The NBA’s official definition of “clutch time” refers to when a sport is inside 5 factors or much less within the final 5 minutes of the fourth quarter or additional time. It may be thrilling for followers who desire a thrilling sport, but it surely can be disturbing and is probably not for everybody on each night time, particularly in case you’re already drained or careworn and simply desire a stress-free viewing expertise.
The Spurs haven’t been stress-free to look at recently, and admittedly, I’m beginning to suppose they prefer it that manner. I feel they like enjoying within the clutch. They benefit from the thrill and expertise that comes with closing out tight video games, and as followers might have deduced at this level, they’re good at it. The have the fifth finest document within the league in “clutch” video games, sitting at 19-10 (65.5%, simply just below their general win share), and it’s virtually like they’re out to extend that quantity, which they did final night time.
Their opponent was an bettering Mavericks staff that’s not the deer-in-the-headlights group they encountered of their season opener — led by the then doe-eyed however now scintillating Cooper Flagg — however they’ve additionally dedicated to beginning over from the mess former GM Nico Harrison created. They traded away the cornerstone of his stunning and horrible deal that despatched Luka Doncic to LA, sending the oft-injured Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards, and I sensed a little bit of reduction within the air of their enviornment final night time, even from my very own sofa. That painful web page in franchise historical past is formally turned for good, and now they will transfer on (even when it can at all times linger, just like the web page {that a} e-book at all times opens to first as a result of it’s been open a lot recently that the backbone has been formed round it).
Regardless of being seemingly destined for the lottery once more, the Mavs confirmed that with the proper future strikes, they and Flagg might be a power to reconned with once more quickly, and the Spurs discovered that final night time. With their propensity to play right down to opponents, they did not construct any sort of sizable lead all night time however remained forward and simply sufficient in management to cease any threating Mavs runs. With 5:15 left within the sport, Devin Vassell hit one in every of his dependable midrange jumpers to place them forward by seven, however wait! We will’t have the Spurs not having any clutch time once they take pleasure in it a lot, so in fact they allowed a fast 6-0 Mavs run to get inside a degree a minute later, and maybe for the primary time all sport, there might have been a tad little bit of doubt concerning the consequence.
However then, the Spurs proceeded with what I’ve determined has been their mischievous plan all alongside contemplating the repeating sample: dominate the remainder of clutch time by closing on a 15-4 run so they may proceed to pad these clutch time stats. Stephon Citadel hit an enormous three to start out it off and put again a Victor Webmanyama miss with an emphatic dunk to shut issues out, and everybody did all the pieces proper on each ends in between.
As enjoyable as it might be, I would like a break from tight video games. Whether or not that reduction will come within the type of a blowout win within the subsequent three video games or just as part of the All-Star break after that’s the final query. Don’t get me fallacious: I like a staff that is aware of tighten the strings and put issues collectively on each ends when the sport is on the road, which can be essential within the playoffs, however I might additionally fortunately settle for a blowout win right here or there, only for my very own sanity.
