Let’s discuss studying experiences. It’s a phrase that will get tossed round rather a lot with younger groups—“This loss is a studying expertise,” or “This street journey is a studying expertise,” and so forth. These turn into platitudes and imprecise generalities meant to make us all really feel slightly higher. It’s methadone: it blunts the ache within the quick time period so we will survive lengthy sufficient to maintain at it.
I’m as responsible of this as anybody. I go online right here after a tricky loss and simply form of squint at it. I’ll discover some good issues, I’ll acknowledge there’s work to be executed, and I’ll transfer on. Easy as that. I don’t wish to dig into it any additional as a result of it’s probably not my job to. Watching a loss on TV is about as a lot emotional labor as I can deal with, so asking me to… what? Sit right here and stay by way of it once more? No, thanks. I’d often slightly simply chalk issues as much as “Gotta maintain grinding” and transfer on with my life.
We are able to solely try this for thus lengthy, although, proper? I imply, we’re right here. We’re watching these video games evening after evening, and there must be a function to it past dwelling and dying for that fast dopamine hit when the rating goes our means. What if we took it upon ourselves as followers to essentially sit with a loss like this and stew in it—not getting mad, not overreacting simply to really feel one thing, not inventing issues that aren’t there. None of that noise. We’re simply going to look this loss lifeless within the eye and determine what this staff is. We’re going to determine what we realized from the Spurs’ loss to the Grizzlies.
What Did We Be taught?
From an aspirational standpoint, the Grizzlies aren’t precisely the staff we wish to be. Nonetheless, they’re hanging out on a stage proper above us from a aggressive standpoint and, in that sense, they’re a staff that deserves our consideration. That is now not 2011. Mike Conley and Zack Randolph aren’t strolling by way of that door, BUT, this staff does appear to have slightly little bit of that “Grit ‘n’ Grind” DNA in there. They’re aggressive and they’re powerful and they’re simply going to battle with you all evening. Increase slightly lead on them isn’t one thing that issues. You must bury them. The Spurs didn’t bury this Grizzlies staff final evening and, frankly, it’s slightly unclear if they’ve that type of functionality for the time being.
Devin Vassell talked about after the sport that each groups we’re “chirping” at one another and you can actually really feel that in that sport. There was an depth to this contest that felt slightly heightened in comparison with regular common season video games. That’s good! I’m glad the Spurs have the power to get slightly feisty on the market. The, uh, dangerous half, I assume is that in addition they type of laid an egg when it got here to backing up all that chirping. Victor, specifically, appeared flustered down the stretch. It’s clearly not a expertise factor with him, however you may inform he get’s caught up within the second slightly bit. It’s like, I don’t know, it’s like he’s so sensible that he can inform this can be a second he must rise to after which he form of over does it. He’s dribbling by way of three guys, he’s launching ill-advised photographs, he’s making an attempt to protect all 5 guys on protection. It’s powerful. I’m certain he feels the stress to be The Man on a regular basis and generally the hassle he places into that enterprise causes the entire thing to quick circuit slightly.
In fact, in what felt like a “dangerous” sport for Vic additionally resulted in him virtually casually attending to a triple double and having handful of performs that you can safely file away within the “Thoughts Boggling” drawer. It’s insane how a lot his gravitational presence impacts the sport. From the second he steps on the courtroom, the whole lot appears to revolve round the place he’s. I’m certain that’s one thing we’ll all get used to over time but it surely’s nonetheless type of freaky to see it taking place each evening.
There have been two particular cases of the Spurs not boxing out on missed free throws down the stretch that result in the Grizzles getting the ball again and draining a 3 for what amounted to a 4 level swing. It’s not the explanation the Spurs misplaced this sport, but it surely really feel indicative of why they misplaced the sport. The eye to element simply get’s misplaced generally with these guys. I don’t for a second doubt their effort or want or something like that, however again and again I really feel like they lose give attention to the little issues that make an enormous distinction on the margin. Luke Kennard exists on this earth for one purpose and one purpose solely: Make open threes. In the event you and I do know this then, absolutely, it should’ve been one thing that got here up within the prep for this sport. If that’s the case then like…how is he simply drifting away from the motion over and time and again and getting precisely to his spot with nobody round him? Not getting a hand in Luke Kennard’s face 5 extra instances than they did final evening, once more, most likely wasn’t the explanation they misplaced this sport, however taking away his 15 factors certain would make a dent in that closing rating’s 14 level margin, yea?
Stephon Fort is the actual deal. We’ve made this declaration a number of instances this season, but it surely feels vital to re-declare each occasionally when he does us the curtesy of re-affirming his actual deal standing. He felt like a man who was extraordinarily tapped into the present of this sport and understood what was taking place. It was powerful and it was intense and he responded by enjoying with each as soon as of toughness and depth he had. Each time he had the chance, he was attacking the rim and forcing the Grizzlies to cope with him and it modified the entire dynamic of our offense, particularly with Victor form of sputtering by his comparatively lofty requirements. The subsequent step with Steph is, clearly, simply to see this sort of efficiency extra constantly and there’s no purpose to assume we received’t. Frankly, I principally am hoping that the teaching workers empowers him to take the reigns like this extra usually.
At what level will we begin speaking about Fort as a long run staple within the beginning lineup? Are we doing that now? Have we already been doing it? It seems like we’re there. Even with Jeremy coming again it looks as if….nicely. I imply, does Devin want to begin coming in with the second unit till we will get his shot going extra constantly? Ought to we not fear about it as a result of we most likely want to begin planning for all times after Chris Paul anyway? Video games just like the one final evening begin to beg a majority of these questions. The Spurs are within the hunt for issues this 12 months however, make no mistake, this season is as a lot about subsequent season as something.
I do know it didn’t rely, however the Ja Morant dunk on Victor down the stretch harm. It harm to have a look at and I simply hate each second of it. It’s one thing that, sadly, we most likely want to begin inoculating ourselves in opposition to as Spurs followers as a result of it’s going to maintain taking place. Loads. Dudes are going to dunk on Wembanyama. They wish to do it. They should do it. They’re going to have the ability to do it. Crucially, they may usually fail. Vic is an absolute beast and already a generational defensive participant, so he’s going to dam most issues. The issue is that he’s not going to dam the whole lot. Guys are going to slide by way of. Circumstances will enable for a “poster” right here and there and each time it occurs—sigh— it’s simply going to look so freakin cool, aesthetically talking. I hate that for us. If it’s the tax we’ve to pay for getting Victor in a Spurs jersey then, you recognize, so be it. However simply know that I’m going to seethe each time it occurs.
One Cool Factor to Watch So We’re Not All Bummed Out In regards to the Loss
WWL Submit Sport Press Convention
– What made you go together with the format change for this one?
– Simply felt just like the staff wanted a change up. Type of like how Pop would name a timeout and sub out all of the starters without delay, you recognize? Generally little tweaks aren’t sufficient of a momentum shift to essentially get something achieved.
– What have been you hoping to perform with this sort of shift?
– I didn’t like the very last thing WWL I wrote. I imply, I did, however possibly it didn’t actually land the way in which I felt it ought to? I dunno. I made a flippant remark about Chip Engelland that I believed was humorous however then it ignited this entire deal the place folks have been arguing within the feedback about Chip Engelland in a means that…didn’t really feel like what I supposed. I principally needed to emphasise that he used to really feel like a participant improvement security blanket and now after we say stuff like “As soon as Fort will get a soar shot ironed out” I don’t really know that we are going to?
– Appears like that is one thing you wish to maintain litigating?
– God, no, please. I’m sorry. I don’t wish to maintain litigating something. I by no means wish to re-litigate. Toss these litigations within the trash.
– So, new format, new you? Is that this going to stay round?
– Perhaps? Perhaps it frees us as much as attempt some new stuff? Perhaps we will have totally different variations of WWL going each few video games? Perhaps What We Realized goes to be the buddies we made alongside the way in which? Who is aware of!
– Nicely we’re all wanting ahead to seeing what you do
– Thanks. I’m going to attempt to not learn an excessive amount of into the truth that I’m principally doing a every day affirmation with a voice in my head within the type of a press convention.
– Yea, I wouldn’t learn into that too carefully. In all probability nothing good comes from that.
