Game Thread(57/82): Spurs @ Cipper (9:30 PM CT) sponsored by Automatic L

[SpurPadre]

He's 108 for 125 this year (before tonight) in the fourth and OT or 86.4%. Not bad at all. 52 for 62 when score is within 5 points (83.8%) but sample size starts getting too small to be meaningful - three more FT and he's essentially at his season average.

Thanks for finding those stats. I would've thought he'd be in the mid 70s in the fourth. It turns out, I Trumped with alternative facts and stand corrected. I still would like him to improve at the line in crunch time, though.

[SAGirl]

MVPelon <3

He had a lot of huge plays, the inbound steal.. the other steal leading to a JSimms dunk, a momentum 3 he hit, the cut with the bucket off Pau's pass.. he was huge.

Good to see.

[kuato]

So any volunteers for the grades?

Manu = Alpha and Omega, without Manu the team was useless.
Aldridge = B , he did what he does, score something, rebound something, defend nothing.
Parker = B , i don't wish to talk about Parker
Gasol = A , he delivered when needed, even with his ed up hand.
Kawhy = A , started strong but he was without energy in the second
Dedmon = B+, great on defense, he make some stupid errors with the ball
Mills = B, he did what Patty does
Green = C , nothing special on defense, his 3s were absent
Lee = C , he was on the field but feels like he wasn't there

[HarlemHeat37]

Nice win, tbh..haven't looked through the thread, I'm assuming there was a mass suicide here when the Clippers had control of the game?

[cjw]

I don't want to mention this, but depending on how impactful he's in the playoffs... He reminds me of a Tristan Thompson like impact.. which means a huge contract.
We shall see, playoffs is where guys earn their contracts.

Tristan's contract was partly Lebron's doing (though he did deserve around what Danny made but not as crazy as he's making). I'm holding onto hope that there simply won't be enough teams with cap space and a need for centers to offer more than the MLE to him. Thankfully Dallas grabbed Noel, Philly needs guards badly (more of a threat to snatch Mills) and the Nets likely will go for wings. Need to canvas other potential bidders now that we have a better idea of salary situations.

[SAGirl]

A lot of truth in this..but question, can you bank on the fresh legs Manu/TP had tonight for a 7-game series? the decline of these two has killed us in this matchup ..

I will tell you one thing:
in the first half when Tony was playing hero and not running things well the Spurs except for kawhi were just awful.

They need him... Manu too. It's just the truth. Nothing more can be done. This is how we go into the postseason. When they play well it's a different team (oh and they need Patty to be making shots, once he did, it loosened up the defense).

[Chinook]

A lot of truth in this..but question, can you bank on the fresh legs Manu/TP had tonight for a 7-game series? the decline of these two has killed us in this matchup ..

Depends on what they do in the two series before. I think Kawhi, LMA and Pau are the engines for most match-ups. They are playing this iso style on purpose. Hopefully between them not having to take on a huge load and the other role-players stepping up, they could manage. That's all the Spurs can hope for.

[cjw]

Thanks for finding those stats. I would've thought he'd be in the mid 70s in the fourth. It turns out, I Trumped with alternative facts and stand corrected. I still would like him to improve at the line in crunch time, though.

You're actually right though in that his averages fall in the fourth. Hard to tell if it's clutchness or getting more tired as the game goes on. When not on my phone I may look at the league as a whole and see if everyone lags in the fourth.

[Arcadian]

Los Angeles ters

[Ice009]

I can't believe no-one has commented on a stat I've brought up several times over the past week or two.

Kawhi is shooting around 32% (it was around there last time I looked a week or two ago) from three-point range on the road. Does that not concern anyone? He also takes more 3 point attempts on the road than he does at home. He's now down to 38% overall for the season after another poor 3 point shooting night on the road.

[SAGirl]

Tristan's contract was partly Lebron's doing (though he did deserve around what Danny made but not as crazy as he's making). I'm holding onto hope that there simply won't be enough teams with cap space and a need for centers to offer more than the MLE to him. Thankfully Dallas grabbed Noel, Philly needs guards badly (more of a threat to snatch Mills) and the Nets likely will go for wings. Need to canvas other potential bidders now that we have a better idea of salary situations.

Very few bigs out there that can guard the way Dedmon is showing us he can. He will get paid, but like you I hope he's not priced out of the Spurs range.
We shall see.

[Chinook]

Nah, that's a fluky stake.

[SpurPadre]

I was more impressed with Pau tonight than LMA.

[GSH]

Los Angeles ters

Cuck the Flippers.

[SAGirl]

I can't believe no-one has commented on a stat I've brought up several times over the past week or two.

Kawhi is shooting around 32% (it was around there last time I looked a week or two ago) from three-point range on the road. Does that not concern anyone? He also takes more 3 point attempts on the road than he does at home. He's now down to 38% overall for the season after another poor 3 point shooting night on the road.

Thanks for bringing that up.
It will mean tougher games on the road...
it could mean he's forcing things more.
It's strange.

[skulls138]

Pau got the glamour, LA got the grit.

[SAGirl]

I was more impressed with Pau tonight than LMA.

Me too. Lamarcus back to brick city but he was very active and good on D.

[HarlemHeat37]

Loved seeing Pau in a 3rd big role off the bench, tbh..hopefully he would accept that role going forward, but it's likely that he'll be starting again within a few games..

[sasaint]

Time for a bit of Ludwig Van to celebrate!

[BillMc]

We are getting a little touch of the ol' ultra violence!

[SAGirl]

Depends on what they do in the two series before. I think Kawhi, LMA and Pau are the engines for most match-ups. They are playing this iso style on purpose. Hopefully between them not having to take on a huge load and the other role-players stepping up, they could manage. That's all the Spurs can hope for.

The most succinct and at the same time accurate assessment.

[TheDoctor]

Pau got the glamour, LA got the grit.

Liked the sound of that

[BillMc]

I didn't think so. The young Malcolm McDowell trilogy for me is: If, Clockwork Orange, O Lucky Man! I grew up with the music of the British Invasion, so I am partial to the soundtrack from OLM. The Alan Price Combo is very good. Plus anything that is related to the Animals is tops in my book. The trilogy goes from more to less political. "If" is pretty fascinating... Hope you find it.

I'll look. thanks. I've only seen Clockwork Orange.

Okay, well, as the Animals said "I gotta get out of this place" . Been up all night...

[SpurPadre]

Me too. Lamarcus back to brick city but he was very active and good on D.

Yeah and to be fair, LMA looked confident in his shots and he didn't miss badly. It's just that he missed a couple moments to post up on mismatches and settled for jumpers.

[skulls138]

Liked the sound of that

Thanks. Enjoyable game