SPURS GAME DAY! GAME 41: SPURS AT HORNETS, 19-1-2024, 6PM (CT)

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Tre draws another charge. Beautiful.

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SOCHAN MAN D!!!!!!!!

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**** hell.... Zach moving screen O foul. ffs

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gump here comes Julian ... in for Zach. huh...

[imagump1313]

No one understands we have to foul??? Soo embarrassing...

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4TH Q: SPURS 120 HORNETS 124

That's what you get for chasing for to much of the game. We actually started the 3RD and 4TH Qs very well, lost the 3RD, won the 4TH 35-27 but by not as many as we needed to push through.

We caught them just about in 3s - they made 16 to our 15, but it was really the woeful FT efficiency that did us in - if we can isolate just one single stat - because we only made 11-17. Tough. Fundamentals, gents.

Turned into more of an overall efficient game for the starters than not, so several players worked their way to efficiency, work being the operative word.

Zach settled in and from 1-4 at the half he finished with a workmanlike 16 on 6-10, 1-3 from 3, 3-6FTs (oof), 3 boards (2 on O), 4 assists, 1 steal, with 4TOs (2 in each half). The patented 5 fouls is true to pattern, of which are the over the backs and moving screens. Costly. He has to make sure the moving screens, at the very least, are not so costly. But god to see him back, good recovery getting his feet under him and banging and scoring inside. We missed him, and he'll be valuable for us as the back up big.

Sochan was overall terrific with his energy, defense, constant movement, physicality, looking for others. I like how Pop calls for various guys to bring it up and initiate the O. Sochan didn't over dribble, made the outlet pass, passed ahead in transition, looked for and found teammates on the weak side. More accurate passes in better spots, too.

Very nice line with 11 on 5-10, 1-2 from 3, 0-1FT, with 8 boards (2 on O), team high 8 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 3TOs. Meaningful two-way contribution. His vision, decision making, and D are getting better. He will need to develop a variety of finishes at the rim especially versus bigger players. On D he had another tough assignment with facing very physical players but he did a great job preventing easy drives down the middle, and keeping his man in front of him.

To gump's point, Julian does what he's tasked to with respect to 3&D, but he has up and down games. The previous one he was excellent defensively, this one was a team low -18 in 19 minutes. He scored 7 points on 3-5 in the first half and finished with 9 on 4-7. His not being featured on O is challenging as he gets his baskets in transition (which he does well to get ahead to right spots) and then through off ball movement to set up at the ready around the arc. It is tough to make those with so few reps in between shots. But he's been getting more of them of late, and made a decent clip of them.

Devin fought his way through a laconic start to have a good overall game, 17 on 6-13, but once again his shot profile included more 3s than any other shot. Yes he made 4-8, but it's also about when he takes them versus what other shots are available for him or others. He made 1 of 2 late, the one he made was a Hail Mary one-legged bank, the one he missed we maybe could have set up another shot. But that's nitpicking, too, seeing as how I'm a lot more focused on his shot distribution of late. He passed it better in this game, had fewer of those slow decision ISO possessions, and looked for and found teammates well, registering 7 assists along with 5 boards and 2 steals. He is implementing more of the drive and mid-air kickouts and finding teammates out at the arc with good placement for quick shots. The more engaged and physical and team oriented and quick decision making Devin is, the better he and we are.

Tre. What a terrific game by him. He is showing more confidence and energy, better handles, better stutter steps and tools to both beat defenders on drives but also figuring out how to finish versus bigger defenders at the rim, in transition, and finding teammates in tight pockets of space in dishes down low. He scored 16 on 6-11, 2-3 from 3(!), 2-2FTs, along with 2 boards, 4 assists, and game high 3 steals. He had a tough D assignment, and there's no curing height for when his D assignment gets the ball back over his head, but he fought over screens, fought to keep his man in front o f him, fought to prevent easy passes.

Keldon bounced back to lead us with a very efficient, full contribution game, scoring 25 on 9-15, 4-8 from 3, 3-4FTs, with 4 boards, 3 assists. He was a physical driver, probably should have gotten more FTs, finished very well at the rim, and a shot profile almost exclusively at the arc or deep in the paint. He punished defenders inside and out with his bruising drives and touch. Just a terrific game, using his skills to full effect with his shot selection and execution. He did try to keep his man in front of him, I mean you can see he is trying, he isn't as bad in just occupying a space on D without purpose, and found and staying with his man better.

Dom had a very nice game in a supporting bigs role, something that is more manageable for him. Seeing him expand his game, with now two right corner 3s made in consecutive games is a joy. He finished with 12 on 5-6, 1-1 from 3 (!), 1-1FT, with 4 boards (2 on O), 2 assists, 1 block with some nice two-way, fundamentals on both ends based play. Smart, right positions, balanced, good footwork, nice shot mechanics.

Wesley looked terrific in his 15 minutes of play. An energizer on O, bringing up the ball in a speed of his own, better handles, better work to get into the paint, and better finishes there. He scored 9 on efficient 4-6, 0-1 from 3, 1-1FT, with 1 board, and 2 assists. Where he really stood out even more was on D, looking bigger somehow, just making his presence felt with his speed and absolute determination to keep his man in front of him and not allow any easy plays, disrupting inbounds set ups, staying with those who brought up the ball, preventing passes and drives, fighting through screens to stay with his man. Just an energy boosting, two way performance. And even though he doesn't have Branham's O package, his O skills are improving just with his touch. A joy to watch him grow, too.

Branham. This is now the second time in recent games in which he was benched in the second half. Eight first half minutes, 1 board, and bagels everywhere else. He really needs to start looking around at his minutes and get a hint. his MPG have dropped, his defense has been more porous than not, his efficiency has hovered around 40%, he has scored in single digits in four of the last five games, and 0 points tonight. He's being outplayed by Blake who came in more raw than he did. If you're not going to do what you're out there for, you have to find other ways to contribute but he's standing out more as not doing either well. Maybe just a rough patch for him, but his D rating is concerning, his shot selection versus when he can and should pass stands out (ball tends to stick in his hands), and he's not as an intuitively sound defender.

As a team, we allowed too many open 3s, and our boxing out sorely desperately needs improvement. I don't know what the development coach does, if this is in the development teaching profile, I don't know if we work on this (we should), but my goodness we just flat out suck at it. We were outrebounded 40-34 and 10-7 on O boards.

Winnable game, but end of Q details (we got scored on late in the first three Qs, I believe), focused starts (three TOs and points against to start the game was a harbinger, especially important considering that every play counts), and ball and arc protection need improving.

No time to waste. We get another chance tomorrow to right the ship. We are close, and it's in our hands (and hearts and minds) to make the necessary improvements in the upcoming game.

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