Game Thread: Spurs @ Suns - Wed. (11/14) - 8:00/C (4:00am Riga Time)

[Dex]

It makes no difference. If Gay is the difference between winning and losing in Phoenix, the team isn't good enough to care about winning games. You want to complain about Gay resting at all, that's one thing, though I think it would be rather obvious he can't really hold up over the course of a full season right now. But there's no real logic against Pop using this game to rest Gay as opposed to tomorrow. Not only are the Suns bad enough to where you can reasonably expect SA to win short-handed, but you might need Rudy to take on a larger load in the second game, given that DeRozan and/or Aldridge will be fatigued. Rudy is pretty much the team's only reinforcements right now, and you don't use those at the beginning of a battle.

Thank you.

If this team can't beat the worst team in the league without Gay....we have bigger problems.

I get that a win is a win.

For those of you who struggle with math...two wins is twice as good as one.

If you have a guy who can only play one game on a B2B, you save him for the tough one. Don't just give the tough game away if you can reasonably win the easy one with him.

[Robz4000]

It makes no difference. If Gay is the difference between winning and losing in Phoenix, the team isn't good enough to care about winning games. You want to complain about Gay resting at all, that's one thing, though I think it would be rather obvious he can't really hold up over the course of a full season right now. But there's no real logic against Pop using this game to rest Gay as opposed to tomorrow. Not only are the Suns bad enough to where you can reasonably expect SA to win short-handed, but you might need Rudy to take on a larger load in the second game, given that DeRozan and/or Aldridge will be fatigued. Rudy is pretty much the team's only reinforcements right now, and you don't use those at the beginning of a battle.

Normally I'd agree but at this point they're missing their second best big (by a mile) in Gasol, leaving Gay as the third best sadly enough. The Spurs' size is their only advantage against other teams most nights and against Phoenix's shallow front line Gay really could be the difference. This Spurs team can't afford to go into any games at this point handicapping themselves.

[r0drig0lac]

Thank you.

If this team can't beat the worst team in the league without Gay....we have bigger problems.

I get that a win is a win.

For those of you who struggle with math...two wins is twice as good as one.

If you have a guy who can only play one game on a B2B, you save him for the tough one. Don't just give the tough game away if you can reasonably win the easy one with him.

this is just an opinion, the other side could easily be defended as well, I particularly prefer to see Gay against the Clippers because I want to see the "complete" team against the best teams in the league, and the Clippers are among them

[Mugen]

Early prediction for tonight - Spurs eek out a squeaker against the Suns and the apologists gonna ask where the PATFO haters at now

[Chinook]

Normally I'd agree but at this point they're missing their second best big (by a mile) in Gasol, leaving Gay as the third best sadly enough. The Spurs' size is their only advantage against other teams most nights and against Phoenix's shallow front line Gay really could be the difference. This Spurs team can't afford to go into any games at this point handicapping themselves.

That's why you play LMA 40 minutes tonight while he's somewhat fresh. Then tomorrow, when you can't expect LMA to bring that same effort again, you have Gay to help carry the load. Simply put, no one but a straight-lotto team can justify blowing their load to beat Phoenix. Even if they lose this game, for some reason, it would be better to win tomorrow anyway for tie-break reasons. The only way it makes sense to not save Gay is if you think the LAC game would be a loss anyway, and well, I don't.

[Mugen]

Hopefully the team isn't too spent after going toe to toe with the juggernaut Sacramento Kings

[Mugen]

Spurs got their pushed in by the juggernaut Orlando Magic at home on the 2nd night of a b2b, but yeah they definitely have a legit shot against the Clippers tomorrow

[Chinook]

Early prediction for tonight - Spurs eek out a squeaker against the Suns and the apologists gonna ask where the PATFO haters at now

I like how you're going for the split here. That way, if SA wins, you can act like you predicted it, but if SA loses you can act like your pessimism was warranted.

If the Spurs get this game, then it totally suggests that Pop made the right decision by resting Gay here. If the Spurs lose tonight but win tomorrow with Gay playing well, it still suggest Pop did the right thing. If the Spurs get blown out tonight, then it still suggests Pop did the right thing. There aren't many ways to cut this to where Pop was wrong for what he did. It's really obvious a priori that saving Gay for tomorrow makes the most sense. And this ignores that, hey, maybe Rudy needs another day off that heel to play his best anyway.

[Mugen]

I like how you're going for the split here. That way, if SA wins, you can act like you predicted it, but if SA loses you can act like your pessimism was warranted.

If the Spurs get this game, then it totally suggests that Pop made the right decision by resting Gay here. If the Spurs lose tonight but win tomorrow with Gay playing well, it still suggest Pop did the right thing. If the Spurs get blown out tonight, then it still suggests Pop did the right thing. There aren't many ways to cut this to where Pop was wrong for what he did. It's really obvious a priori that saving Gay for tomorrow makes the most sense. And this ignores that, hey, maybe Rudy needs another day off that heel to play his best anyway.

Chin, my dude. No need to preach to me about any of Pop's moves, I don't think it really matters anymore with the roster. You convinced me that the spurs shouldn't be favored against any team in the league this year after they made this year's Sac Kings look like the Kobe/Shaq Lakers.

I'm going into every game season expecting an L and will bet accordingly until Vegas figures out the team is trash, should help my viewing experience tremendously

[Mugen]

Looking at the next 10 games, they'd be legit lucky to go 3-7 in that span tbh.

Makes me wonder what their record would need to be by January for the front office to start thinking about selling off DD/LMA, maybe 10 games under .500? Probably no realistic scenario out there for that unless Pop quits halfway through the season and abandons the farewell tour.

[Arcadian]

I'd like to say the Spurs "should win" this game, but it's still loseable. Ayton might explode tonight.

[iGetbuckets]

The spurs will lose and i guarantee it will be Mills fault .

[SpurPadre]

Time for the Mafia to face its 'Get Well' team, tbh.

[spurraider21]

Spurs by 20+ tbh

[The Closer]

Preemptive ing.

[Mirrornick]

Booker goes off for 83 points

Spurs still win

[Leetonidas]

Looking at the next 10 games, they'd be legit lucky to go 3-7 in that span tbh.

Makes me wonder what their record would need to be by January for the front office to start thinking about selling off DD/LMA, maybe 10 games under .500? Probably no realistic scenario out there for that unless Pop quits halfway through the season and abandons the farewell tour.

Honestly wouldn't mind if the spurs tank it as it would either force the FO to make a move or secure us a decent draft pick

[Spur|n|Austin]

What's with the nicknames? Also how do we post in MS Paint?

Spurs got their pushed in by the juggernaut Orlando Magic at home on the 2nd night of a b2b, but yeah they definitely have a legit shot against the Clippers tomorrow

No Rudy Gay is huge difference with this squad.

[Darius Bieber]

At this point, nobody can say the Spurs will win. It will be a grind each and every game against weaker teams.. And blowout losses against better teams.

[heyheymymy]

Go spurs go!!

[NASpurs]

Steph is out for the Spurs game... so there's a chance we won't be blown out by 30.

[BatManu20]

Suns are in the running for this guy so they prob tank tonight if it’s close tbh.

[BatManu20]

Steph is out for the Spurs game... so there's a chance we won't be blown out by 30.

Still lose by double-digits imo.

[LittleCriminal]

Spurs by 12... Book it!!

Bertans is gunna go off on these fools!

[Mirrornick]

calls himself little criminal.

never saw jail in his life lmao