Game Thread: Spurs vs. Jazz — Jan. 3, 2021 - 6:00pm/C

[paperboy77]

You do know he was a 19th pick, right? What's a 19th pick's ceiling, usually? I dare say most 19th picks tend to bust out, or cap out as role players at most. I see Luka being an average role player at his peak, especially with his shooting touch (wasn't addressed in this thread of course, since everyone's busy ting on him, but he swished his only 3PA - once he learns his place and role, I could see a lot more of that).

People just have stupid expectations out of Spurs' draft picks. En led fans, I tell ya.

I guess in all of my posts I ultimately blame Pop, whether implied or not. When you are the boss, all this falls on you. If you can't do it then his boss must find someone that will. Yes there's a cap and even Pop is a human which will do what needs to be done to save his ass but I think all these failures are on him. The next guy may not be remotely better but at lease he'll have a clean slate.

[PhantomDashCam]

I think at this point, the team could really benefit from putting Walker on the bench. Of course, it relies on White getting back - and staying back. But I truly don't think the Spurs are as bad as tonight's showing, they just aren't running good lineups nor gameplans (not good in relation to the teams' ceiling, which is of course not championship quality or near it).

Lonnie would take the ball away from both Patty and Mills, get expanded opportunities to create shots for himself and others (and actually shoot the ball, since he might feel more "authority" to take shots over bench players than starting players), and relegate the last two to their preferrable spot-up shooters roles. White on the main unit would give us much needed playmaking, easy looks, would feed Poeltl like no one on this team can do, and would also make a lot of shots.

LMA being back would also help the team, though to a lesser extent. But without White, we just can't get going, tbh. Also not a coincidence that we lost badly the first game against the Lakers, then fought it to the wire with White, as rusty as he was.

I agree, don’t think the team is nearly as bad as this game. First one we’ve been out of realistically since halftime since pre season. It was clear that frustration boiled over from the players, coaching staff and the fans after what appeared a positive 48 min contest against LA and the good news (at the time) of White’s return.
2-4 to start the season isn’t a death knell either. Even if we drop the next 2, we could conceivably win both Minnesota games and the OKC contest to end the trip.
D. White is a huge piece of the puzzle though. Keldon Johnson’s play makes any loss a little more bearable.

[Sugus]

I guess in all of my posts I ultimately blame Pop, whether implied or not. When you are the boss, all this falls on you. If you can't do it then his boss must find someone that will. Yes there's a cap and even Pop is a human which will do what needs to be done to save his ass but I think all these failures are on him. The next guy may not be remotely better but at lease he'll have a clean slate.

Agreed wholeheartedly. I'm not gonna go "I've been saying this!!" like other posters, but it's been painfully obvious for some time now that the Spurs are about 3-4 years behind in terms of coaching and schemes. They can't stop other teams from a barrage of 3 pointers, and can't be bothered to shoot 3s themselves at a high rate in return, even when the other 29 teams are consistently trending in that direction. I love the "old school" game, but after a certain amount of season of it evidently not working, you have to try new things. And that's the thing that I haven't been seeing from these Spurs - new things.

We might be more compe ive in nights where certain young players stand out. We might fight back better now that most defensive liabilities are off the team. We might get the random wins when the other team's having an off night and we execute. But, on a fundamental level, we're still trying to do what we were 3 years ago, when DeRozan came into the team... And it's never taken us far. So yeah, the personnel isn't great, but I dare blame the lack of success on coaching for this. Not even so much on the FO (I don't think the roster assembled is worse than that of teams that are currently playing better than the Spurs), just plain ol' coaching. Pop has lost a couple steps, has fallen behind, and actively hinders the roster now. Time for change that should've been here ages ago.

[SpurPadre]

Couldn't watch the game and just seen the box score. Seeing the game, how miserable was Murray's game and how good was Keldon's?

[GAustex]

^not watching this game is a blessing

[GAustex]

Keldon is a bad ass though

[Sugus]

Couldn't watch the game and just seen the box score. Seeing the game, how miserable was Murray's game and how good was Keldon's?

Very, and very, respectively

[Rummpd]

Couldn't watch the game and just seen the box score. Seeing the game, how miserable was Murray's game and how good was Keldon's?

Keldon is a bad ass though

Only bright spot build around him and White blow up rest ASAP!

[Atl Spur]

I guess in all of my posts I ultimately blame Pop, whether implied or not. When you are the boss, all this falls on you. If you can't do it then his boss must find someone that will. Yes there's a cap and even Pop is a human which will do what needs to be done to save his ass but I think all these failures are on him. The next guy may not be remotely better but at lease he'll have a clean slate.

You obviously don’t understand the Boss vs Employee dynamic Stop being whiney little women....every team must retool! Get yourself together bro..

[paperboy77]

You obviously don’t understand the Boss vs Employee dynamic Stop being whiney little women....every team must retool! Get yourself together bro..

I think you don't. Employee must do what boss says or he be replaced. Simple. When that belief doesn't exist the system fails. Not even sure where we're going with this. I'm just blaming Pop first then the player.

[poopbox]

Flopovich is still using the same methods he been using when the big 3 were around. He just doesn't understand that these things ain't working anymore in todays NBA

Yeah...imagine DDR and LMA being called "soft" and it "lights a fire under them"

[poopbox]

Don't understand the hate for Luka... He doesn't contribute much to this team's problems.

Doesn't really contribute much of anything tbh


Luka needs to talk to LMA about how to pout correctly...cause when he did it we ran our entire clogged toilet offense through him for 2 years

[tmtcsc]

Keldon is a bad ass though

I'm already feeling sorry for him. He is surrounded by . All the bull about being around vets he can learn from...blah blah blah. Everyone on this team could learn from him in terms of playing like they give a damn. Playing like they care. Too many guys on this team serve up the usual PC interview statements to the media.

I'd love to see a Charles Barkley type give an honest answer. Something like, "We're running an offense that requires us to make threes but to be honest, we don't have the personnel to execute that game plan". Until we start making 3's at an acceptable level, we sure as can & must play better defense. That doesn't take skill, that takes desire and right now, not enough of us have it. The players who aren't bringing it, know who they are."

[tmtcsc]

Doesn't really contribute much of anything tbh


Luka needs to talk to LMA about how to pout correctly...cause when he did it we ran our entire clogged toilet offense through him for 2 years

Fans get pissed and bitter because he represents how ty the F.O. has become. For years they drafted players that would be stashed in Europe until they could be brought over to the US with some sort of maturity. The only ones that worked out were Manu & Scola. We all know what happened with Scola.

Luka was a complete whiff and reach. Its obvious he can't play and doesn't belong on an NBA court. The organization was absolutely lucky they stole Keldon Johnson in the second round. Good Gawd what a disaster he is.

[tmtcsc]

Only bright spot build around him and White blow up rest ASAP!

White and Keldon are the 2 best players on this team but White is made of glass and can't stay healthy. Needs to cut that nasty mop too. WTF is that supposed to be? Receding Afro?

[rankingtear]

Lol the meltdown.

[Dejounte]

Lol the meltdown.

It's a bad loss. But it seems like other teams are experiencing bad losses too. Just the other day the Clippers lost by 50 and did their fans quit on their season?

I'm not at that point yet. I'm still a believer of this team. Tonight's loss is probably the most disappointing one in years for me. But like I've been saying since pre-season... You wait at least 15 games to judge a team.

Losing this badly MIGHT just be the nature of the NBA today.

[rankingtear]

The key to our offense is attacking the rim and they had 48 min of Gobert and Favors. Pop tried to counter by playing Lyles instead of Eubanks to get Gobert/Favors away from the rim. This is one situation where LA stretch ability is useful, as long as he does not die on the Jazz PNR.

[NASpurs]

It's a bad loss. But it seems like other teams are experiencing bad losses too. Just the other day the Clippers lost by 50 and did their fans quit on their season?

I'm not at that point yet. I'm still a believer of this team. Tonight's loss is probably the most disappointing one in years for me. But like I've been saying since pre-season... You wait at least 15 games to judge a team.

Losing this badly MIGHT just be the nature of the NBA today.

Next five games are on the road and the first two of those games are against the Lakers and Clippers. Let's be real, the Spurs are gonna be 2-6 after the Lakers game. After the road trip, they play the Rockets back to back and then the Blazers. The West is a bloodbath.

Even if the Spurs played in the Eastern conference, I would be skeptical about making the playoffs.

[Dejounte]

Next five games are on the road and the first two of those games are against the Lakers and Clippers. Let's be real, the Spurs are gonna be 2-6 after the Lakers game. After the road trip, they play the Rockets back to back and then the Blazers. The West is a bloodbath.

Even if the Spurs played in the Eastern conference, I would be skeptical about making the playoffs.

Looks daunting as but you have awful teams like the Bulls winning games they shouldn't be winning like tonight against the Mavericks.

Edit: also the Wizards over the Nets.

[Payote75]

I just don't understand.....being compe ive gets us at this point. If your going to suck let the young dudes suck. LA, Gay and DD need to go at best we get some needed assets at worst we get crap and we open up minutes for young guys as well as a better lottery pick. Why is there such a need to try and be mediocre? Just get what you can for those 3 old talented dudes.
Mills can stay he can be a good vet to teach pops ways. He has the longest tenure under pop to teach these kids what is expected of a spur.

I mean eat why not add some new faces some picks? This is infuriating!!! Having those three is a luxury we don't need.
if you could add an Aaron Gordon or a Fournier or both. Imagine just adding Gordon how athletic this team would be and the young guys wouldn't feel like they need to defer to LA or DD etc. please pull the plug add some new blood. Nobody that's a true superstar will sign here the cap space will mean squat. Signing and overpaying for a bunch of "B" level stars won't cut it.

im begging make the trades or regretfully I say pop just go.

[Dennis the Menace]

People say the ‘21 draft class is stacked. If so, and we ain’t gonna championship with this collective roster in the next 3 years ... well then grab ahold of the situation and trade LMA & DD for upcoming draft picks. Or sign & trade for John Collins

[jbspurs]

In 2 years, he might be able to miss the shot vs getting blocked. Baby steps.

[jbspurs]

Doesn't really contribute much of anything tbh


Luka needs to talk to LMA about how to pout correctly...cause when he did it we ran our entire clogged toilet offense through him for 2 years

He contributes on the negatives...

[daslicer]

This team is just not constructed to win that's why the losses don't get to me. As good as Keldon is on a normal team he would be playing the 3 and not 4. Demar is also playing out of position as a 3. The team doesn't have any legit solid bigs. LMA is looking washed up right now. White is now out again with the same injury. Factor all of these things and we got a lottery team. For me it's all about watching the development of all our young guys Keldon,Dejounte,Walker,Vassell. Keldon has been so far the most consistent out of the 4 and most promising but I think those other 3 will have nights where they look good.