Grades: San Antonio Spurs at Chicago Bulls – Game #36

[spursparker9]

https://www.spurstalk.com/grades-spurs-bulls-2025-game-36/

[LeBowen]

Mitch: B-

:lmao :lmao :lmao :lmao

[KingKev]

Why does ChatVP grade Wemby on a different scale? Wemby: C, Vassell : C- haha I swear timvp trolling us from the grave. RIP.

Future Spur Zach Lavine: A

[Brazil]

I was looking at Victor fourth quarter stats this season compared to last year. It was one of his strength last year but eye test seemed to show a regression in that regard this year.

Last year over 69 games, Victor played 8 mpg for 6 ppg 3 rpg 1 block and 1 apg on TS% 59 for a cumulated +10 in +/-
This year over 31 games, Victor played 9 mpg for 6 ppg 3 rpg 1 block and 1 assist on TS% 57 for a cumulated -2

All in all nothing too shocking but he is playing a bit more for the same production due to lower efficiency. One positive this year is that he is turning the ball less this year in the fourth, from 1 TOV to 0,6.

[KingKev]

I was looking at Victor fourth quarter stats this season compared to last year. It was one of his strength last year but eye test seemed to show a regression in that regard this year.

Last year over 69 games, Victor played 8 mpg for 6 ppg 3 rpg 1 block and 1 apg on TS% 59 for a cumulated +10 in +/-
This year over 31 games, Victor played 9 mpg for 6 ppg 3 rpg 1 block and 1 assist on TS% 57 for a cumulated -2

All in all nothing too shocking but he is playing a bit more for the same production due to lower efficiency. One positive this year is that he is turning the ball less this year in the fourth, from 1 TOV to 0,6.

I think conditioning in still a (small) problem but he has virtually no help on either side of the floor.

[The Truth #6]

Pretty much all the games are close. They're .500. That's all good. Just need to make some choices with the lineups. Need to get back to the Area 51 future we saw glimpses of before.

[John B]

They led by 19 points and then they stopped playing defense. It’s a learning experience for a young team to keep playing hard for 48 minutes. It’s fine to get this type of loss now as long as they learn from it is all I can say. I would also insert Mamu in as spark plug in the 4th if things are not going well for Bassey. Mitch needs to trust his bench more if he wants them contributing in the future.

[scott]

Why does ChatVP grade Wemby on a different scale? Wemby: C, Vassell : C- haha I swear timvp trolling us from the grave. RIP.

Future Spur Zach Lavine: A

It's become clear to me that TimGPT grades on the scale of expectations for that player. Zach Collins playing a game where he looks like an average NBA player would net him an A+, but that would be an D- for Wemby (TimGPT isn't programmed for Fs).

This is also how Spurs fans seem to grade our players: relative to our low expectations. It's why Spurs fans think guys like Keldon and useful players. They have low expectations after years of being a complete dumpster fire of a team.

[scott]

Thought Vassell played his best first half I can remember. He was decisive when he got the ball, didn't take too many dribbles. On defense he was active and assertive. Not going to be confused with an All NBA defender, but definitely was more than we need from the position in the first half, which gives me hope that maybe he can play defense.

Second half, he went back into Kobe Vassell mode. He needs to be in a role where when he gets the ball, he either immediately scores or he passes. ISO Ball Devin is losing basketball. There is little reason for him to ever take more than 3 dribbles. After that is when we get into trouble.

[Tyronn Lue]

I haven't seen anything from anyone on the team not named Victor to convince me they have any diamond below that rough exterior. Castle is still a possibility, but most if not all of the other guys are B level players. Even Devin probably doesn't get a lot of touches on a contending team.

[Davidicus]

Gotta learn to step on throats when you’re cooking like that. A hard lesson these young guys have to learn.

I’m not as concerned as others on the Sochan thing. You keep him in because Lavine was destroying us. To others points, teams have figured out how and why to keep ppl like Draymond and other non-shooters in late games (or just sub out, if their 1:1 defense is not needed at that time!).

Lots of dissecting each play at end of 4Q, but at the end of the day, this team of young guys + CP3 doesn’t have enough of an offensive identity yet to close out rollercoaster games. Our superstar doesn’t have his go-to’s yet, and needs to learn to keep the hammer down through all 4 quarters. Once he’s consistent on that, his teammates can then begin molding their habits to his.

[LeBowen]

^
I wouldn't even call it a lack of identity, but a lack of firepower. Even the worst teams in the league have 20ppg guards who can score from anywhere with ease.
With Devin misfiring, Spurs have noone. Not only to score from anywhere, but to get to the rim.
It's beyond frustrating to watch every possession grinding to a halt if the set isn't executed properly. Which obviously happens to every team, but we don't have any plan B other than hoping Wemby creates something out of nothing.

Bucks are garbage defensively on the perimeter and we have noone to take advantage of it.
If Devin can't score 20 tonight, I don't have any hope left for him.

[Davidicus]

^
I wouldn't even call it a lack of identity, but a lack of firepower. Even the worst teams in the league have 20ppg guards who can score from anywhere with ease.
With Devin misfiring, Spurs have noone. Not only to score from anywhere, but to get to the rim.
It's beyond frustrating to watch every possession grinding to a halt if the set isn't executed properly. Which obviously happens to every team, but we don't have any plan B other than hoping Wemby creates something out of nothing.

Bucks are garbage defensively on the perimeter and we have noone to take advantage of it.
If Devin can't score 20 tonight, I don't have any hope left for him.

Yeah. We basically suck guys, lol. Just goes to show how unbelievable Wemby is that we’re .500, with CP3 getting a shoutout for winning us at least 4 games by himself.

Not to beat a dead horse, but yeah Vassell and KJ are the most concerning. Vassell bc we took him so high in the draft and he’s obviously not a #2. KJ because he’s a walking liability on the floor. Neither have positive trade value as of today, maybe Vassell but not enough to pull the trigger on rocking the boat IMO. Add on ATL looking good and it’s hard to stomach the change in our perceived future / assets since the start of this season.

[mudd]

Yeah. We basically suck guys, lol. Just goes to show how unbelievable Wemby is that we’re .500, with CP3 getting a shoutout for winning us at least 4 games by himself.

Not to beat a dead horse, but yeah Vassell and KJ are the most concerning. Vassell bc we took him so high in the draft and he’s obviously not a #2. KJ because he’s a walking liability on the floor. Neither have positive trade value as of today, maybe Vassell but not enough to pull the trigger on rocking the boat IMO. Add on ATL looking good and it’s hard to stomach the change in our perceived future / assets since the start of this season.

[CorrectCrusader]

Vassell needs to lock the fuck in on defense. It's just an effort thing, and it's not there.

[mudd]

Halliburton, comes back to haunt our great front office! Had a shot at him and passed.