Grades: Spurs @ Bucks - Jan. 4, 2020

[timvp]

https://www.spurstalk.com/grades-san...anuary-4-2020/

tl;dr: Walker replaces Forbes in the starting lineup

[Spursfanfromafar]

The Bucks were a much superior team in terms of talent, superstar presence, deep bench and two way players. This loss was expected but I felt that the Spurs made it a fight atleast for two and a half quarters. The bad part was the fact that this fight was led by the veterans.. and the fact that Derrick White has clearly regressed this year. Sad. With Murray not making any leap for the better and White regressing ..and Walker not given adequate chances...the Spurs are stuck in mediocre mode with no high expectations for the future. Here's hoping they land a talent via a trade for Derozan or Aldridge.

[Slippy]

The starting five clicked on both ends . Going forward this has to be the SL . Not sure about the numbers but they showed more than enough.

Pop just doesn't have a pulse on the team. That's the biggest problem and DJ or DWhite on second uni6 can only help their defense.

[r0drig0lac]

"if Forbes stays on the bench, he should be able to guard other team’s reserves"
I doubt it

[NASpurs]

Now with Forbes on the bench, whatever good the starting lineup does, the bench is going to squander it. Pop can’t help but get hard at night thinking about playing any combination of Mills, Beli and Forbes off the bench. Two of those need to be gone.

[acoelho1]

Walker was a bit tentative on the offensive end but a little expected with Pop throwing him in the starting lineup on the road against the best team in the league.

[Dejounte]

Lonnie went from not getting minutes over Beli to jumping over him and starting over Bryn Forbes. Lonnie starting was the plan all along since the offseason, he just had to earn it.

[dbestpro]

Forbes, Mills and Beli combined for 57 minutes which is 57 minutes of no defense. I never thought I would see the day the Spurs give up 127 points and Pop gets a B+. My how far we have fallen. Pop is a moron.

[sananspursfan21]

Ugh moral victories amirite, amirite?

[sananspursfan21]

Thanks for the grades! This is one of a very few losses this season that I didn’t mind. Looked like our guys played hard and were poised for an upset, but this is where our team’s actual limitations are shown perhaps

[TimDunkem]

Why do you keep suggesting that Forbes can guard anybody? Even reserves? He is the worst defender in the league. Jfc.

[RC_Drunkford]

Why do you keep suggesting that Forbes can guard anybody? Even reserves? He is the worst defender in the league. Jfc.

Forbes can't even guard half of spurstalk

pets > defense

[John B]

Walker in the starter brought a different face for this team, a fast-paced, athletic team who matched Bucks’ physicality for almost the entire game. Spurs seemed energized and might even have a chance to pull it off. Unfortunately Pop had to play Mills/Forbes/Beli together.

[Mugen]

It was weird how Lonnie appeared to be playing defense to start the game. I'm so used to that POS loser Bryn getting roasted from opening tip that I forgot what competent defense looked like

[EasyMoney]

Bryn and patty need to be cut off at the 20 minute mark, unless they're going off.

[Dex]

"if Forbes stays on the bench, he should be able to guard other team’s reserves"
I doubt it

It's better than him trying to guard other team's starters.

I don't think Forbes should be starting, this is the problem with him coming off the bench...he is going to be out there next to Mills, Gay, and/or Beli. That lineup is going to get thrashed every time.

This team just isn't built to hide Forbes, to be honest.

[r0drig0lac]

It's better than him trying to guard other team's starters.

I don't think Forbes should be starting, this is the problem with him coming off the bench...he is going to be out there next to Mills, Gay, and/or Beli. That lineup is going to get thrashed every time.

This team just isn't built to hide Forbes, to be honest.

yes, we are not the Celtics 08

[emanueldavidginobili]

I hope Lonnie still starts and and Forbes goes to the bench along with White. Derrick White needs to step it up and take control of that second unit. He’s been so underwhelming this season.

About Keldon looking unathletic, he did play an OT game the night before playing 35 minutes. I watched that game and he was going balls to the wall the entire game.

[Leetonidas]

Everytime Pop decided to put Forbes, Mills, and Marco on the floor the Bucks lead swelled. Spurs had a 10 pt lead immediately lost because of this lineup. It's like Pop finally does something right and does the best he can to negate it by playing re ed lineups. I know Murray was out but there is absolutely no reason that trio should EVER share the floor at the same time

[JeffDuncan]

The only way any NBA team could hide Forbes would be to put him at the end of the bench, and never play him, outside of garbage time. Or maybe not even play him then, like Pop is doing with Carroll.

Whatever brain-like organ Forbes has in his head, it does not work for calculating the NBA level of play. It isn't just his physical limitations, Forbes has the basketball IQ of.... a basketball.

It might seem Forbes could do better guarding bench players, until we remember how he got destroyed by Yogi Ferrell. (Who??) Forbes got so shredded by a no-name bench player that finally even Pop noticed it, and took him out of the game.

Forbes is a G League gunner. That's his top. He should never have been promoted beyond that.

[John B]

I hope Lonnie still starts and and Forbes goes to the bench along with White. Derrick White needs to step it up and take control of that second unit. He’s been so underwhelming this season.

Problem with Lonnie starting, Murray is not a better shooter than White. Spacing is terrible. White has to start. Imo Lonnie is a better combo than Murray. Murray seems to fumble the ball going in, and Demar sets up the plays anyways. Murray playing from the bench might be able to hide Forbes/Mills against non starters.

[FkLA]

It's better than him trying to guard other team's starters.

I don't think Forbes should be starting, this is the problem with him coming off the bench...he is going to be out there next to Mills, Gay, and/or Beli. That lineup is going to get thrashed every time.

This team just isn't built to hide Forbes, to be honest.

A good team can really only get away with playing one Wombat (3 and no D guy). I have no idea what made Pop think he could get away with three. Arrogance? Senility?

[emanueldavidginobili]

Problem with Lonnie starting, Murray is not a better shooter than White. Spacing is terrible. White has to start. Imo Lonnie is a better combo than Murray. Murray seems to fumble the ball going in, and Demar sets up the plays anyways. Murray playing from the bench might be able to hide Forbes/Mills against non starters.

Murray can’t cover three guys at once. Whose going to run the second unit then? Like you said DJ fumbles the ball a lot and DDR being out there with him takes a lot of pressure of him. When DJ struggles with playmaking like he often does whose going to help him? Patty? Forbes? No thanks, Derrick is perfect for the second unit and has great chemistry with Jakob.

The spacing with be fine Lonnie brings a whole new element to the court. There should be more fast breaks and just an overall better pace and the emergence of LA’s three point shooting.

[KobesAchilles]

Walker needs to come off the bench. He’s useless as a starter. He needs to be Jaren Jackson out there. Just look to hoop and don’t worry about anything else. Rudy or Carrol needs to start.
I would prefer to keep White starting and keep DJ on the bench. DJ is longer and I feel like he plays faster which helps Lonnie and Mills. Play Lyles and Poetl together and that team is pretty good tbh.

[Capt Bringdown]

Problem with Lonnie starting, Murray is not a better shooter than White. Spacing is terrible. White has to start. Imo Lonnie is a better combo than Murray. Murray seems to fumble the ball going in, and Demar sets up the plays anyways. Murray playing from the bench might be able to hide Forbes/Mills against non starters.

White is not the player he is last year. Yet we saw last year what he did with steady minutes.
Murray on the other hand? With steady starter minutes he continues to unimpress.
I think the Spurs were bamboozled on this kid's potential.