Grades: Spurs vs. Clippers - Dec. 21, 2019

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Like many have said this team is not built to do anything now or in the future no way in do we have a chance if we even make the playoffs. I am OK Tanking we need more young good players I just hope and pray that RC is able to trade LMA, Derozz, and maybe get a late first or early second and maybe a young player stashed in Europe.

Also agree if your able to trade Rudy, Beli, and Forbes for anything positive young player, draft pick ie Second Round.. you do it no questions asked.

[RC_Drunkford]

Okay.

In a scenario where Pop coaches a perfect game but the players play at a C level and the Clippers play at an A level, what do you think the outcome would be?

the Clippers wouldn't play at an A level if he plays the right defenders. That's my whole point

[spin8]

You mean, attempting in vain to retain?

What risk? They're one of the worst teams in the league (and for what it's worth, every projection system has them getting even worse).

The top of the draft looks underwhelming to say the least, but at the same time, you never know and logic dictates that the higher you pick (or lower, depending on how you view it), the better the odds of striking gold.

Despite health, continuity and a middling sos, they've had maybe 2 comfortable-ish wins on the season. They've also pulled a bunch of games out of their ass, mostly on the strength of Mills being on some doin' it for the culture , where he dragged their rotting carcases into a fight they wanted no part of and prevailed. This is who they are; there's no run coming.

That's long gone. They need to accept it and move on instead of thinking they can force feed it down current and future iterations throats through osmosis.

Don't let the Knicks and Suns, with their incompetent ownership, scare you. Sure, becoming contenders again will require extreme luck, but just being decent - good can happen relatively quickly, especially if their youth is as good as they seem to think.

Just re-quoting this for major truth.

[SpurPadre]

It's not a bad argument but I'm not on board with the teardown yet. The Spurs have spent so much time and effort retaining their corporate knowledge and culture that a messy teardown has more risks than reward, IMO. Maybe if there were a couple superstar players in the draft but the top of the draft board looks really damn weak. The Spurs are like a hot week or two away from firmly being in the playoffs so they should just keep on going.

You do a midflight now, you could have Aldridge sulking and demanding a trade, Gay reverting back to his reputation and becoming aloof again and/or DeRozan at Jack in the Box contemplating his ultimate order. Becoming the Knicks without the big market isn't worth a move up in a draft that looks astonishingly devoid of top tier talent this year.

https://www.nbadraft.net/nba-mock-drafts/

http://www.nbadraftroom.com/p/2020-n...draft.html?m=1

These guys above are much more optimistic about the 2020 draft class than you are, tbh.

[tbdog]

https://www.nbadraft.net/nba-mock-drafts/

http://www.nbadraftroom.com/p/2020-n...draft.html?m=1

These guys above are much more optimistic about the 2020 draft class than you are, tbh.

It's pretty ing scary that the Warriors could get number 1 pick and then have Klay and Curry back.

[sasaint]

It's pretty ing scary that the Warriors could get number 1 pick and then have Klay and Curry back.

Yep. It was Curry's ankle injury that killed a season and gave the Dubs the opportunity to sign him on the cheap that enabled their whole "dynasty."

[ZeusWillJudge]

Yep. It was Curry's ankle injury that killed a season and gave the Dubs the opportunity to sign him on the cheap that enabled their whole "dynasty."

True. The same way we got back...patty...mills.

[SpurPadre]

It's pretty ing scary that the Warriors could get number 1 pick and then have Klay and Curry back.

Fortunately, Curry and Klay won't be in their primes anymore but they can definitely be a force again next season.

[sasaint]

True. The same way we got back...patty...mills.

Well, our FO is just light years ahead.

[tbdog]

Warriors also benefited from the sudden cap increase and the very obvious player tampering to get Durant.

[objective]

Walker yes, but people keep trying to perpetuate this myth that Derrick doesn't have opportunities. Derrick can shoot anytime he wants. He minimizes himself by being scared and timid.

that's coaching, related to his role. He put up plenty of threes in the g-league. Games of 8, 9, 10+ attempts. Much more than he's ever tried in the NBA. , he had a game in the g-league on attempts that would have been the most or 2nd most all-time in a Spurs uniform if it was in the big-league.

[RC_Drunkford]

that's coaching, related to his role. He put up plenty of threes in the g-league. Games of 8, 9, 10+ attempts. Much more than he's ever tried in the NBA. , he had a game in the g-league on attempts that would have been the most or 2nd most all-time in a Spurs uniform if it was in the big-league.

Another reason why Pop has to go

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Because they all played hard. DeRozan had 20 at halftime. Aldridge had 10. Even in the 3rd quarter the bench line up played their hearts out. The effort was there. The team was locked in from the start. It was Pop and his love for Belinelli that messed things up. The Clippers got Paul George and Kawhi out there, sometimes even with Lou Williams and here he is not playing Carrol, not playing Walker and never playing White and Murray together. How do you expect them to win that game with these kind of rotations?

If you want to watch the replay just watch the first half. At the end of the 2nd quarter the Spurs got down to double digits, but that's with Beli playing the entire quarter, turning the ball over 3 times, bricking midrange shots, etc., etc.

F+ is way to generous, should be F---------------

Y+

[Chomag]

Thanks for the grades. I haven't watched the last three games because I just can't stomach watching Pop's pets show line ups anymore.

[UZER]

Thanks for the grades. I haven't watched the last three games because I just can't stomach watching Pop's pets show line ups anymore.

I’m really close to being there. But at this point, it’s almost fun watching how ridiculous it’s gotten and the disbelief that Pop is that stubborn. I’ve paid my dues by continuing to watch this show and want to be there to see the breaking point.

It’s like Pop is an addict in depression crying out for help by doing such ridiculous things, but everyone is so afraid of him that they won’t confront him to have an intervention when he’s secretly begging for it.

[DPG21920]

It's not a bad argument

but I'm not on board with the teardown yet. The Spurs have spent so much time and effort retaining their corporate knowledge and culture that a messy teardown has more risks than reward, IMO. Maybe if there were a couple superstar players in the draft but the top of the draft board looks really damn weak. The Spurs are like a hot week or two away from firmly being in the playoffs so they should just keep on going.

That was a mistake valuing culture over talent at this point. Culture matters when you have a legit team but what has that culture done for SA now? Has it lead to winning? No. Has it lead to really good leadership? No. Has it lead to a healthy environment even? Nope.

Whether or not they can make the playoffs, this team has no ceiling and no chance and even you admit the players aren’t worth investing in. If that it the case, how much messier can it get? Losing is messy. Having no leadership and sulking uncoachable stars borders on toxic and no good is coming from this. No one is happy, players or fans.

You do a midflight now, you could have Aldridge sulking and demanding a trade, Gay reverting back to his reputation and becoming aloof again and/or DeRozan at Jack in the Box contemplating his ultimate order. Becoming the Knicks without the big market isn't worth a move up in a draft that looks astonishingly devoid of top tier talent this year.

Who cares about Gay being aloof? He’s already terrible at basketball so if he sulks what are the Spurs going to lose more or something? LMA sulks already - what, is SA going to start being 8 games below .500 vs 6? Is LMA going to stop the already non-existent mentioning and try even less hard? Trade those guys and you don’t have to worry about it and you are already losing anyways. It can’t get any worse functionally; but you can maximize your chance to improve even if those odds are slim in the draft. Better than nothing.

This team doesn’t have top tier talent either, isn’t worth keeping together or investing in and nothing would get worse than it already is by trading the vets IMO.

[Mugen]

Eh, it was a bad game. Tough team to coach, if we're being intellectually honest and not trolling. Pop needs to do better, though, obviously.

You're taking some body blows in this thread so I won't go too hard, it being Christmas time and all.

But it's a tough team to coach if you're a rookie head coach. Not if you're the longest tenured coach in sports tbh

You said yourself that having two emo "stars" like Derozan/LMA is the NBA norm, not the exception. So all of a sudden that's a tough team to coach?