It’s no simple feat to beat a staff with the NBA’s finest document on the highway. That’s precisely what the San Antonio Spurs have been tasked with on Wednesday evening. Regardless of sticking with the Minnesota Timberwolves for almost all of the sport, they couldn’t execute down the stretch, falling 102-94. This was a neater loss to abdomen than among the others which have come on the 15-game dropping streak.
The Spurs defended nicely, holding the Timberwolves to 41.4% capturing from the sector and 30% from three. They restricted their turnovers to only 12, and truly outscored an even bigger Wolves staff within the paint 56-48. For a staff that has struggled mightily on the defensive finish, that is the type of effort you wish to see in opposition to an excellent staff on nationwide tv.
Offensively there may be loads of work to be completed. Gregg Popovich went with a brand new beginning lineup consisting of Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Cedi Osman, Victor Wembanyama and Zach Collins – going away from Jeremy Sochan as the start line guard. This allowed Vassell to get extra reps on the ball, and Sochan to play off-ball within the second unit with Tre Jones, the place he’s discovered success all through the season.
The offensive outcomes have been combined, however the Timberwolves are one of many league’s finest defenses. The Spurs missed some open seems, but additionally created open pictures within the paint in opposition to a playoff contender that has one of many league’s finest rim protectors in Rudy Gobert. If Wembanyama finishes any of his three makes an attempt on the rim late within the fourth, and Jones hits his vast open transition three with below a minute to go, the sport may have seemed utterly totally different.
There are enhancements to be made and changes to be carried out – however enjoying one of many league’s finest shut on the highway isn’t a horrible outcome for a rebuilding squad.
Takeaways
Wednesday was an fascinating conflict in types. The Timberwolves usually play two bigs on the similar time, as do the Spurs. The largest distinction? Minnesota’s bigs can shoot the basketball from deep. Karl Anthony-Cities and Naz Reid have been nailing threes all season, each capturing over 40% from deep. That permits them to play alongside a non-floor spacer like Gobert. The Spurs offense is producing loads of decide and pop threes for Collins and Wembanyama, however the issue is that they aren’t changing on vast open seems. They each went a mixed 0-8 from deep on Wednesday. On the season, Collins is capturing 27.3% from deep, and Wemby is capturing 27.1%. You both hope that they’ll discover their capturing strokes, or begin making an attempt to run extra decide and roll reasonably than having them pop.
On the subject of massive males, Popovich didn’t play a backup heart on Wednesday. It was simply one of many many rotational quirks of this sport. He elected to play Collins and Wembanyama for all the sport, and let Sochan play energy ahead. This was a tricky sport for that call as a result of the Timberwolves bullied Sochan when he received the Cities or Gobert task. I’m thinking about seeing if this can be a one sport resolution or a pattern that continues for a stretch of the season.
After Tyrese Haliburton dominated the Celtics within the In Season Match, a portion of Spurs followers took to social media to lament the choice to take Vassell over him within the draft. Whereas Haliburton is an unquestionably nice participant, and definitely higher than Vassell at this stage – I wouldn’t be so fast to leap on Devin’s again. Vassell has legitimately been the Spurs finest scorer all season, and was nice in opposition to Minnesota. He had 22 factors, on 9-16 capturing from the sector, and hit 4-8 of his deep pictures. He was ending on the rim, hitting threes off the bounce and the catch, and pulling down pictures within the mid-range. He is without doubt one of the few Spurs who can create his personal shot proper now. It was weird that San Antonio went away from him in moments when he was scorching. But, his continued improvement as a number one man is without doubt one of the largest storylines of this season.
Johnson has additionally develop into considerably underrated in my eyes. He’s a legit weapon on the quick break, getting coast to coast with a mix of energy, velocity and inventive ending potential. He’s one of many Spurs few downhill driving threats, and has been steadily enhancing from three. He put up 21 factors and 10 rebounds within the loss to Minnesota. After Wednesday he grew to become one in every of 5 gamers in NBA historical past with 4,000 factors, 1,300 rebounds, 500 assists and 400 three-pointers of their first 250 profession video games. The opposite 4? Paul Pierce, Jayson Tatum, Luka Doncic and RJ Barrett.
