he will shrug and say “it’s not complicated. They just made shots and we didn’t”

[Mal]

Nice 3point shot by Wesley

[Robz4000]

How the fuck is Wesley not getting more minutes? Dude is blowing up right before our eyes.

[onechance87]

would rather duke jr get min over branham

[Leetonidas]

Struggling to score 100 in today's NBA :lmao this team is a complete shit show

[r0drig0lac]

fg: 37% 3fg: 32%... nice

[Spurs Brazil]

Jones 6pts 2asts
Sochan 8pts 5rebs
Champagnie 0pts 3rebs

The worst starting 5 in the league and it’s not even close

[emanueldavidginobili]

Spurs need a whole new coaching staff and schemes, need a young innovative coach.

[Barfunk]

Lmao Wemby ends up with less than 30 minutes again. I get the circumstances of this particular game, but still, fucking Pop loving it.

[BackHome]

Wemby is tired he definitely hit the rookie and people were bitching about him not playing on back to back and 30 + minutes.

[slick'81]

Man collins has turned into complete dog shit

[BackHome]

Spurs need a whole new coaching staff and schemes, need a young innovative coach.

They pretty much need a whole new starting team and we are going to get those players through draft so keep Pop until end of 2025 season :hungry:

[slick'81]

Spurs are going to slowly rebuild through the draft . Gonna be a rough couple of seasons

[onechance87]

Spurs need a whole new coaching staff and schemes, need a young innovative coach.

new coaches and new players.I dont like this attitude from pop and players treating wemby
just like some role player.Management or ownership gotta step in and tell pop to cut his shit.

[Pauleta14]

You can't rebuild with this draft

How many wasted seasons to please the slow process of an old man in love with developing (average) players?

[itzsoweezee]

Wemby is tired he definitely hit the rookie and people were bitching about him not playing on back to back and 30 + minutes.

You’re right. They should just encase him in glass. That way he’ll never run into the rookie wall or ever have to overcome any physical challenges.

[Barfunk]

Wemby is tired he definitely hit the rookie and people were bitching about him not playing on back to back and 30 + minutes.

I don't buy this. He's 19 and 20 yrs old this season, and he plays anywhere from 20-29 minutes a game.

[exstatic]

I don't buy this. He's 19 and 20 yrs old this season, and he plays anywhere from 20-29 minutes a game.

It doesn’t matter what you buy or don’t buy. Everyone hits the rookie wall, and 100% of them are in his age bracket. Sean Elliott, a three year college player, spoke of taking the floor for shoot around, and his legs were jelly before he even put up a shot. Victor was used to playing a game, or in a busy week two each week. Now,it’s frequently 4 games a week.

[baseline bum]

I don't buy this. He's 19 and 20 yrs old this season, and he plays anywhere from 20-29 minutes a game.

He's playing 28-30 minutes a game now when not in foul trouble. That's what rookies play since they aren't used to an NBA schedule. As Victor hits his prime he'll probably go up to 35 minutes a night but this isn't 2001 when you run your guys into the ground 42 minutes a night every game. Look at the minutes per game Jokic has played his entire career on a team where everything revolves around him:

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/jokicni01.html

2015-16: 21.7
2016-17: 27.9
2017-18: 32.6
2018-19: 31.3
2019-20: 32.0
2020-21: 34.6
2021-22: 33.5
2022-23: 33.7
2023-24: 33.8

[MultiTroll]

Vassell with another progressive development night under Poppeds tutelage?

7-20.

[TD 21]

I doubt Wembanyama ever averages 35 mpg, especially on this team.

This is eons off obviously, but one of my concerns is, if/when they get to championship contention and play others at that level in the playoffs, can he handle virtually unlimited minutes in non blowout situations?

[TekXX]

Did we win?

[Barfunk]

It doesn’t matter what you buy or don’t buy. Everyone hits the rookie wall, and 100% of them are in his age bracket. Sean Elliott, a three year college player, spoke of taking the floor for shoot around, and his legs were jelly before he even put up a shot. Victor was used to playing a game, or in a busy week two each week. Now,it’s frequently 4 games a week.


He's playing 28-30 minutes a game now when not in foul trouble. That's what rookies play since they aren't used to an NBA schedule. As Victor hits his prime he'll probably go up to 35 minutes a night but this isn't 2001 when you run your guys into the ground 42 minutes a night every game. Look at the minutes per game Jokic has played his entire career on a team where everything revolves around him:

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/jokicni01.html

2015-16: 21.7
2016-17: 27.9
2017-18: 32.6
2018-19: 31.3
2019-20: 32.0
2020-21: 34.6
2021-22: 33.5
2022-23: 33.7
2023-24: 33.8

I stand educated. It does make sense! I mean it's true. 39-40 mpg averages are indeed a thing of the past. Is anyone even playing 38mpg anymore? I'll have to look that up. I just hope Pop doesn't baby him into 30mpg. I'd like to see 35mpg.

[Barfunk]

Luka averaging right around 38mpg which I think nearly or does lead the league. I'd like to see Wemby AT LEAST avg 35mpg when he's up to snuff, but I don't think Pop will even allow that. Under Pop, Wemby will probably peak at 32-33 mpg. If you look closely enough, Pop started load managing and ruining Tim Duncan's stats around the 2003-2004 season at only age 27.

Now we have to deal with god damn morons on social media, YouTube etc. saying they would "Take AD all day-everyday over Duncan!" It's really simply because Tim's stats were screwed up under Pop, and not because AD is even remotely in the same stratosphere as Timmy.

[GAustex]

I miss Tim Duncan
This game was really bad.
Such incompetence.

[Allan Rowe vs Wade]

timmy rip

[JPB]

I doubt Wembanyama ever averages 35 mpg, especially on this team.

This is eons off obviously, but one of my concerns is, if/when they get to championship contention and play others at that level in the playoffs, can he handle virtually unlimited minutes in non blowout situations?

Come on, every rookie hits the wall. That doesn't mean they can't play 30mn+ in the NBA later in their career. that's overreacting here. And losing sure doesn't help. And I mean when rookiies hit the wall, they usually they don't drop 21pts (7/16, 3/6 on 3) like Wemby last night. It's more like 5 miserable points a game. Wemby is even special in the way he hits the wall.

You guys have crazy expectations. Panicking because a rookie only drops 21 (his average) in a game... I'd panic more with Vassel going 7/20, or Pop's coaching.

[RC_Drunkford]

Pop coaches them to give up the 3 ball (or if he’s not, is doing a terrible job of getting players to follow his scheme)

then post game he will shrug and say “it’s not complicated. They just made shots and we didn’t”

that's exactly what the idiot said at the start of the postgame interview :lmao


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quPj3T8L8eA

[The Truth #6]

When people get old they are stuck in their ways and can sometimes learn to appreciate the little things in life, et cetera. To me, that's where Pop is. More like a grandfather who wants to buy the grandkids ice cream and is tired of being the disciplinarian. He wants to impart wisdom.

Having said that, I still think he's sharp for a 75 year old. I don't think he's coaching to win another title. I think he's accepted that stage is over, which is good for him but not what the team needs.

Pop needs to find his successor and bring them onboard imo. Perhaps an atypical coaching year where the new coach gets the responsibility and Pop gets the head coaching title. That's farfetched but to me would be an improvement.

[toki9]

When people get old they are stuck in their ways and can sometimes learn to appreciate the little things in life, et cetera. To me, that's where Pop is. More like a grandfather who wants to buy the grandkids ice cream and is tired of being the disciplinarian. He wants to impart wisdom.

Having said that, I still think he's sharp for a 75 year old. I don't think he's coaching to win another title. I think he's accepted that stage is over, which is good for him but not what the team needs.

Pop needs to find his successor and bring them onboard imo. Perhaps an atypical coaching year where the new coach gets the responsibility and Pop gets the head coaching title. That's farfetched but to me would be an improvement.

Coach Bud is still not doing anything, right? Wouldn’t mind having him come back as lead assistant who’ll take over when the time comes.

[spurraider21]

Pop coaches them to give up the 3 ball (or if he’s not, is doing a terrible job of getting players to follow his scheme)

then post game he will shrug and say “it’s not complicated. They just made shots and we didn’t”


that's exactly what the idiot said at the start of the postgame interview :lmao


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quPj3T8L8eA
It’s so predictable. And nobody follows up on it. If they did he’d say it’s a stupid question and move on to the next one.

[Dex]

You can't rebuild with this draft

How many wasted seasons to please the slow process of an old man in love with developing (average) players?

Just because there isn't a consensus top 3 pick in this draft doesn't mean that there are no good players that will come out of it.

So tired of this nonsense.

[The Truth #6]

Coach Bud is still not doing anything, right? Wouldn’t mind having him come back as lead assistant who’ll take over when the time comes.

6 months ago I was opposed to that idea. But now, if something like that would make next year better, then I'm all for it. After the pop interview, it's starting to sink in, as if it wasn't always obvious, this is going to be a slow ass process. That doesn't mean I want to go all in and trade for a win now player, but there's no reason the coaching staff needs such a long developmental time either. I'm not very invested in the fourth assistant coach working his way up or whatever.

[TD 21]

Come on, every rookie hits the wall. That doesn't mean they can't play 30mn+ in the NBA later in their career. that's overreacting here. And losing sure doesn't help. And I mean when rookiies hit the wall, they usually they don't drop 21pts (7/16, 3/6 on 3) like Wemby last night. It's more like 5 miserable points a game. Wemby is even special in the way he hits the wall.

You guys have crazy expectations. Panicking because a rookie only drops 21 (his average) in a game... I'd panic more with Vassel going 7/20, or Pop's coaching.

I don't know how you got that from what I said, but I was speaking more so to a concern I had beforehand and it doesn't entail playing 30+ mpg in the regular season. Of course he can do that; he's not far off as is.

I'm saying, down the line, can he do something similar to what Duncan used to or Jokic did more recently and play around 40 mpg in non blowouts in the playoffs? Can he play a full half in them if absolutely necessary? Etc.

[Pauleta14]

Dex

I'm not against the process, I'm concerned by the personnel involved in the process

Imo there's an emotional attachment to players drafted and developped like Vassell who imo doesn't fit the criteria as number 2 (even 3 tbh)

Spurs need to take some risks on the market and not only rely on draft hopes

We're talking about a once a generation player here, not having any passing abilities to pair with him is mind boggling.

It NEEDS to be fixed and it won't happen with this draft