Game 5 Rockets @ Spurs: 7:00 PM Central 5/9/2017 brought to you by Kawhi's Wrath

[cd021]

And that's why with all the I keep getting for it, I've been saying that LMA has been better than people think. That he is able to go in there, play 40 minutes, force double-teams get offensive rebounds and fight his way to a decent line is much more significant than people want to admit. He had a TO and might have been screwed on a put-back. But the team would have lost without him, and frankly that's been the case in five of the seven wins the Spurs have had this post-season.

Still haven't seen why they waived it off,. Every angle appeared to show the ball off the cylinder when he tipped it back up and in. Either I misunderstand offensive inference or they blew a big call. He played 42 minutes and had a +4; that's not necessarily indicative of his game but he wasn't a negative despite making several mistakes (missing 2 FT's to start OT, turning the ball over in the post on a long and crucial offensive possession, he also missed an easy putback on a Kawhi drive in the second half).

[cd021]

I think Simmons deserves a 3 year contract from us.

3 years, $25 million would be a good deal for the Spurs, but I expect him to get north of 3 years, $30 million . I wouldn't be opposed to paying him; though I'd be hesitant if it was 4 year deal, or it exceeded $10 million per) . I wasn't a fan but he had shown something.

Those above the break 3's are probably fluky but he can consistently get to the rim and handle the ball. In small ball lineups his value increases because he can defend on the wing, allow Kawhi to play off ball for a possession or two and being able to drive.

[100%duncan]

I wasn't exactly glowing about his performance, he wasn't a train wreck but he wasn't Game 1 and Game 2 WCSF LMA vs. OKC. It's amazing to see how far he's fallen off.

I was quoting you to partially answer chinook and added some of my own.

[szkorhetz]

Guys!

Where to find great quality pictures from games?

Thanks!

[Chinook]

lol at the team would've lost without him, you paid the guy 20 million, restructured the offense around him and kawhi, play him for majority of the game, if he's an nba level player he should produce more good than bad no matter how negative he is

$20 Million is nothing in a world where Kent Bazemore is making more than $17 Million a year. LMA had nine offensive rebounds. That's nine times he gave the Spurs extra possessions, and in a game where the Rockets won the three-point battle by 15 points, it made a huge difference. Yes, had LMA been in Game Three form, the Spurs would have won going away. But since the first game of this series, he has averaged 19 and 9 in 34 minutes a night. Yes, he did it on 32/69 shooting, but the team wasn't going to really get that anywhere else.

[RD2191]

Chinook could spin a 0-10 shooting night as a positive.

[Chinook]

Chinook could spin a 0-10 shooting night as a positive.

There are cases of that happening. Or I could look at a game without trying to on LMA and realize that the front court without him looks shaky right now. It's like all those people trying to on Parker.

[poeticism707]

$20 Million is nothing in a world where Kent Bazemore is making more than $17 Million a year. LMA had nine offensive rebounds. That's nine times he gave the Spurs extra possessions, and in a game where the Rockets won the three-point battle by 15 points, it made a huge difference. Yes, had LMA been in Game Three form, the Spurs would have won going away. But since the first game of this series, he has averaged 19 and 9 in 34 minutes a night. Yes, he did it on 32/69 shooting, but the team wasn't going to really get that anywhere else.

This and this.

LA is worth every penny.

[100%duncan]

$20 Million is nothing in a world where Kent Bazemore is making more than $17 Million a year. LMA had nine offensive rebounds. That's nine times he gave the Spurs extra possessions, and in a game where the Rockets won the three-point battle by 15 points, it made a huge difference. Yes, had LMA been in Game Three form, the Spurs would have won going away. But since the first game of this series, he has averaged 19 and 9 in 34 minutes a night. Yes, he did it on 32/69 shooting, but the team wasn't going to really get that anywhere else.

If a 40 year old Duncan or literally ANYONE in the NBA played as bad or say with the same shooting night, I can still say that the team wouldn't have won without him simply because of the playing time given to him to produce.

[Chinook]

If a 40 year old Duncan or literally ANYONE in the NBA played as bad or say with the same shooting night, I can still say that the team wouldn't have won without him simply because of the playing time given to him to produce.

Not necessarily. In a game with a hobbled Kawhi and missing Parker, SOMEONE needed to score. That LMA battled through his missed shots, gave the Spurs more possessions and in general be the only big who could reasonably play 42 minutes of positive baskeball on the roster was huge. To put it into perspective, LMA had as many O-boards in his 42 minutes as Houston did in 255 minutes, and as the Spurs besides him did in 213 minutes. So the idea that he was just benefiting from playing time makes no sense.

[Dex]

And that's why with all the I keep getting for it, I've been saying that LMA has been better than people think. That he is able to go in there, play 40 minutes, force double-teams get offensive rebounds and fight his way to a decent line is much more significant than people want to admit. He had a TO and might have been screwed on a put-back. But the team would have lost without him, and frankly that's been the case in five of the seven wins the Spurs have had this post-season.

People's expectations for LMA are too high because of the way he came into the team (as a "prized" free agent) and his lofty contract. They see him as a "max player", thus he should be putting up "max player" numbers. Since he isn't marking down 25 and 10 every night, it's like they just dismiss everything else he provides for the team, which is ample offense and solid defense.

Yes, Aldridge's game can be frustrating at times...but it's the player he has always been ever since he played for Texas. He's never been the type to go bully in the paint. He's always favored that mid-range jumper. He'll show flashes in the post from time to time, but it's never been his strong suit and never will be. The difference between now and his Portland days is that he's getting much less shots and isn't quite as effective from mid-range as he used to be. But people who think he is all of a sudden going to transform into a post player are going to continue to be disappointed, despite who is guarding him.

Now if he could just get his jumper back on line, he'd be an even greater asset to the team...because he's going to continue to shoot them.

[boutons_deux]

how can Pau and LMA, 6'10 or better miss SO MANY uncontested gimmes, bunnies, putbacks?

[ducks]

how can Pau and LMA, 6'10 or better miss SO MANY uncontested gimmes, bunnies, putbacks?

they are soft like comey Clinton should have been charged!

[dabom]

Nice win OP. Cost SA Kawhi, but what can you do? Sucks that the first time my internet in Europe sucked was for this game. Missed a great one.

"We got the win, it's all that matters" -

[100%duncan]

Not necessarily. In a game with a hobbled Kawhi and missing Parker, SOMEONE needed to score. That LMA battled through his missed shots, gave the Spurs more possessions and in general be the only big who could reasonably play 42 minutes of positive baskeball on the roster was huge. To put it into perspective, LMA had as many O-boards in his 42 minutes as Houston did in 255 minutes, and as the Spurs besides him did in 213 minutes. So the idea that he was just benefiting from playing time makes no sense.

No, you're saying that because we won. So I'm stating my argument from the same premise, put in anyone from the NBA in his scenario granted that we won game 5, and you still can say that he did well even if he actually was so bad. That's how useless he was, the roleplayers carried him.

[cd021]

they are soft like comey Clinton should have been charged!

Wasn't Trump supposed to "hire a special prosecutor to look in to her situation?" He's the soft one. tbh

and at forcing a political jab into a game thread

[SAGirl]

People's expectations for LMA are too high because of the way he came into the team (as a "prized" free agent) and his lofty contract. They see him as a "max player", thus he should be putting up "max player" numbers. Since he isn't marking down 25 and 10 every night, it's like they just dismiss everything else he provides for the team, which is ample offense and solid defense.

Yes, Aldridge's game can be frustrating at times...but it's the player he has always been ever since he played for Texas. He's never been the type to go bully in the paint. He's always favored that mid-range jumper. He'll show flashes in the post from time to time, but it's never been his strong suit and never will be. The difference between now and his Portland days is that he's getting much less shots and isn't quite as effective from mid-range as he used to be. But people who think he is all of a sudden going to transform into a post player are going to continue to be disappointed, despite who is guarding him.

Now if he could just get his jumper back on line, he'd be an even greater asset to the team...because he's going to continue to shoot them.

Frankly, I can't speak for anyone else but it's not just how much he's getting paid, etc. or the fact he was the best FA signing by Spurs in I don't know how many years.
To me it's really about the fact that offense was tweaked for him, that he's fed the ball for his shots in his spots and that everyone else plays around him often, except for kawhi who is number one and does his thing when he has the ball and is the real No. 1.
I dislike LMA offense bc it's inefficient and he's a very poor passer to channel a lot of things offensively through. He's likely to TO the ball or simply take a bad contested shot himself, or to pass to someone who is covered who then has to in turn take the bad shot... the 2 man game with Danny ending in Danny heaves. Sometimes those heaves are now ending up in Patty heaves.
Anyways, when the Spurs play him differently and channel the offense through others, even their system, etc. and don't force feed Lamarsha I am cool.
I have stated somewhere else I'd rather have him than not have him precisely bc of the reasons Chinook gave. Lee and Pau? heh neither can stay on the floor long for defensive reasons (Gasoft much?, no defense playing Lee much?---though Lee did block a shot on a drive in this game and worked well off the ball and I have to give him props... in small allotments of minutes I have been fine with Lee lately)... Dedmon isn't even playing at this point...
Anyways, he does bring value, but I definitely do not like when the offense is run through him.

[SAGirl]

how can Pau and LMA, 6'10 or better miss SO MANY uncontested gimmes, bunnies, putbacks?

Lamarcus sometimes looks scared he could get blocked and hesitates. Either draw a foul Lamarcus or be crafty like Tiago. I think he's on the crafty side but needs to hesitate less and go for it more.

[Yuixafun]

Best game of the post season easy.

Instant classic.

Been a long time since I had the butterflies.


Ps... Pop was fired up tonight too, loved how he was coaching at the end. He still has it.

The Spurs are alive and their eyes show it. Hopefully LMA has been baptized this game. He needs to be huge game 6.