SPURS WIN 94-87!
http://i.imgur.com/EvOnL1b.png
Game overview:
Well, that was a roller coaster.
The Spurs came into Dallas fresh off of another lackluster effort at home - this time against the Orlando Magic. In a twist to the standard script, this San Antonio team seems to be seeking refuge on the road to start this young season, and arrived at America Airlines Center hoping to shake off a bad loss and get back onto the winning track.
To the surprise of nobody, Pop sat three players after the B2B, including Parker, Gasol, and Ginobili. With Laprovitolla and Dedmon starting, the offense got off to another rocky start. Without any chemistry or consistent penetration, the ball simply wasn't flowing like it should, resulting in a bunch of contested shots and bricks. For Dallas, Wes Matthews got his business going early, and the Mavericks got off to a solid start to take an early lead. Fortunately, the bench unit came in at around the 6-minute-mark and, after some sloppy play by both sides, they finally managed to turn the tide and go on a small run to end the 1st quarter.
To start the 2nd quarter, Pop brought the starters back in. Behind some hustle by Dedmon and long-bombs by Green and Lapro, the Spurs capped a 17-4 run to take a 31-19 lead. Then, the wheels began to skid again as Pop brought the bench back in for a second short stint. Lee and Bertans made some shots to try to fend off the Maverick's comeback, but the defense couldn't keep Dallas from drawing to within 3 points by halftime.
In the 2nd half, the Mavericks came out aggressive...and it showed. Pop benched Kawhi and Green quickly after a blown defensive assignment. With Anderson and Simmons on the floor and Aldridge struggling, the Spurs really couldn't find any consistent options on offense, and the Mavs rode the hot hand of Matthews to a 13-point advantage. Fortunately, Pop's lecture proved effective with Leonard, and he and Mills woke up at the end of the 3rd to close the gap to 5.
The 4th quarter would be known as the Patty Thrills show. Mills and Curry v0.5 started the quarter with a YMCA shoot-out, and Mills finished with upper hand. Despite some initial tough going, the scorching shooting by Patty and the determination of Leonard finally broke the Mavs spirits, and a 33-21 quarter allowed the Spurs to comfortably walk to their 11th straight road win.
Duncan - DNP-Lazy
Grade: F
Where is this fucker? I swear he hasn't showed up for a single game this season. Timmy needs to put down the D20s and get back onto the court, because he has as many points in the NBA this season as I do.
Laprovitolla - 7 PTS (3-6 FG, 1-3 3P) - 1 REB - 0 AST - 1TO
Grade - C-
Lapro got his first start of the season, and it was mostly underwhelming. He shot the ball decently in limited attempts, but otherwise he was mostly invisible and the offense bogged down while he was on the court. The ball movement was ineffective, and resulted in a lot of isolation attempts for Aldridge or Leonard. These stats would be fine if he was the third guard off the bench, but as the starting point guard, 0 assists is not going to get it done.
Kawhi - 21 PTS (5-16 FG, 2-5 3P) - 7 REB - 2 AST - 2TO
Grade - B-
Another slow start for Kawhi. Although he got some scoring done in the first quarter, he was once again forcing shots and just seemed out of sync. He also wasn't able to put his clamps down on Matthews for a second straight game. Fortunately, the Aztec kept his head in the game, and hit a three in the 3rd quarter which seemed to get his game going and inspired him to help close out the contest. 21 and 7 would be a great night for most players, but Kawhi has set a high bar for himself and tonight, he just didn't quite hit it.
Aldridge - 5 PTS (2-9 FG) - 8 REB - 3 AST - 2 TOV
Grade: D
Despite 3 assists and some solid work on the boards, Aldridge probably should just burn this tape. LaMarcus couldn't get a jumper to fall through the hoop tonight, and after a while, he seemed to just stop trying on the offensive end. I'd like to see Aldridge assert himself more in the post, but sometimes he just seems to take himself out of games. To his credit, he did show some hustle in the 2nd quarter to help the Spurs mount a small lead, but otherwise, he was mostly invisible. 5 points from our offensive option 1B is pretty inexcusable.
Dedmon - 6 PTS (2-5 FG) - 10 REB - 2 ST - 3 BLK
Grade: B+
Dedmon got the start tonight and quickly put his mark on the game. Although his scoring numbers weren't outstanding, Dewayne was an absolute enforcer on the defensive end. He blocked 3 shots, intimidated several others, and pulled down 10 boards. His alley-oop from Mills in the 4th quarter also helped to spark the team and ignited the scattered Spurs fans in the Dallas crowd. On a side note, having a 7-footer who can also hit his free throws is a huge bonus. Good to see the young blood healthy again, and hoping he can continue to find his place in the system.
Green - 11 PTS (4-8 FG, 2-4 3P) - 3 REB - 2 AST
Grade: B-
Danny Green had a sneakily efficient game, even if his stats aren't eye-popping. He hit a couple threes, and mixed in enough to finish in double digits. He also made some nice plays to help close out the 4th quarter, and managed to keep Barnes in check for the most part. Would love to see Green get a few more shots off from deep, but overall, a satisfactory outing for the Tarheel.
Mills - 23 PTS (9-12 FG, 5-6 3P) - 3 REB - 4 AST - 1 ST - 2TO
Grade: A
Let's be honest: the Spurs don't win this game without Patty Mills. The Tasmanian Devil was wreaking havoc all night, whether it was sneaky steals to steady the ship in the 1st, timely threes to stem the tide in the late 2nd, or big shots to put the game out of reach in the 4th. Patty put in the Konami code and seemingly couldn't miss, scoring 15 points on 6 for 7 shooting in the 4th quarter. Patty may be undersized in stature, but he is certainly not overmatched in heart, and it's great to see that shooting stroke back in form.
Lee - 7 PTS (3-6 FG) - 5 REB - 1TO
Grade: B-
Just another night for the janitor. Lee's hustle off the bench continues to be an important factor for the 2nd unit, who helped to bring the Spurs back to end both the 2nd and 3rd quarters. David seemed to be pressing against his older team to start, but he eventually settled in to provide an efficient, if not quiet, 7 and 5 off the bench.
Bertans - 7 PTS (2-2 FG, 1-1 3P)
Grade: B+
Davis didn't play much, but he was more effective than the stat sheet shows. Not only did he hit his shots, but he also showed good hustle and heady play for a rookie. He got to the line on a nice pump fake, and caused a travel on a run-out on the perimeter. He was very active in his time on the court and is showing great strides in his first season. Bertans continues to make the Hill-Leonard trade look even more lopsided in the Spurs favor - if that is even possible.
Anderson - 4 PTS (2-2 FG) - 4 REB - 2 AST - 1 BLK - 2TO
Grade: C
Another game, another ho-hum effort for Anderson. The stats look okay, but he still just doesn't pass the eye test...therein lies the problem. For every good shot attempt, there is an open jumper passed up. For every solid play, there is an errant pass or a turnover in traffic. For every rebound, there is a missed box-out. Kyle continues to show flashes that would be promising if he were a rookie. The problem is...he is a third-year player now, and really hasn't shown anything that indicates that he is any closer to his ceiling than he was two years ago. I am solidly for giving all of Anderson's minutes to Bertans at this point.
Simmons - 3 PTS (1-5 FG) - 1 REB - 1 AST - 1 BLK - 1TO
Grade: D+
Count this as another night where Simmons just couldn't find the juice. He must be one of the most divisive players in the league. Some nights, he comes out and looks like an uber-athletic sparkplug. Other nights, he can't hit a shot...or even dribble the ball, for that matter. That being said, he still kept his head up and found ways to contribute in other areas. Simm's aggressiveness is both his greatest asset and his greatest weakness, and that will continue to lead to inconsistent outings until he can learn to properly harness it. That being said, he is still a good wild card to throw into games when the bench is struggling, and that makes him a useful asset despite his erratic play.
Pop
Grade: D+
Pop continues to play mad scientist early in the season. Despite the Mavs putting up an inspired effort despite being undermanned in their last matchup, Pop iced both of his floor generals and another key offensive option for this game. It didn't help that the Mavs had two key contributors back this time around in Williams and Bogut. He also seems to be toying with this new rotation where he will play the starting unit for ~6 minutes for each quarter, then trot out the bench for the last 6 then rinse and repeat (instead of the standard 6-12-6 spread).
Considering these wacky lineups, it's no surprise that the team struggled to find any offensive rhythm, especially with the starting lineup. Far be it from me to question the tactics of a Hall of Fame coach, but...for someone who constantly preaches "taking opponents seriously", he sure isn't setting the tone by turning winnable games into dogfights. To Pop's credit, his benching of Leonard seemed to light a fire under the Spurs' young star at just the right time, and he rode Patty's hot hand all the way to the W.
