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Thsnk you
In the first few minutes of the first quarter, the Spurs were playing decently well. Their offensive execution was steady and they were competing on defense. Then everything fell apart. San Antonio went scoreless for a five-minute stretch starting at the 7:42 mark of the first period and the Nuggets grabbed control.
Leading 26-19 going into the second quarter, Denver steadily built their lead and went into intermission with a 53-42 advantage. The third quarter is where it totally went off the rails for San Antonio, as the Nuggets began the second half with a 16-4 run to go up 23 points. The Spurs never legitimately threatened the home team's lead again, as the Nuggets built their cushion to as high as 30 points.
The loss, by a final count of 108-90, puts the Spurs in a 3-2 hole in this first round series. The good guys return to San Antonio to play a must-win game on Thursday night.
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LaMarcus Aldridge
LaMarcus Aldridge wasn't necessarily bad but he didn't put up much of a fight. In the game's first three quarters, he was only 4-for-10 from the floor and missed a few demoralizing point-blank shots right at the rim. In his defense, Aldridge wasn't getting many touches tonight. That said, I expected more urgency out of San Antonio's lone All-Star. Defensively, he was okay and he did well enough on the boards but nothing on this night stood out as uniquely positive for Aldridge.
Grade: C-
Summary: Aldridge never found a rhythm and never really seemed to be too concerned about that.
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DeMar DeRozan
Early on, DeMar DeRozan's effort was solid. He hit his first two shots from the floor and appeared to be playing a determined brand of basketball. But when things got tough for the Spurs, DeRozan folded. I didn't like his body language and, of course, he steadily whined about the refereeing. After his two early makes, he hit only two of his next nine field goal attempts. His playmaking was totally missing in action; DeRozan's lone assist didn't come until the game was essentially over. Defensively, he made a couple plays but was mostly well below average.
Grade: D
Summary: DeRozan's defeatist aura didn't help matters.
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Derrick White
While Derrick White's statistics look decent, it must be prominently noted that he hit his final four shots from the floor well into garbage time in the fourth quarter. Up until his late flurry, he was 1-for-7 from the floor with one assist. White wasn't moving well on either end, lacked any burst to the basket, was passing up wide open shots and wasn't creating shots for teammates at a satisfactory level. Honestly, he looked nothing like the player who dropped 36 points in Game 3. Making his night even more difficult was foul trouble in the middle two quarters. Let's hope those fourth quarter buckets can get his confidence on track, he can discover some spryness and White can deliver in Game 6.
Grade: D+
Summary: White had a subdued night, to put it kindly.
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Bryn Forbes
Bryn Forbes hit a three-pointer less than two minutes into the game ... and that was about all she wrote. His shot-selection was iffy and he couldn't create anything of value off the dribble. Defensively, he didn't play too well, either, as Gary Harris easily and efficiently won the battle of the shooting guard Spartans. The Spurs desperately needed someone like Forbes to have a breakout offensive performance ... but it didn't happen.
Grade: D+
Summary: Forbes will want to forget Tuesday night.
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Jakob Poeltl
Mr. Sole Bright Spot, also known as Jakob Poeltl, played pretty darn well. I don't have any complaints. On offense, he extended his repertoire by way of floaters and drives to the bucket when the Spurs were begging for someone, anyone to produce. His patience and savviness when passing the basketball was extremely helpful; Poeltl was playing like the wily vet who was trying to conduct an offense overflowing with youthful bewilderment. (Though, it's probably not a good sign when Poeltl has double the number of assists as anyone else on your team, to be honest.) Defensively, he was strong against Nikola Jokic. Poeltl kept a hand up on his jumpers, guarded him physically in the paint and flailed his long arms in the passing lanes. His help-defense and rebounding were also at high levels. Well done.
Grade: A
Summary: Poeltl came to play and continues to paint an increasingly pretty picture of his future.
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Marco Belinelli
Marco Belinelli wasn't exactly good but he was much, much closer to it than any of the previous four games. His shot-selection was fine, although he did hesitate on a few open jumpers. His defense wasn't an asset but it also wasn't the blinding liability it was in the previous games against the Nuggets. Belinelli made a couple good passes and competed reasonably well. All that said, the Spurs need him to actually put together a quality game before this series ends rather than simply a not-terrible game like tonight.
Grade: C
Summary: Belinelli bounced back a bit but there's still plenty of room for recovery.
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Patty Mills
With White in foul trouble and struggling, it was the perfect opportunity for Patty Mills to flex some of his veteran moxie and lead the Spurs to an inspiring performance inside the lion's den. And he did just that. Just kidding. Mills was bad. Defensively, he drew an offensive foul and had a couple well-timed digs into the post but otherwise he was routinely roasted by Denver's guards. Jamal Murray told his teammates that Mills couldn't guard him and, unfortunately, he was right. Offensively, he hit his second three-pointer of the series but otherwise tossed up bricks, dribbled a lot and didn't make many plays of note. I mean, Mills was efforting but that effort needs to result in more positive plays for him to have a winning impact on this squad.
Grade: D+
Summary: Mills failed to step up when it was needed.
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Rudy Gay
Rudy Gay was hoping for redemption in Game 5. It never arrived. In the first half, he was really bad. He struggled on defense and on the boards. On offense, everything came to a halt when he was on the court. Gay was trying to call his own number and the only thing that succeeded in doing was to break the team's fragile offensive rhythm. Two smidgens of good news: When he looked to dish the ball, Gay actually delivered a few fantastic passes. Gay hit two shots in a row in the third quarter and looked a little bit more comfortable in the second half in terms of attacking mismatches.
Grade: D+
Summary: Gay's nightmarish series moves on to Game 6.
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Davis Bertans
Davis Bertans hit a meaningless three-pointer late in the fourth quarter. Considering that's only his third made three of the series, it was good for him to see that he can indeed still make those shots. There were not many positives to report for the rest of Bertans' 17 minutes. He forgot to jump for a couple rebounds, his dribbling usually led nowhere and his defense out on the perimeter made Belinelli look fleet of foot by comparison.
Grade: D+
Summary: Bertans made a three-pointer.
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Lonnie Walker IV
Lonnie Walker IV played the entire fourth quarter of garbage time. Considering that Pop might turn to him in Game 6, I paid extra close attention to how he played. Overall, I was impressed. On defense, he has the athleticism to stay in front of Denver's perimeter players. He's fast enough and jumps high enough to contest shooters, even if he has to travel a long distance. He was physical boxing out. On offense, Walker's ball-handling and dribble-penetration opened up opportunities for others. At the very least, it gave the Spurs another player capable of potentially breaking down the Nuggets defense.
Grade: Inc.
Summary: Is Walker ready? With desperation setting it, let's hope he can help in a pinch.
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Pop
I didn't think the Spurs needed to make wholesale changes heading into Game 5 but Pop took that to an extreme. He leaned even more heavily on his bench in the first half despite the fact that the bench has been horrible this series. If anything, I thought the bench should play less ... but Pop went the opposite direction. I didn't see any button-pushing of note: similar rotation, similar playcalls on offense, similar gameplan on defense. While that was probably the right move going into the game, when things were falling apart around him, it would have been nice for Pop to try something. Instead, he peacefully sank with the ship that got him there.
Grade: C-
Summary: Pop's strategy entering the game made sense but he didn't appear interested in making any midgame adjustments.
Looking ahead: The Spurs try to stay alive in Game 6. With the momentum the Nuggets have gained over the last two contests, that promises to be a tall order. However, the Spurs have been a good home team, the Nuggets were a mediocre road team and San Antonio is due for a hot shooting night, right? Let us hope.
Thsnk you
Davis Bonner
Grade: D+
Summary: Bertans made a three-pointer.
B-b-but he was a +14 when on the court......
It's too bad that playing Lonnie wouldn't be fair to the team.
But the good news is that instead of Austin, he'll watch and learn as the Spurs 13th man next season, and maybe, just maybe, he'll be over himself for 2020/21
Pop just content to get into the playoffs. Really looking like this may be the end for him.
Yes, because a year in Austin was so terrible for Murray and White. Good call.
I feel Pop is just using this series as a test to understand what to expect moving forward from a bunch of his players. Meanwhile, he continues to build the core youth team. It will be interesting to observe what vet players stay on into the new season since the young core is not quite ready to break out.
In sheer numbers, this rosters has an excess of NQR (not quite right) guards. Offensively minded, not very good defenders and some of them with true lack of desire (or ability?)to do what it takes at crunch time. Add a few big men, and no established leaders. Can't believe the blame on coaching for the individual poor on court performance by some experienced players (Belli, Gay, DRoz and to an extent, LMA).
If the saying "when the go gets tough, the tough get going" was the defining mantra for this team...well, a few obvious stars would need to exit the building....
Thanks fo the grades. A difficult game to watch. I'm not optimistic, but think someone is due to have a decent game on Thursday. Poeltl deserved all the praise you gave him and was a lone bright spot in a very rocky night in the Rockies.
White couldn't have possibly played last year, you're 100% right. We're on the same page.Yes, because a year in Austin was so terrible for Murray and White. Good call.
Just like when Pop was right to not play Splitter, I realize that now.
Thankfully, Splitter's low pain threshold didn't shorten his NBA career. Still going strong
DDR cancer metastasis has spread to the whole team. Who wants to fight when the 27mil pussy doesn't give a anyway?
Really hoping we somehow find a way to get rid of DDR, he is disgusting. Send him to nowhereland and attach even a few picks to him, anything to get rid of this piece of s .
Hats off to Denver defense, it was excellent from the get go. The Nuggets are outplaying the Spurs on every possession, and it is not even close.
I am very disappointed by Pop this time. I expected a solid offensive gameplan, everybody and his brother knows Denver prevents your 3pt shooting. Do something about it.
Lastly: what is it with LMA layups?
Thanks for the grades.
Obviously the game was a huge disappointment. This Spurs team is so unreliable. Once in a while they just look like a disinterested unit with no intensity. LMA playing soft.
My main takeaway. After this game I became only more sure that with all due respect most posters here are wrong. We don't need our starters play more minutes. We need to get our bench going. In our starting lineup we have only one 3pt shooter; Denver has 5, and they weren't going to struggle the whole series.
In this regard I'm really disappointed in DDR. Pop finally played our best regular season lineup of Mills, Belli, Bertans, Poeltl + DDR for extended stretch. Belli hit two shots in a row. The lineup seemed compe ive. But then DDR who is supposed to be a distributor in this lineup and passed well the whole year took the ball and settled for 5 FADEAWAY JUMPERS IN A ROW. That's just dumb basketball. Your team has a momentum, your sniper finally gets it going, you are playing against dynamic 3pt shooting team. And he settles for ing jumpers playing in a ball-moving 3pt shooting no defense lineup.
Then of course the momentum is lost. Pop comes back with the starters. Starters can't compete with a shooting Denver squad. Nobody seems interested in putting up a fight Clippers-style, and there's your game.
But, again, the momentum changer was idiotic DDR play with the bench mob. When he plays with the starters his iso game is justifiable but not when he plays with the bench.
Spurs can still win this, they just need Dr. Jekyll to show up rather than Mr. Hyde. Make sacrifices to the Dark One, Spurs fans, we need his favor if we're to force a game 7 in Denver.
one thing i notice, the defenders chase the spurs off their position to shoot the ball, instead they penetrated into a collapsing defense or chucking up a brick shot....
should just shoot it
Defrozen and Gay are the worst two Spurs in playoff On-Off. Cancers confirmed.
Bertans as always is the best
Denver had great defense that the Spurs never figured out.
Denver had great offense that the Spurs also never figured out.
Spurs had an uncreative and hesitant offense that showed the same plays over and over again.
Players like DeRozan, Aldridge and Gay do not know how to play team ball. In constrast look how Jokic and Murray carved out the Spurs defense by passing.
The individual talent of the team aren't just good enough to win a playoff game.
Why was Poeltl only 26 min.on the floor ? He should play 35min.each game!!!
Much respect timvp, but couldn’t we have just given a collective F save for Pearl? Kidding...kinda. Anyway, hoping Denver’s youth will now bite them by getting y and the Spurs staying calm will punch them in the mouth in SA. I haven’t lost all hope but damn, I think we all just wanted some sort of fight last night.
This series will go down as yet another tally on the ledger of Spurs playoff collapses involving Pop's stubbornness and poor lineup management in the face of needed adjustments.
It's because the Spurs are just plain and simply being out coached, Denver coach has made all the adjustments needed to disrupt the Spurs, and what has Pop done to at least counter?
Great write up as always timvp
But I disagree on a few notes.
1st. This team did not show up except for Poeltl. He deserved an A+ for his effort. That's what you want from a starter. He is showing he is a keeper, more than a throw in from the trade.
2nd. I think based on the playing time given to Lonnie Walker, a full 4th quarter deserves more than an inc, I would give him a C+. He made no glaring rookie mistakes, hustled, and did not force shots or create unnecessary turnovers. He showed he is worth more than garbage time with the way ALL regular players are playing.
Finally, this is one if the worse Popovich coaching jobs, and he deserved a F. He made NO adjustments I saw except putting in Lonnie Walker in at the start of the 4th, as opposed to the end of the 4th.
Honestly adjustments have to be made, loyalty is great but it goes both ways and done guys are not getting it done.
I know it wont happen but I would like to see the Spurs switch things up...
3 guys who deserve playing time
Lonnie Walker, I am sure he can show more than Forbes.
Cunningham (grit and toughness at the 4 or 5 with Aldridge moving to 5)
Pondexter IN..Gay OUT-completely he looks too slow and again Pondexter hustles when out there.
Spurs are losing in the 50/50 balls; that is on the players not coaching but the coach has to put the players in the game to make the impact.
Also spacing is horrible, spurs are relying on 1 starter who consistently shoots 3's. (Forbes), because White passes up shots. Maybe start Belinelli over DeRozan and space the playmaking better with the 2nd unit and let Patty play the two guard similar to when Ginobili played.
Gotta switch things up...Spurs are just too predictable
Thanks, Timvp!
What a sad game for the Spurs. Body language, mental toughness and execution were mostly non-existent. Not what you want to see,
I think they'll have a chance on Thursday, but, will have to get their minds right. Hope it happens!
Because he doesn’t know how to adjust mid game. To him, his pregame strategy should work, and if it isn’t working, then “they just made shots and we didn’t.”
For being such a “great coach”, he is at the botton of the list when it comes to in game adjustments, especially now that he doesn’t care.
Last edited by UZER; 04-24-2019 at 08:13 AM.
Too many Spurs players are ready for their vacation. It's like the little league players who by the 6th inning are looking forward to the after game snack.
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