Game thread: Spurs (32-44) vs. Cavs (61-15) -- Fri. 4/04/2025 - 7:00pm CST (3:00am Riga Time; 2:00pm Hawaii)

[BatManu20]

Back at it again tonight against a Cleveland team that has been on a bit of a roller-coaster lately. Starting in early February, the Cavs followed a 4-game losing streak with an impressive 16-game winning streak and won 20 out of 21 games, then followed that up with another 4-game losing streak, and have since won 5 of their last 6. Been a weird couple months for the most dominant EC team in the league this season.

Regardless, another much-needed loss for the Spurs tonight as we enter the last stretch of the season. Let's get this L tbh.

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[BatManu20]

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[BatManu20]

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[LeBowen]

Ty Jerome and Dean Wade are out.
Jeremy is out and Keldon is probable.

[BatManu20]

Portland (34-42) plays Chicago (34-43) tonight. Both teams are 2 games up on the Spurs in the win column so one of them will gain at least one game on the Spurs when they lose, more if the Spurs also win tonight. Spurs play @ Portland on Sunday. All the more reason why this is a must-lose game for us.

[LeBowen]

Portland (34-42) plays Chicago (34-43) tonight. Both teams are 2 games up on the Spurs in the win column so one of them will gain at least one game on the Spurs when they lose, more if the Spurs also win tonight. Spurs play @ Portland on Sunday. All the more reason why this is a must-lose game for us.

I don't think we should be looking at the Bulls.
They play Hornets, Cavs, Heat, Wizards and Sixers. At least three wins, imo.
They're playing to win since play-in is guaranteed and they'd rather have a better seed if they're already there.

Blazers have Spurs, Jazz, Warriors and Lakers.
Them winning in Chicago would be good for us.

Imo, we can enter panic mode only if we win in Portland.

[BatManu20]

I don't think we should be looking at the Bulls.
They play Hornets, Cavs, Heat, Wizards and Sixers. At least three wins, imo.
They're playing to win since play-in is guaranteed and they'd rather have a better seed if they're already there.

Blazers have Spurs, Jazz, Warriors and Lakers.
Them winning in Chicago would be good for us.

Imo, we can enter panic mode only if we win in Portland.

Fair point. Blazers definitely beat the Jazz imo. They could potentially steal one of the games against he Warriors or Lakers, though I expect them to lose both as well. Will be interesting to see how this plays out.

[Seventyniner]

I'm rooting for the Bulls to push the Hawks down into the 9/10 game so the Hawks could get knocked into the lottery with only one loss.

[Knoxxx]

No panic mode as long as we have two fewer wins than POR. We can even throw the season ender V TOR if necessary, most likely. DEN throwing their game against us makes us catching TOR almost impossible.

[LeBowen]

No panic mode as long as we have two fewer wins than POR. We can even throw the season ender V TOR if necessary, most likely. DEN throwing their game against us makes us catching TOR almost impossible.

Can't throw Pop's farewell game, tbh.

I'd also like to get a W against the Suns to put the last nail in their coffin.
Call me petty, but I love watching their meltdowns. :lol
(I know it would be better if Kings get 11th seed and Hawks don't get their picks.)

[spurraider21]

portland losing is fine. theyre 2 wins ahead of us. but chicago is only 2 games away from either Atlanta or Sacto. let them win.

[Raven]

think the odds are roughly the same whether we are ahead or not of either teams, so i would go for the win

[LeBowen]

think the odds are roughly the same whether we are ahead or not of either teams, so i would go for the win

https://i.imgur.com/Ru7Yla2.png

#8 = 26.2% top4 chance, 92.9% chance for a top9 pick.
#9 = 20.2% top4 chance, 71% chance for a top9 pick.

It's just one pick, but we kind of have no reason to lower our odds at this stage of the season where winning a couple more games does absolutely nothing for us.
Since most of this board wants Knueppel, being just one spot ahead might prove really valuable.
We also want the Hawks to have a worse record than other teams eliminated in the play-in, because as you can see 14th and 15th pick are almost guaranteed to not move up.

[Splits]

portland losing is fine. theyre 2 wins ahead of us. but chicago is only 2 games away from either Atlanta or Sacto. let them win.

this. ATL in the lottery (7% chance in the top 4 at 12) is more valuable than the Spurs moving from 8 to 10.

[Raven]

https://i.imgur.com/Ru7Yla2.png

#8 = 26.2% top4 chance, 92.9% chance for a top9 pick.
#9 = 20.2% top4 chance, 71% chance for a top9 pick.

It's just one pick, but we kind of have no reason to lower our odds at this stage of the season where winning a couple more games does absolutely nothing for us.
Since most of this board wants Knueppel, being just one spot ahead might prove really valuable.
We also want the Hawks to have a worse record than other teams eliminated in the play-in, because as you can see 14th and 15th pick are almost guaranteed to not move up.

the win itself, absolutely. guys like wesley, mamu, branham are playing for their career and deserve the chance to show they can play to win. What the outcome ends up being, ok either way.. not ok with playing byombo, barnes and cp3 though, that's for sure.

[rascal]

this. ATL in the lottery (7% chance in the top 4 at 12) is more valuable than the Spurs moving from 8 to 10.

Spurs lose more than 7% to get in the top 4 moving from 8 to 10

[Dex]

NO SPURS NO!!!

[Splits]

Spurs lose more than 7% to get in the top 4 moving from 8 to 10

it's a close call

21.1% of top 4 or 10&12 > 26.2% of top 4 or 8&15

[mystargtr34]

Yeah I’m not sure which result is better a Portland win or Chicago win. I lean Chicago because that increases the chances of Atlanta dropping to 9 or 10 and having to win 2 games to make the playoffs instead of 1. But that’s still unlikely cause Hawks would need to lose to the Knicks and both games to the Magic and the Bulls and Heat would need to win almost all their remaining games.

Think I’m rooting for Chicago and hope Portland beats the Spurs and the Jazz then the Spurs should be safe in their 8th draft slot.

[mystargtr34]

The flip side is if Portland loses to Bulls tonight and Sacramento beats the Hornets that puts the Blazers 3.5 games back from the playin with only 5 to play and the Kings own the tiebreaker so they might say fuck it and start tanking to catch the Spurs for the 8th spot.

[scott]

Prince Bassey is available tonight. 40/20/10 game incoming

[scott]

There are many reasons I can't wait for this season to end. These atrocious uniforms are amongst them.

[scott]

The best 3P shooting team in the league just doing best 3P shooting team things against us

Edit: had not realized CLE had dropped to 3rd. That will change after today :lol

[LeBowen]

Mobley's 3pt improvement is franchise changing, tbh.

[scott]

Devin with one of the smartest plays I've seen him make. Goes up for a 3, sees it's going to be blocked so manages to pass to Biyombo before he travels, repositions, Bismack feeds it back to him for a wide open 3. Good stuff.

[scott]

Getting the full Keldumb experience today. Need to threaten to trade him again.

[Splits]

wtf is Dumdum doing

[scott]

Bassey not exactly covering himself in glory today :lol

[LeBowen]

Bassey not exactly covering himself in glory today :lol

He looked like he can't bend his knees on those two plays.

[scott]

He looked like he can't bend his knees on those two plays.

Yeah my man's career is cooked, I'm afraid. Proud and happy for him either way. It's a long journey from our HS to the NBA. Mad props.

[LeBowen]

15/5/5 half for Castle, maybe it's triple double time?

[ginobilized]

Yeah my man's career is cooked, I'm afraid. Proud and happy for him either way. It's a long journey from our HS to the NBA. Mad props.

Wait, you and Bassey went to the same HS? St. Anthony's in SA?

[scott]

Wait, you and Bassey went to the same HS? St. Anthony's in SA?

Correct, that's why I'm such a Bassey stan. Though I was many many many years ahead of him :lol

[ginobilized]

Correct, that's why I'm such a Bassey stan. Though I was many many many years ahead of him :lol

That's very cool! He's a likable dude regardless.
No one from my high school has played in the NBA. Quite possible that no one from my home state has ever played in the league.

[scott]

That's very cool! He's a likable dude regardless.
No one from my high school has played in the NBA. Quite possible that no one from my home state has ever played in the league.

What's your home state? That would be a crazy stat!

St. Anthony is a tiny school (it's gotten bigger since I was there) and I would have NEVER imagined anyone ever becoming a professional athlete from there.

[scott]

Credit where due: Vassell's shot is WET tonight, he's highly efficient tonight. To the point where I'm questioning why we aren't feeding him more.

[spurraider21]

pinneaple bros keeping this interesting

[spurraider21]

Credit where due: Vassell's shot is WET tonight, he's highly efficient tonight. To the point where I'm questioning why we aren't feeding him more.
turned the corner

[ginobilized]

What's your home state? That would be a crazy stat!

St. Anthony is a tiny school (it's gotten bigger since I was there) and I would have NEVER imagined anyone ever becoming a professional athlete from there.

Idaho

Here's what Google says:

Several NBA players have Idaho roots, including former players like Steve Hayes (American Falls) and Luke Ridnour (Coeur d'Alene), as well as current players like Destiny Slocum (Boise) in the WNBA.

[CorrectCrusader]

Blake Wesley man. His finishing is just ASS

[LeBowen]

Wesley :lmao :lmao

[Obstructed_View]

He's such a terrible basketball player.

[ginobilized]

Zero touch, if he had Branham's shot he'd be a helluva player

[Obstructed_View]

He looked like he can't bend his knees on those two plays.
He looks hurt to me too. That breakaway in the first half he couldn't get to.

[BatManu20]

Wesley :lol

[mystargtr34]

Hopefully Castle gets the triple double he needs 4 more rebounds and 2 assists. His best bet will be crashing the offensive glass when Wesley shoots.

[BatManu20]

Castle now :lol

[CorrectCrusader]

That's a clean block lmao refs what r we doin

[LeBowen]

Mitch The Challenger Johnson extends his streak!

[rascal]

Instead of converting on a fast break turnover Vassell throws it back out to Johnson for a missed three.

Team needs players who can finish on a break, need more athleticism.

[CorrectCrusader]

Refs beefing with a 39 year old HOF because pettiness

[CorrectCrusader]

Harrison Barnes don't fucking ruin the tank lmao unreal. Fuck the cavs

[scott]

okay now settle down fellas

[Mal]

No Spurs no

[Silentbob]

come on.. 1 more rebound for castle

[BatManu20]

Spurs really gonna fuck around and win this game..

[scott]

castle gonna just barely miss out on his triple double again :(

[CorrectCrusader]

come on.. 1 more rebound for castle

He'd have one if they don't remove that shot clock rebound

[scott]

Clutch loss! Good stuff

[baseline bum]

There are many reasons I can't wait for this season to end. These atrocious uniforms are amongst them.

What's not to love about a jersey designed to look like a leisure suit?

[BatManu20]

Nice, competitive L boys.

[Guru of Nothing]

Back iron is a cold bitch.

[rascal]

That was as close as you can come to a win.

[BatManu20]

castle gonna just barely miss out on his triple double again :(

Would've had it had the ball just knicked the wide of the rim on that last shot attempt by Garland. Landed right in Castle's hands. Instead it was a shot-clock violation. For shame.

[Robz4000]

Perfect result tbh.

[Obstructed_View]

That was fucking fun.

[spurraider21]

Ethically tanking

[BatManu20]

Was Castle robbed of his first career Triple-Double? You be the judge.

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[Dex]

Just watched the game...hell of a loss! Great effort, but the tank must roll on!

[John B]

Moral victory and keeping our 8th place at the Loss Column. It’s a Loss/Win in my book.