Game Thread: Spurs @ Cavs -- Sat. (1/30) - 7:30PM CST (3:30AM Riga Time)

[Budkin]

As if a home game against a ~.500 team sends any ing messages at all

But messages!

[Spurs 4 The Win]

lmao, people need to calm down, would you rather peak now and be regular season champions? Or peak later and have legitimate shot at the le... I swear its like some of you people just started to follow the team, this literally happens every year

[Kawhitstorm]

Yeah. Athletes who cut and attack gaps under good spacing at opportune moments will make zone defenders shift and that will momentarily open the floor for opportunities going to the basket or shots from the outside. Against NBA athletes and shooters you're asking to get burned. I still shudder at last year when Pop used it against Dallas in a regular season game. It worked because Dallas played like absolute that night but against a team like the Cavs? lolol

Zone only works against a ty offensive team like the Grizz

[spurs10]

We look like we are going to keep slipping in the standings. Hate to overreact to a game, but we have a lot of problems and Kawhi and LMA are not going to do much on their own. TP wasn't great, but he wasn't horrible like Green, Patty, and Manu. As the asshole announcer said (JVG I think). 'Tim coming back isn't going to fix all these problems.'

[BillMc]

While I am not one of the pessimists on here, I will start watching the Thunder's record a little more. Gotta keep them in the rearview mirror.

[timtonymanu]

lmao, people need to calm down, would you rather peak now and be regular season champions? Or peak later and have legitimate shot at the le... I swear its like some of you people just started to follow the team, this literally happens every year

Yep, Spurs are due for a regular season slump/meltdown and right now would be the usual time of the year it happens.

[TE]

While I am not one of the pessimists on here, I will start watching the Thunder's record a little more. Gotta keep them in the rearview mirror.

The game coming up against the Dubs will be really good. Finally a matchup between those two.

[Escawun3]

More dissapointment with Boris this week, he is key for us and unlike monday we obvious needed Timmy in this game.
At some point the zone was working, but Pop abused of it.. how many times was Patty guarding Lebron all alone??

[Harry Callahan]

Leonard and LMA we knocked around most of the first half, with CS calls against them on the defensive end.

I do not know the re s they used as refs in this game, but they sucked.

Simmons and Anderson look very capable of helping out when Manu's running on empty like tonight.

[Kawhitstorm]

Agreed. LMA is no LMAlpha. Neither is Kawhi yet.

Are you guy watching the same game?

Teams don't double LMA in the post but they immediately send help when Kawhi is in the post. Not to mention LMA doesn't make plays for his team, create fastbreak opportunities nor defend the best player on the other team. LMA's job is to score in the post/rebound & he has been pretty mediocre against the Cavs/Worriers in both facets.

[Proxy]

Hey Deandre Jordan, Proxy says nobody can tell you how to shoot FT's...

hahaha, touche

[spurs10]

While I am not one of the pessimists on here, I will start watching the Thunder's record a little more. Gotta keep them in the rearview mirror.

Yep!

[rasuo214]

Are you guy watching the same game?

Teams don't double LMA in the post but they immediately send help when Kawhi is in the post. Not to mention LMA doesn't make plays for his team, create fastbreak opportunities nor defend the best player on the other team.

Apparently for Kawhi to become "Alpha" he needs to defend all 5 guys on his own and carry the team offensively. Until then he's just a role player.

[Harry Callahan]

Kevin Love is the biggest [email protected] in America. At the end of the game, he was looking around for someone to interview him. Love is a loser and any team with Jefferson is doomed to fail.

By the way, why is it that the Cavs can jump around like fools after they get called for the occasional foul, and no T is issued. Pathetic.

[Kawhitstorm]

We look like we are going to keep slipping in the standings. Hate to overreact to a game, but we have a lot of problems and Kawhi and LMA are not going to do much on their own. TP wasn't great, but he wasn't horrible like Green, Patty, and Manu. As the asshole announcer said (JVG I think). 'Tim coming back isn't going to fix all these problems.'

The Heatles w/ prime Bron/Wade used to struggle when Bosh was out of the lineup so it's not surprising LMA/West can't makeup for the loss of Tim

Even the Worriers lost to the Nuggets when Draymond was resting & he ended up returning to the lineup to stop the bleeding.

[Harry Callahan]

Why does Tristan Thompson get to knock the out of anyone close to him and gets away with it a lot of the time? A-hole.

[Kawhitstorm]

Why does Tristan Thompson get to knock the out of anyone close to him and gets away with it a lot of the time? A-hole.

They will call over the back but if he has established inside position he can push around folks just like prime Shaq. LMA/West weren't doing their job early & let him establish inside position.

[timtonymanu]

Lolckets couldn't even beat this scrubby Spurs team.

[Kawhitstorm]

Apparently for Kawhi to become "Alpha" he needs to defend all 5 guys on his own and carry the team offensively. Until then he's just a role player.

They must be the same folks who dismiss Pippen as just a "role player"

[Robz4000]

I'm not sure how you came up w/ the "defense has been slipping for over a month now" narrative when Tim has been healthy:
-They shutdown the Mavs/Knicks when both teams were rolling & Kawhi locked up Melo/Parsons
-The Cavs started hot & were shut down after the 1st quarter w/ LeBron scoring 6 points in the 2nd half thanks to Kawhi
-The Rockets were shutdown in the 2nd half w/ Kawhi locking up Harden
-Bucks/Jazz/Nets were blown the out
Kawhi had a bad game against the Pistons but even then Marcus Morris didn't do shyt.

The Knicks nearly beat the Spurs and put up 100 points. Let's also not forget Melo scoring in Kawhi's face plenty down the stretch.
LeBron getting shut down had as much to do with him deferring to teammates with mismatches or had open looks that didn't fall. Kawhi had some great sequences but he didn't shut down Lebron.
The Rockets put up over 100 points in both games regardless of Harden. Kawhi also was at no point in either game his primary defender with Green and Manu getting the bulk of the assignment.
All three are mediocre/missing key players and struggle heavily on offense to boot. Horrible games to draw conclusions from.

[SAGirl]

First time he seemed comfortable and confident AND was not passive. He looked like he thought he belonged on the floor against a contender. Good to see. Some pretty shots.

In case we forget those were Lebron, Kyrie and Love. Love was guarding Kyle at times... that should show LMA to get balls. Frankly Kyle has a future in this league. 22 yrs old, been a winner at every step. his line tonight: 10 points on 4-8 shooting, most of those shots he got on his own, if not all, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block shot. He impacts the game at both ends. he's not a stopper, but he's so smart and anticipates.

Anyway, I hope this doesn't get lost on Pop. Without Timmy in the foreseeable future I think we see more of Kyle at the 4 against bigs who like to shoot. He took it to Love.

The one steal he had was on Love.

[Kawhitstorm]

Lolckets couldn't even beat this scrubby Spurs team.

Hoping they end up as the 1st rd matchup b/c LMA owns their frontline including Dwight Coward

[sasaint]

Are you guy watching the same game?

Teams don't double LMA in the post but they immediately send help when Kawhi is in the post. Not to mention LMA doesn't make plays for his team, create fastbreak opportunities nor defend the best player on the other team. LMA's job is to score in the post/rebound & he has been pretty mediocre against the Cavs/Worriers in both facets.

Seems like you and I are watching the same game, except you are being a little more generous to both players. LMA's play has not reached to the heights of mediocrity. And Kawhi, while advancing his game by incredible leaps and bounds, will become a true superstar when his playmaking skills rise to the level of the rest of his game.

[Chinook]

In case we forget those were Lebron, Kyrie and Love. Love was guarding Kyle at times... that should show LMA to get balls. Frankly Kyle has a future in this league. 22 yrs old, been a winner at every step. his line tonight: 10 points on 4-8 shooting, most of those shots he got on his own, if not all, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block shot. He impacts the game at both ends. he's not a stopper, but he's so smart and anticipates.

Anyway, I hope this doesn't get lost on Pop. Without Timmy in the foreseeable future I think we see more of Kyle at the 4 against bigs who like to shoot. He took it to Love.

The one steal he had was on Love.

Yeah, I want him to start until Tim comes back. It's not like Love would have been better in the first had he started this game.

[Chinook]

you know why im hating, tbh