Grades: Spurs vs. Nuggets - Game 4, 2019 NBA Playoffs (Apr. 20)

[vavvi]

What a pathetic performance.

I didn't see playoffs intensity and urgency from our guys. Even losing teams like Brooklyn try harder in the postseason. Spurs played like a regular season games.
DDR and White were abysmal. We can't put this one on Mills and our bench. Our starters laid an egg.

Also: why every other team easily goes on a run being down 10-12 points, and we waive a white flag like the game is over?!

[Mugen]

Pop wasn't the major reason for the L but that grade is pretty ridiculous, timvp. And I'm starting to think that you're just doing that to troll the non-Pop suckers like me

You already mentioned the lineup to start the 2nd qtr and LMA not seeing the floor in the 4th.

But DWhite was literally glued to the bench for most of the night without being a given a chance to get his play back up. That might not be the issue for most teams but it is when the alternative is Patty and Beli guarding the opposing team's perimeter players.

They literally only have one competent perimeter defender on the team and he's getting shafted unless he's having a career night. I also have no idea what game you were watching but Patty was good on offense and gave it almost all back on defense, he's been absolutely getting spitroasted by Morris and Beasley.

[Capt Bringdown]

I weesh you where my Engrish teecher, I mite hav passsetd.

[sananspursfan21]

Our guys were terrible no doubt. But like game 2, there were some shots hit by the Nuggets that had no business going in. Spurs gotta get back the recipe that worked in games 1 and 3 and fight like there’s no tomorrow.

Also, I get the starters need rest. You can’t just not play Patty or Belli. Can Pop not stagger them better? Because whether our guys win or lose, you can set a clock to Denver’s offensive runs. Even if you have to pull one of the starters early and bring them back in, that’s better than having that lineup where nobody gets stops AND can’t hit a bucket for nothing. I dunno, I’m just a 2k coach, what do I know?

[Shakril]

It is not Pops fault that Denver hit every 3 they could hit and spurs could not even make a layup. Denver didnt play really different, they just hit everything. Though the Bench is a catastrophe. None of those Players coming from the Bench are actually helping. As of right now you have to falt your hands an beg, they dont make too many blunders.

[spursistan]

Pop wasn't the major reason for the L but that grade is pretty ridiculous, timvp. And I'm starting to think that you're just doing that to troll the non-Pop suckers like me

You already mentioned the lineup to start the 2nd qtr and LMA not seeing the floor in the 4th.

But DWhite was literally glued to the bench for most of the night without being a given a chance to get his play back up. That might not be the issue for most teams but it is when the alternative is Patty and Beli guarding the opposing team's perimeter players.

They literally only have one competent perimeter defender on the team and he's getting shafted unless he's having a career night. I also have no idea what game you were watching but Patty was good on offense and gave it almost all back on defense, he's been absolutely getting spitroasted by Morris and Beasley.

Kid's glove treatment per par

Bottom line, Pop's ty, kamikaze lineups are the main reason this is isn't sweep or Nuggets in a 3-1 hole. Instead, the Spurs are about to stare elimination in series in which they have had 3 of 4 best players/performers (LMA/WHite/Derozan)..

He is not responsible for Gay laying a massive egg, but the rotation and the minute allocation to his best players are on him..And he doubled down on the suicidal..

You said in that preview post: Don't expect Pop to out-coach anybody in 2019. I would add, don't expect him to play the likes of Mike Malone to a draw either..

You know when will Beli/Mills get yanked only for him to throw Lonnie into the fire? When the Spurs are down 20 in 3rd Q of Game 6..We have seen this boring movie before..

[monty4329]

This series basically comes down to if the Nuggets hit their 3s or not.

That was in fact clear from the very beginning. It was working for SA for 10 quarters.

[spursistan]

If there is a time for Aldridge to , it is here and now and should concern Pop handling of his minutes..

No star player should stay glued on the bench for the entire 4th quarter in 10-point playoffs game at home.

What a in' disrespectful bull from Pop..

[Chomag]

I always love reading your grades and takes Timvp but Pop getting a B- seems pretty generous to me. All I can say is I could have used you as my Highschool Math Teacher lol

[ShutUp SayItAgain!]

I always love reading your grades and takes Timvp but Pop getting a B- seems pretty generous to me. All I can say is I could have used you as my Highschool Math Teacher lol

But ur name's not Pop

[ginobilized]

What an embarrassing performance, ugh! Wasted home game.

A couple of small things that I noticed:

-Cunningham got so deep into Murray in garbage time. As if to show the team, this is how you guard this guy! I loved it.
-Lonnie Walker got a few minutes and brought some energy to the team. Might be something to build upon.
-Malone kept his stars on the court and the garbage time shifted the momentum a bit. They ended on a bad note, though they got the win. Might carry over psychologically.

The bad:
-What a weak, pathetic and gutless performance for the most part.
-Game 5 will be a lot of pressure on this squad, if Game 4 is any indication of how they will handle that we are screwed!
-DeRozan needs to get it together or be shipped out. He's supposed to lead the team and understand the Spurs culture and approach. That was a Jr. high move and so selfish.
-How does Pop handle this dysfunction between now and Game 5? Team dinners? Practice? Film sessions? Benching DeRozan? Vino, vino, vino?!?!

Keeping my fingers crossed for a compe ive Game 5 and Game 6.

[TheGreatYacht]

I weesh you where my Engrish teecher, I mite hav passsetd.

[RC_Drunkford]

Our guys were terrible no doubt. But like game 2, there were some shots hit by the Nuggets that had no business going in. Spurs gotta get back the recipe that worked in games 1 and 3 and fight like there’s no tomorrow.

Also, I get the starters need rest. You can’t just not play Patty or Belli. Can Pop not stagger them better? Because whether our guys win or lose, you can set a clock to Denver’s offensive runs. Even if you have to pull one of the starters early and bring them back in, that’s better than having that lineup where nobody gets stops AND can’t hit a bucket for nothing. I dunno, I’m just a 2k coach, what do I know?

Pop does not know how to stagger minutes. He played West/Diaw and went down with the ship. I don't expect anything else from him. Although even Stevie Wonder could see that you can win this series just by staggering the ballhandlers with the defensive traffic cones

[vavvi]

Why literally every poster makes this loss about the bench?!
Sure, our bench sucked in games 1-3 and didn't help much in game 4.

But this game was lost by our starters. Have you checked the plus-minus?
White sucked. DeRozan sucked. LMA folded in the second half. They are supposed to be our stars and 3 of the 4 best players in the series. They were outcompeted and didn't played smart.
Mills actually played better than White which is a disaster.

[vavvi]

Pop does not know how to stagger minutes. He played West/Diaw and went down with the ship. I don't expect anything else from him. Although even Stevie Wonder could see that you can win this series just by staggering the ballhandlers with the defensive traffic cones

I agree with you in principle, and West/Diaw was maddening but we aren't winning with White and DDR playing like in Game 4 no matter how we stagger their minutes.

[Capt Bringdown]

Nuggets’ Torrey Craig was invaluable in road win against Spurs in Game 4 -- more -->>

In his first-ever playoff start, Craig made a massive difference as the Nuggets went on the road and stole homecourt advantage to send the series back to Denver tied 2-2. Craig, who started in place of Will Barton, was the chess piece Nuggets coach Michael Malone tabbed to shadow Spurs star DeMar DeRozan. That matchup allowed Gary Harris to pester Game 3 star Derrick White.

Pop got solidly out-coached. A massive fail.

[monty4329]

Meantime, Clippers are playing two rookies in the starting five. And fight like madmen.

[vavvi]

Meantime, Clippers are playing two rookies in the starting five. And fight like madmen.

Yeah Clippers fight. Freaking Nets fight. Only we are playing another set of regular season games

[Capt Bringdown]

Meantime, Clippers are playing two rookies in the starting five. And fight like madmen.

Doc Rivers is doing a of job.

[Capt Bringdown]

“He’s our general”: Jamal Murray rebounds as Nuggets seize control of first-round series -- more -->>

Murray’s defense drew the brunt of criticism after Spurs point guard Derrick White went off for a career-high 36 points in Game 3. Multiple players said they took his game — and the way the Spurs had imposed their will on the Nuggets — personally. As a result, Nuggets coach Michael Malone switched up his team’s defensive assignments. Murray drew Spurs guard Bryn Forbes, while Gary Harris took White. It was Craig who was left to nag DeMar DeRozan.

White managed just eight points while committing four turnovers. DeRozan was flustered into 19 points and an ejection. Forbes scored an inconsequential 10 points.

It's called coaching.

[TD 21]

First game of this series I felt leading up that they were definitely losing. With two closely matched teams, it didn't make sense that one would outplay the other in 4 consecutive games. This is why game 2, given the way it played out, needed to be a win.

Raptors version of Gay inarguably deserved the benching. Aldridge was more debatable. I could see both sides. On the one hand, he's mostly carried this poorly constructed roster for 2 seasons, yet he gets benched during the most important span. On the other hand, while his numbers might have looked fine, he again took some awful shots and wasn't quite as engaged as need be.

Maybe he mentally checks out at this point, but I lean towards it being worth it because the "mid 3" needs a kick in the ass if they're going to pull this out. They're not suddenly going to have the basketball IQ of the big 3, but they at least need to progress to their mean.

Outside of that, Pop's rotation was again pathetic.

Denver were better and every bit the elite 3 point defending team they've been in the regular season. Impossible to win games when you get outshot that badly from 3 nowadays. They need some adjustments because if none of the better 3 point shooters can stay on the floor there'll more of the same in the remaining 2 or 3 games.

This is the series in a nuts . All the areas the Spurs are winning, often handily (points in the paints, free throw attempts, rebounding, etc.), are all secondary because they're getting destroyed from 3.

The Nuggets have made 22 more for the series (as usual, this team can't get any luck in terms of sub par 3-point shooters catching fire against them). What's more, the Spurs have somehow managed to attempt only 68 through 4 games. I realize 3 of the 4 shooters are playing less, but not by that much.

If their numbers, both in terms of attempts and makes, don't progress at least close to the mean, this series is over. There's no way they'd grinding out 2 more wins, including 1 on the road, by playing caveman basketball.

[monty4329]

(as usual, this team can't get any luck in terms of sub par 3-point shooters catching fire against them).

The poor defense on the wings and the zero pressure on lateral passes is helping the opposing offense finding a good shooting rythm. Any good shooter finds his shot when he is getting the ball in rythm, even on a bad day.

[Ozballer]

Switching Craig for Barton in the starting line up got the 3pt going for Denver. A great move. They are a talented young team yet still a bit volatile in their belief. They get down on themselves quite easily if things don't go their way. Their coach found the correct adjustment. They also do a great job at defending the perimeter (one of the best teams in the NBA at doing so), no wonder the Spurs are getting very few looks.
The Spurs are in the playoffs what they've shown the entire season, a Dr Jeckyll and Mr Hyde type performer. All in all 2-2 is a reflection of two teams that are, their own worst enemies due to lack of composure. The next 2-3 games are certainly more about the future of both teams than this ship (out of reach for both of them). From a spurs point of view, what pieces stay on for the bright re build taking place behind the scenes to support the young talents. For Denver, is more about "is this the right coach to take this team to the next level?" It will be fun to watch.

[DPG21920]

Why literally every poster makes this loss about the bench?!
Sure, our bench sucked in games 1-3 and didn't help much in game 4.

But this game was lost by our starters. Have you checked the plus-minus?
White sucked. DeRozan sucked. LMA folded in the second half. They are supposed to be our stars and 3 of the 4 best players in the series. They were outcompeted and didn't played smart.
Mills actually played better than White which is a disaster.

This is true. Bench was not good in game 4 but unlike the first 3 the staters are the ones that did not deliver. But the bench has not had a good game yet.

[objective]

Pop wasn't the major reason for the L but that grade is pretty ridiculous, timvp. And I'm starting to think that you're just doing that to troll the non-Pop suckers like me

I don't think it's really timvp.

Based on his posts this season, I wouldn't be surprised if Jeff McDougal is now the operator of the timvp account.

The site has secretly been bought by the Express News, and the new ads and promised revamp are a result of that.