This season had been enjoyable till we bumped into that baseball sequence at house. Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes have confirmed to be the catalysts the Spurs wanted to start out successful extra persistently. Victor Wembanyama, after a tough begin, has developed properly. Stephon Citadel has been a a lot better rookie than anybody might have anticipated. The Spurs have considerably outperformed their Vegas over/underneath projections. After which they bumped into the Grizzlies.
For the second recreation in a row, they conceded a whopping 78 factors within the second half. I can keep in mind the times when the Spurs received video games by scoring 78 factors. Possibly pleased days are lurking across the nook. Possibly the season will proceed to be a enjoyable season subsequent week after they play one other baseball sequence on, so far as Victor Wemabnyama is anxious, house courtroom. However for now, they’ve hit all-time low. They and their finest participant have discovered their kryptonite within the Memphis Grizzlies.
Over two video games, the Grizzlies tried 27 extra photographs than the Spurs, totaling 200, and made 26 extra, ending with 106. Wemby, however, took a complete of 38 photographs for simply 32 factors. The Grizzlies have the right gamers to defend towards him. And it’s not simply Jaren Jackson Jr.; it’s additionally, maybe much more so, Santi Aldama from Spain, who successfully lined Wemby very intently final night time – and for whom Wemby and the Spurs couldn’t discover an antidote but once more.
A primary-round playoff matchup with the Grizzlies stays a distant risk for the Spurs, however I need to say: Something however a clear sweep would come as a whole shock to me.
Takeaways
It feels unusual to start out the takeaways with the opposing crew, however within the case of the Grizzlies, I can’t resist. The Spurs are envied by the league for having Victor Wembanyama, however with regards to figuring out and signing expertise others overlook, is there any crew doing in addition to the Grizzlies? Jaylen Wells is firmly within the race for Rookie of the Yr, and he’s a second-round choose. Jay Huff was waived thrice earlier than signing with the Grizzlies, and now, in his age-26 season, he’s emerged as a stretch rim protector in a backup function (each the Lakers and Nuggets should be kicking themselves now, seeing what they failed to acknowledge earlier than). Scotty Pippen Jr. is one other main discover. Most strikingly, the Grizzlies traded for former number-30 picks Desmond Bane and Santi Aldama simply days after these gamers have been drafted by the Celtics and Jazz, respectively.
One other outstanding factor in regards to the Grizzlies is that nobody, not even Ja Morant or Desmond Bane, is averaging half-hour per recreation; they’re all beneath that threshold. The Cavs appear to comply with an identical strategy. Reportedly, each groups restrict their stars to shorter stints. Is there one thing to be discovered from this? Very seemingly. In any case, we’re speaking about two of the league’s finest groups. (It’ll be attention-grabbing to see how the minutes might be distributed within the playoffs. Each the Cavs and the Grizzlies have relatively resourceful head coaches.)
We Want to speak about Victor. And by that, I imply Victor’s offense. The Spurs began the sport with Wemby taking a heat-check three simply 10 seconds in, and on the subsequent possession, he took a one-legged floater from across the space the place Harrison Barnes likes to take his three-point makes an attempt. That’s two possessions wasted for Victor to determine, “Do I’ve a scorching hand?” No, he didn’t. Later within the recreation, he took contested mid-range photographs towards Santi Aldama, which didn’t work out both.
There have been additionally situations on the opposite finish the place Wemby didn’t look good. Essentially the most putting second got here when the Spurs fell aside, and the Grizzlies went on an enormous run: Wemby closed out on Aldama on the high of the arc. Aldama fired, Wemby speculated on a quick break and saved shifting towards the offensive finish, however Clarke grabbed the offensive rebound from Aldama’s miss, handed it again to Aldama, who then charged towards the basket and scored. In the meantime, Wemby was in no-man’s land. That’s not severe basketball, and it has to cease.
Stephon Citadel performed some severe Basketball throughout stretches. Within the first and second quarters, it appeared just like the Spurs have been his crew, not Wemby’s. His driving recreation is already wonderful, he may even work along with his again to the basket, and he coolly transformed a mid-range shot. Nonetheless, when he catches the ball behind the arc, the Grizzlies’ defenders don’t even hassle closing out. However, Citadel has been making some spectacular whip passes from the correct facet of the important thing to the left nook. I proceed to be satisfied he has a brilliant future with the spurs, regardless of his Capturing struggles.
Devin Vassell had a sloppy first quarter and a passive second quarter, however he fully exploded within the third. The spotlight of his scorching stretch — and possibly even the Spurs’ spotlight for me personally this season — was when he collected a block by Charles Bassey on Jake LaRavia, ran the courtroom, dribbled behind his again to get previous LaRavia and Bane, then dunked powerfully over each Wells and Brandon Clarke. Devin saved the Spurs within the recreation for a couple of extra possessions, however quickly after, issues fell aside fully.
All Spurs gamers, besides one, solely impressed in stretches. Nonetheless, there was one who as soon as once more made essentially the most of his minutes: Charles Bassey. His function as the first backup heart needs to be cemented for the remainder of the season. Bassey isn’t excellent, however he merely manages to supply on each ends. And that’s one thing Zach Collins can’t persistently do.
My final level considerations Spurs followers in Europe, like myself, greater than anybody else, as a result of we’re about to expertise one thing we’ve by no means ever skilled earlier than. For 3 consecutive video games, we’re going to have the ability to watch the Spurs stay throughout night primetime: towards the Warmth at 9 PM, the primary Paris recreation versus the Pacers at 8 PM, and the second at 6 PM. Go Spurs Go!
