Game Thread: Spurs at Nets - Jan 9,2022 -11:00am CST

[Dejounte]

Yes, Walker who scored the first 12 points of the game when the team was floundering to find offense, and who finished with a career high 25 on 9/20 shooting.

Yes, Walker who scored 10 points in the 4th quarter to keep the Spurs alive.

And yes, Primo who hit the clutch 3 with 41 seconds left to help send the Spurs to overtime (which was, by the way, assisted by Walker).

Meanwhile, Murray in the 4th/OT...1/8, 2/2 FT, 1 TO, 2 fouls...4 points, no assists.

I know you want to defend your namesake, but I actually watched the game and am not just looking at the box score.

Not only did Murray shoot 7/22 which is something we would have roasted guys like Kobe for, but he was a non-factor in the end of the game. This has been a problem for a while now.

namesakes, that doesn’t matter to me. I’ve slammed DJ before. But I know when it’s time to give credit where credit is due and folks here continue to refuse giving it to DJ because they “grew up” with the model of efficiency in Tim and Kawhi. The game has changed and you can look anywhere around the league and see these mega stars don’t keep their level of efficiency as they used to. You’re so focused on the end of game when theres four quarters of play and if Murray doesn’t meet your criteria of closing games out then he’s a bad player. There’s no flexibility in your mind, no way to bend your logic, no “ifs or buts” about anything. It’s called being narrow-minded.

[Dex]

namesakes, that doesn’t matter to me. I’ve slammed DJ before. But I know when it’s time to give credit where credit is due and folks here continue to refuse giving it to DJ because they “grew up” with the model of efficiency in Tim and Kawhi. The game has changed and you can look anywhere around the league and see these mega stars don’t keep their level of efficiency as they used to. You’re so focused on the end of game when theres four quarters of play and if Murray doesn’t meet your criteria of closing games out then he’s a bad player. There’s no flexibility in your mind, no way to bend your logic, no “ifs or buts” about anything. It’s called being narrow-minded.

I'm fine with being narrow-minded if it's what is costing the team wins. There is a difference between not being flexible, and acknowledging where there is a problem. Murray has a history of making boneheaded plays at the worst times, or shrinking in the big moments.

SpursTalk lambasted DeRozan for the same thing, but Murray gets a pass for some reason? You can't have it both ways.

We saw it last year, we saw it in the bubble, and today is another perfect example.

Leaders lead their teams in tough moments. Murray can talk the talk all we wants, but he needs to show up when all the chips are on the table if he truly wants to be the leader of this team or ANY team.

[Dejounte]

Either you only watch the Spurs or you’ve never watched Westbrook play

If a banana has a spot on it and an apple has a spot on it, does that make the banana an apple?

That’s when you know these arguments are weak— to compare DJ to WB because of shot inefficiency when they each score the basketball in their own way. Let’s ignore the fact that DJ carries an AST/TO ratio Westbrook has never sniffed.

[Dejounte]

I'm fine with being narrow-minded if it's what is costing the team wins. There is a difference between not being flexible, and acknowledging where there is a problem. Murray has a history of making boneheaded plays at the worst times, or shrinking in the big moments.

SpursTalk lambasted DeRozan for the same thing, but Murray gets a pass for some reason? You can't have it both ways.

We saw it last year, we saw it in the bubble, and today is another perfect example.

Leaders lead their teams in tough moments. Murray can talk the talk all we wants, but he needs to show up when all the chips are on the table if he truly wants to be the leader of this team or ANY team.

If you can’t understand why the Spurs lost today isn’t because of Murray when there’s a few other REALLY ing obvious reasons why they did…then I don’t really know what to tell you. It’s not rocket science. Really, it’s not.

[Dex]

If you can’t understand why the Spurs lost today isn’t because of Murray when there’s a few other REALLY ing obvious reasons why they did…then I don’t really know what to tell you. It’s not rocket science. Really, it’s not.

I never said that Murray was the only factor. To be honest, the Spurs were lucky to even have a shot at winning today.

What I said is that I am finding it hard to trust Murray to close games, especially in tight situations like the Spurs faced today.

We can argue until the cows come home, but you can't honestly look at his 4th/OT stats and tell me that he did a good job in this game.

[Dejounte]

I never said that Murray was the only factor. To be honest, the Spurs were lucky to even have a shot at winning today.

What I said is that I am finding it hard to trust Murray to close games, especially in tight situations like the Spurs faced today.

We can argue until the cows come home, but you can't honestly look at his 4th/OT stats and tell me that he did a good job in this game.

First, let’s dissect your post.

I’m going to guide you through. Just trust me.

Why is it “lucky” the Spurs had a shot at winning today? Why is that the term used?

and next…

Why is it that the criteria for DJ doing a good job in this game only looked at in the 4th/OT?

These two have something in common… You just have to make the mental connection.

Hint: a basketball game is more than a single quarter + OT.

Hint: The Spurs were not “lucky” to have a shot. A certain player you’re insistent on downplaying the performance of contributed to that, and using “lucky” to describe it is proof of that. That’s your brain making leaps of logic to avoid the truth.

[KingKev]

I never said that Murray was the only factor. To be honest, the Spurs were lucky to even have a shot at winning today.

What I said is that I am finding it hard to trust Murray to close games, especially in tight situations like the Spurs faced today.

We can argue until the cows come home, but you can't honestly look at his 4th/OT stats and tell me that he did a good job in this game.

One game where no one player particularly played well. Maybe Murray needs some help to close out games because he is the only player, outside of Jak who consistently keeps this team afloat. Who is a closer on this team? White? Walker? KBD? Forbes? Jok?

[TDomination]

Boo hoo. Maybe he should do it better if he wants to call his own number at the end of games.

We were better off with Lonnie Walker, Jakob Poeltl, and a 19-year old rookie taking shots in the final minutes of the game than we were with Murray.

Lol yeah he should know how to be a great closer since he’s been a star player for years in this league

If he makes mistakes at the end of games he should just defer to his teammates and not try anymore in the future.

the mere fact that dejounte continues to call his own numbers shows the confidence he has in himself which is exactly what you want. He needs that mentality. Stars have that mentality. He’ll get better. This is his first season as truly being alpha and he’s doing pretty darn good.

[CGD]

I have to say, this is the most entertaining tank. The spurs are no easy out.

[8sy21vd]

Tough loss but good to see Primo flash some skills. Murray wasn't efficient but hard to blame him considering 3 of your top 5 players are out. Overall, he's done a great job this season and he might still be recovering physcially from his COVID episode. OT-The Nets look awful. Harden in particular has fallen off. If Durant get hurt, they are out in R1.

[PhantomDashCam]

Just got done watching the replay of this one.

Thought this was one of Bryn’s best games as a Spur.

Primo getting crunch time minutes was great to see. And then for Pop to play him over Forbes, considering the games both were having; was surprising and ultimately really encouraging for the development of this team.

Lonnie was decisive for the majority of the game, in-line with the way he was playing pre-Covid.

[LeBowen]

DJ's biggest problem is that he's not able to consistently draw fouls.
13.2 2pt FGA and only 2.2 FTs per game.

For example Derrick has 2.9 on only 6.6 2pt FGA.

He'll never be an elite offensive player, but in today's league good players make up for bad shooting nights by always being able to get to the line. And that's something DJ must work on.

[KingKev]

I have to say, this is the most entertaining tank. The spurs are no easy out.

Bingo. Still playing hard and will add a solid lottery pick, hopefully clean up the back court backlog rotation by flipping a player or two for positions of need.

[tonight...you]

DJ's biggest problem is that he's not able to consistently draw fouls.
13.2 2pt FGA and only 2.2 FTs per game.

For example Derrick has 2.9 on only 6.6 2pt FGA.

He'll never be an elite offensive player, but in today's league good players make up for bad shooting nights by always being able to get to the line. And that's something DJ must work on.

If there is a player in this League that I trust who will work on a shortcoming, it's DJ.
He's a step-by-step guy, but he makes those steps and moves to the next one.
I expect a material difference next year in that deficiency.

[BackHome]

Primo not hustling back.. what the heck my man?

Didn't we get rid of Luka for that?

[MannyIsGod]

Boo hoo. Maybe he should do it better if he wants to call his own number at the end of games.

We were better off with Lonnie Walker, Jakob Poeltl, and a 19-year old rookie taking shots in the final minutes of the game than we were with Murray.

Oh off. i'm not sure what your problem with DJM is but the fact that this dude has to carry this team is important context and he's not even bad at the end of games according to the clutch stats. This is ing nonsense.

[Allan Rowe vs Wade]

Good loss tbh. The tank rolls on.

[MannyIsGod]

https://www.nba.com/stats/players/cl...gular%20Season


DJM is top 20 in FGM per clutch game situation. He's top 40 in Points and easily the best Spur. This is not even considering the defensive aspect.

Once again Dex is somehow mad at DJM for not being Kobe. Such a stupid ing take the first time and now you've decided to double down on it.

[Dex]

If y'all want to continue to watch DJM shoot us out of games and act like he is the answer, be my guest.

I'm just stating my opinion.

[BackHome]

DJM had a bad day of shooting but he did have 12 assist so I like that he is trending in the right way as a PG

[Dejounte]

If y'all want to continue to watch DJM shoot us out of games and act like he is the answer, be my guest.

I'm just stating my opinion.

Absolutely NO one is saying is the answer and nearly EVERYONE is saying he needs help. The fact that you aren’t recognizing what you’re writing here and that you’re pushing narratives on people is what’s appalling here. You’ve gone off the deep end and can’t realize it.

[MannyIsGod]

If y'all want to continue to watch DJM shoot us out of games and act like he is the answer, be my guest.

I'm just stating my opinion.

The answer to what? As a primary option? Who's the person here saying that DJM is going to be an MVP level player leading the Spurs to a championship? I missed that post. You are complaining that he is an unclutch player and that he's bad at the end of the game which is 100% wrong. That's not an opion, that's something you can check with stats. They are linked right there for you. You claim there are loads of Spurs better than him, and once agian, that is not an opinion that is something you can check with stats and they are linked for you.

You are wrong.

[MannyIsGod]

Good fight from the team overall. If there is anything such as a moral victory, this is it...a bunch of bench players and GLeaguers hanging with two Top 10 players (and arguably the best in the league with Durant) on their home court.

Murray continues to disappoint me in crunch time. I don't give a about his trip-dubs if he can't be counted on to close games, and he continues to shrink in the big moments. Missed shots, not running offense....just overall, not pretty.

7/22 is not going to cut it if he wants to consider himself a star player. At this point, he is just becoming a lesser version of DeRozan.

Add another loss on the tank tally, I suppose.

Lol this whole post as an opinion is just ing stupid. I would love DJM to be a lesser version of Derozan closing out games. Contrary to waht Spurs fans have said for years, Derozan was always among league leaders in clutch points. He's a ing great player to finish out games on the offensive end. If DJM is comparable to him, then you should be celebrating that and you're saying it as if its a bad thing. Un ing real. Furthermore, DJM actually defends. Just overall nonsense really.

[Dex]

Absolutely NO one is saying is the answer and nearly EVERYONE is saying he needs help. The fact that you aren’t recognizing what you’re writing here and that you’re pushing narratives on people is what’s appalling here. You’ve gone off the deep end and can’t realize it.

Fair enough. I'll get off my tangent for a while, and appreciate the debate.

Obviously we were spoiled in watching the greatness of the Big 3 for so long. All said, Murray has made great strides in his career and is obviously the best player on the Spurs, and maybe that's why I have high standards for him. I'd really like to see him taking over in 4th quarters.

[Slippy]

What a game by the team and Lonnie who almost willed the win. Manu has definitely had an impact on his play of late.

Two key plays where the spurs had a chance to win was Jacobs reckless screen leading to turnover and DJs missed a tough lay up in OT from a Lonnie pass.

Man im spewing.

Spurs could of stole this game.