Game Thread: Spurs @ OKC -- Sun. (12/3) - 6:00/C (2:00am Riga Time)

[DAF86]

Your first reaction tonight is to about coulda shoulda wouldas...Pop sucks, wtf was he thinking, etc...

My reaction is realizing the fact that the guys who played , played their asses off , and had a chance to win despite multiple okc runs and ty reffing.

You're far from a 'mostly postivie poster', that's BS. Everytime I see you post it's ing about some decision you think would've made more sense.

But sure, I'm as bad as the trolls. Keep complaining and being miserable tbh

My first reaction was that this game would have been an easy win if Pop would have actually tried to win it because it is an obvious conclusion to get from watching this game. How much could have hurt giving Pau, Green and Mills a couple more minutes in the 4th so that the other guys could have rested a bit?

Either way, I'm not specially mad with this loss. It was a loss that I anticipated and I agreed with the idea of resting players. I'm not freaking out, I'm just giving an opinion on something I think it would have resulted on a Spurs win and it wouldn't have hurt the big guns stamina going forward. Seriously, how hurtful could have been giving Mills, Pau and Green the first 4 minutes of the 4th quarter? Would those 4 minutes have been the difference between playing or not playing tomorrow? Of course not, but it could have been the difference between a win and a loss tonight.

And about me not being a positive guy, just let me show you some of the threads I have started over the years:

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=270900
http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=254462
http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=254667
http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=201576
http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=199361

[DAF86]

postive poster lmao

Just because I'm not a parody poster like you that jacks off to everything the Spurs do, it doesn't mean I'm not positive, tbh.

It just means that I have an opinion of my own and care to provide diversitiy and depth on my takes about the team I like.

[raybies]

Just because I'm not a parody poster like you that jacks off to everything the Spurs do, it doesn't mean I'm not positive, tbh.

It just means that I have an opinion of my own and care to provide diversitiy and depth on my takes about the team I like.

I pick my arguments unlike what you care to believe. It's just easy to defend a winning team, culture, and organization.

[Ice009]

Just watched the game. Couldn't watch it live. Pop's coaching was ing trash. All those people who say he was teaching a lesson, what lesson is that? No guidance whatsoever from the mail it in coach. No timeout, no direction, no guidance, no nothing.

The game was only close and winnable because the young guys played their asses off. It had nothing whatsoever do with any kind of coaching.

Oh, and I forgot to mention my usual disgust with resting players. If you're healthy, you should play except for a few small cir stances and exceptions, you should always play healthy players - just limit their minutes if you don't want to overwork them. You're just asking for bad, bad karma by sitting healthy players. Could the Anderson injury been avoided? Maybe, maybe not, but I believe it could have. I've always believed that you're asking for trouble by resting healthy players.

[LakerHater]

[tbdog]

You want them to play hard. We don't want another game 2 concede against the Warriors ever again.

[SAGirl]

We should be talking about DJ's pull up vinny, with Adams on him. He could of easily got to the rim or collapsed the defense, but he settled. And Pop then proceeded to take his PG duties from him. Another thing, I would of like to see Paul kick it to Bertans for the three at the end. I was screaming to my friend for him to pass it. He was looking to pass it and took it because. But people want to point fingers at Pop when the kids inexperience is what lost the game, which is the same inexperience that he is trying rectify by giving them experience.

He could have won that game if he really wanted to. You know that. It was a scheduled loss and he was going to let the guys do what they could undermanned. He’s done this over the years. I am not surprised.

Maybe this teaching moment helps Dejounte long term as well as others. There were guys who stood out. Maybe some earned minutes.

But it’s fine to admit he sacrificed the win in the name of resting players and teaching moments. I am fine with it but can also be critical. He’s lucky no one else got hurt.

I know you aren’t a troll btw

[SAGirl]

Was that him not able to watch Lauvergne’s finger?

[Ice009]

He could have won that game if he really wanted to. You know that. It was a scheduled loss and he was going to let the guys do what they could undermanned. He’s done this over the years. I am not surprised.

Maybe this teaching moment helps Dejounte long term as well as others. There were guys who stood out. Maybe some earned minutes.

But it’s fine to admit he sacrificed the win in the name of resting players and teaching moments. I am fine with it but can also be critical. He’s lucky no one else got hurt.

I know you aren’t a troll btw

How much teaching did he do? What exactly did he teach? How to hang his players out to dry when the game is on the line and let them figure it out themselves? If he didn't want to play other players, he could have at the VERY LEAST called some timeouts to talk to them and try and teach them something.

[SAGirl]

Just watched the game. Couldn't watch it live. Pop's coaching was ing trash. All those people who say he was teaching a lesson, what lesson is that? No guidance whatsoever from the mail it in coach. No timeout, no direction, no guidance, no nothing.

The game was only close and winnable because the young guys played their asses off. It had nothing whatsoever do with any kind of coaching.

Oh, and I forgot to mention my usual disgust with resting players. If you're healthy, you should play except for a few small cir stances and exceptions, you should always play healthy players - just limit their minutes if you don't want to overwork them. You're just asking for bad, bad karma by sitting healthy players. Could the Anderson injury been avoided? Maybe, maybe not, but I believe it could have. I've always believed that you're asking for trouble by resting healthy players.

I definitely think he taxed the bodies of undersized guards and forwards playing them as bigs and put them in situations where getting hurt was predictable. Go back to the beginning of this thread I was worried someone was going to get hurt from the beginning.

[SAGirl]

How much teaching did he do? What exactly did he teach? How to hang his players out to dry when the game is on the line and let them figure it out themselves? If he didn't want to play other players, he could have at the VERY LEAST called some timeouts to talk to them and try and teach them something.

Not much. Gathered film to watch with Dejounte and others is my guess.

[LakerHater]

Was that him not able to watch Lauvergne’s finger?

yeah, lol he called himself a weiner

[spurs10]

Was that him not able to watch Lauvergne’s finger?

Yes! The kids played hard, I'm not so sure we get closer than a great chance to tie the game just because Pau or Danny were in there. Sorry about KA.

[raybies]

Yes! The kids played hard, I'm not so sure we get closer than a great chance to tie the game just because Pau or Danny were in there. Sorry about KA.

felt the same way.

[raybies]

He could have won that game if he really wanted to. You know that. It was a scheduled loss and he was going to let the guys do what they could undermanned. He’s done this over the years. I am not surprised.

Maybe this teaching moment helps Dejounte long term as well as others. There were guys who stood out. Maybe some earned minutes.

But it’s fine to admit he sacrificed the win in the name of resting players and teaching moments. I am fine with it but can also be critical. He’s lucky no one else got hurt.

I know you aren’t a troll btw

Just watching the game and how it played out, just appeared this game was about Murray imo. I know how that sounds and all but my su ion is that Pop wanted to spur his growth and decision making. I think that's why he didn't call a timeout and draw a play. He wanted to put the ball in Murray's hands and see what he did. Kind of like Falco in the Replacements lol. Sorry for my cheesy reference. Anywho, it didn't end well, but I think this is a game that Murray takes to heart because it was personal. He was jawing at Westbrook a lot and playing up to him. It just sucks he took that bad J at the end. That was a Westbrook shot and I'm sure Pop wanted more.

[John B]

It was time for the young guys to earn minutes, and some of them did. Moreover the learning experience they got was great. In Pops we trust

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

How much teaching did he do? What exactly did he teach? How to hang his players out to dry when the game is on the line and let them figure it out themselves? If he didn't want to play other players, he could have at the VERY LEAST called some timeouts to talk to them and try and teach them something.

They didn't have timeouts because they used 2 on Anderson's and Lauvergne's injuries.

Pop did fine, he let the guys who got them back in the game try to win it. He couldn't bring cold guys off the bench for the last few minutes, that's a recipe for injuries.

[raybies]

They didn't have timeouts because they used 2 on Anderson's and Lauvergne's injuries.

Pop did fine, he let the guys who got them back in the game try to win it. He couldn't bring cold guys off the bench for the last few minutes, that's a recipe for injuries.

Yeah your right I forgot about that. Dang those injuries had a big impact on the game. Kudos for you to pointing that out.

[spurs10]

They didn't have timeouts because they used 2 on Anderson's and Lauvergne's injuries.

Pop did fine, he let the guys who got them back in the game try to win it. He couldn't bring cold guys off the bench for the last few minutes, that's a recipe for injuries.

Yep!

Yeah your rightI forgot about that. Dang those injuries had a big impact on the game. Kudos for you to pointing that out.

I think we should look at games like this one and the Detroit game as being one of 5 in 7 nights. That's quite a load! It's naive to think you don't have to strategize and consider everyone's minute and do your best to keep them healthy.

[SAGirl]

Yeah your right I forgot about that. Dang those injuries had a big impact on the game. Kudos for you to pointing that out.

I don’t give a damn about the trolling. Spurs frontcourt were really undermanned with injuries to begin with and it was taken to a whole new level with the resting in this game. It was really predictable someone was going to get hurt considering. It was probably a little bit careless from Pop to not even have Costello available to play in this game.

Not really sour about the loss bc I really expected it, though it was a winnable game Imo. Just didn’t like the plan they had to play so obviously undermanned.

Kylw ended up getting hurt in a meaningless regular season game that was meant to teach Dijon a lesson. Could have had Costello play in the second half instead.

Not going to change my view on it but I am not hating.

[r0drig0lac]

It's admirable how guys have competed.

[raybies]

Yep!


I think we should look at games like this one and the Detroit game as being one of 5 in 7 nights. That's quite a load! It's naive to think you don't have to strategize and consider everyone's minute and do your best to keep them healthy.

Yeah, the 5 games in 7 nights is pretty brutal. Just as bad as 4 in 5. But in my estimation, Pop figured OKC at home would be tougher, and looked to protect the fort.

[raybies]

I don’t give a damn about the trolling. Spurs frontcourt were really undermanned with injuries to begin with and it was taken to a whole new level with the resting in this game. It was really predictable someone was going to get hurt considering. It was probably a little bit careless from Pop to not even have Costello available to play in this game.

Not really sour about the loss bc I really expected it, though it was a winnable game Imo. Just didn’t like the plan they had to play so obviously undermanned.

Kylw ended up getting hurt in a meaningless regular season game that was meant to teach Dijon a lesson. Could have had Costello play in the second half instead.

Not going to change my view on it but I am not hating.

hath no fury like a woman's scorn.... I'll just back off but when Kyle went down I was in complete shock. Felt so bad cause he's enjoying a breakout campaign and you just never want to see that happen to someone who is rooting himself and building a foundation.

[duncan2k5]

I didnt mind this game, TBH...just wish he would play the young guys more when the big dogs are playing...Bertans played well, and if he gets more playing time, his decision making and confidence will only increase...also ppl dont seem to understand how important it is to gain experience playing against specific players...you understand tendencies that make you attack or defend them a certain way the nxt time you play them...

DJ played well, IMO...not great, but well...had some turnovers, but im not gonna act like his turnovers are somehow worse than when any of our other players get stripped...even tony has thrown the ball out of bounds on drives, especially as a young PG...it happens...as he gets more experience, he will understand what works, and what doesnt...he will understand that westbrook reaches from the back, so to protect the ball from that, etc...

he attempted a silly pull- up, hero ball shot vs dams, and hopefully this is his kobe moment (when kobe tried to be a hero and airballed several times vs the jazz in his rookie year)...however looking at the bigger picture, at least he doesnt shy from these moments...just needs to make better decisions...he shouldnt be pulling up for jumpers over centers at this point in his development...he was destroying them almost everytime he drove to the rim either with his passing or finishing, why stop?

and another point ppl were missing.......boy was he giving it to russ! let's be real...if it were patty or parker, russ would be posting them up all game, thus causing our defense to break down...russ had a hard time vs DJ, and DJ forced turnovers several times, including the 1-on 1 possession in the 4th...let's giv the kid credit on his D...point guard defense is important in this league today, especially since every single contender we have to go against has a beast of a PG we need to defend against

[bklynspursfan]

My first reaction was that this game would have been an easy win if Pop would have actually tried to win it because it is an obvious conclusion to get from watching this game. How much could have hurt giving Pau, Green and Mills a couple more minutes in the 4th so that the other guys could have rested a bit?

For better or for worse, if Pop has a rest plan in place, barring some unordinary cir stance, he's going to stick with it. I mean those guys who were out there had an easy chance to win too, but Murray made some questionable choices and the officiating was terrible.

Either way, I'm not specially mad with this loss. It was a loss that I anticipated and I agreed with the idea of resting players. I'm not freaking out, I'm just giving an opinion on something I think it would have resulted on a Spurs win and it wouldn't have hurt the big guns stamina going forward. Seriously, how hurtful could have been giving Mills, Pau and Green the first 4 minutes of the 4th quarter? Would those 4 minutes have been the difference between playing or not playing tomorrow? Of course not, but it could have been the difference between a win and a loss tonight.

That's fair. But it just goes to what I mentioned re: Pop. It really didn't seem like anyone was sucking wind out there. Murray played 39 mins, Forbes/BP3 33 a piece, but they seemed to be moving fine out there. No one else cracked 30. I know some of these guys aren't used to playing a lot of minutes, but they seemed OK physically for the challenge. Another thing is OKC was playing some unknowns. You bring back in Patty/Pau, they know how to defend those guys, and they know the scouting report. Westbrook was all over Patty when he was in there. It's a bit different with some of these other guys

And about me not being a positive guy, just let me show you some of the threads I have started over the years:

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=270900
http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=254462
http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=254667
http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=201576
http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=199361

Maybe you're just not a positive guy when it comes to Pop then (?)