22 shots a game in a Spurs system is murder

[SAGirl]

That's the problem with Aldridge and Why Kawhi is a tier above him as a player as many knowledge journalist agree with.

Aldridge needs to be feed the ball so he's engaged. Kawhi regardless if he's getting touches or not is trying to help the team win to the best of his ability.

If Aldridge can't contribute when he's not getting the ball, he's going to be a major liability. He needs to learn how to contribute without the ball.

Aldridge needs to fit in...

Its a good point if you mean on defense.

Offensively, though its a more delicate, balanced issue.

Its different for Kawhi because he has played with these guys for the 4 years prior of his young career and this system was already being tailored to him since last season, when by the way he wasn't consistently an offensive beast. It was a process for him as well, and everyone else around him. With some off nights, some chucking nights, some bad decisions here and there, some good and then some awesome games, and some nights when others didn't know when to be aggressive and when to defer to him either. Kawhi didn't at times know when to pass to others and when to take things for his own either. Its was process to find a balance to hone in on decision making and shot selection and it was a process that already started for him last year.

LMA can't come in with Kawhi's mentality. What he was doing previously got him here, and he's skilled, but he's the newcomer and its a new system and he's coming in with the mind to fit in, which means he's still honing his own decision making, when to defer and when to not, when to pass and when to be aggressive for himself. He's already fit in many ways that are subtle but you can recognize it if you know where to look. His presence in the game made Ibaka play him closely, and opened up things for others. He makes life easier for others by really drawing the attention of the best defensive big. For that to hold up though, he needs to get it going offensively. He's been hesitating on what to do, unsure when to shoot freely because he doesn't want to be chucking, and seems to be looking to pass, basically being in a deferential note unless the team gives him the ball in a post up in which case he knows its meant for him to shoot it unless he's doubled and he can pass out of double teams well enough.

It's kind of unnatural for an offensive player to play in that unsure state. I don't think anyone can get in a rhythm like that. You are basically waiting for others to give you a cue to be aggressive, and he's not helping us that way. Even Kawhi would be out of rhythm if he had to look to others to know when to shoot and when not to.

Anyway, its a process. He's got to get more comfortable by basically being more aggressive, and getting fed the ball initially is probably the fast track to that. He's got to get comfortable and then at that point, he probably won't even need to do too much as once he's comfortable it will come more naturally. Just like it is for Kawhi. At the beginning it also felt quite forced TBH although you won't recognize it, but it started to get more comfortable, natural and now he doesn't have to look at anybody to know what needs to be done.

[hater]

Agree with many of the points above good stuff guys.

If kawhi keeps playing at the level of game 1 he's easily out best player and a top 10 in the league, closer to top 5. That does not mean he needs to jack up 22 shots and gize out zero dimes. We are working for a le after all, not an MVP trophy.

Agree we Lamarcus is new to the team and it will take time and his game requires him to be fed the ball a lot. That's just the way it is and well have to adjust to him.

I also agree there is a problem with our backup big lineup. I don't think West and Diaw fit well together.

[hater]

IMO it should be Lamarcus(PF), Diaw(C) and backed up by Duncan(C), West(PF) or even Lamarcus and West starting.

I will analyze more games before formulating a final solution. I just don't see Duncan Lamar is and west diaw working for us.

[ElNono]

Agree with you on this. We need to get LMA rolling too though. We are not going to win much without him fully engaged, Kawhi is obviously not going to have the hot hand at that rate every night. LMA is not going to be that subdued every time, and shoot that poorly. I want the big man to get going as well. If that means these two top dogs are going to get the lion's share so be it. They need to run stuff between them as well.

Kawhi absolutely beasted last night and this game is not on him. If anything LMA needs to get rolling too. He can probably play with the bench a few minutes bc they need a big man there too. (West at 5 is not it!) When these two start dominating as a tandem everyone else will feast TBH.

Yeah, I agree. It's just going to be a process for LMA to pick his spots, see what we're running, and I'm glad Kawhi picked up the slack for him somewhat. But it's going to happen, IMO, we're just going to be more reliant on those two (excellent) players.

It's obviously a big change considering how reliant we've been in more of a team game.

[Expert]

Spurs lost this game at the FT line and because of poor rebounding. They were out-rebounded 36-45 and out-scored by 10 pts from the line. Simple as that. Westbrook blew past everyone guarding him too. My thoughts? We kill them at home because our bench will play much better. Their bench (Waiters hit clutch shots and Morrow nailed big 3's) was a big difference too.

Spurs will get past OKC without any problems. I guarantee you KD doesn't want to see Leonard ever again.

You have to dismiss intentional fouls and those don't only occur in the final seconds of the game. Often a guy will foul a shooter so he has to "earn" the points (odd they say that then the next sentence they say "charity stripe").

So I don't care so much for the FT disparity. What I do care about is the boneheaded plays that aren't Spurs basketball, but even then, so what? It's basically extended training camp.

[TheGreatYacht]

Team wins thanks to the second half given by Parker, LMA, Duncan, Manu, Green, Diaw & Boban. No thanks to Kawhobe. 6-16, 1AST, 4TO's

[SuperCam]

Team wins thanks to the second half given by Parker, LMA, Duncan, Manu, Green, Diaw & Boban. No thanks to Kawhobe. 6-16, 1AST, 4TO's

1:7 assist to turnover ratio this season so far... very concerning, tbh

[dabom]

KAwhi the number 1 option and DPOY mixed in one.

[TheGreatYacht]

1:7 assist to turnover ratio this season so far... very concerning, tbh

What a coincedence that the half where Kawhi does his ISO crap is the same one the team is losing in. was so bad even Diaz was starting to see the light...

[SuperCam]

What a coincedence that the half where Kawhi does his ISO crap is the same one the team is losing in. was so bad even Diaz was starting to see the light...

Pop reigned in Kawhobe and spurs went on their run. Hopefully lesson learned, tbh

[TheGreatYacht]

Pop reigned in Kawhobe and spurs went on their run. Hopefully lesson learned, tbh

Kyle didn't do this game, but him playing over Kawhi might've saved the Spurs from going 0-2