Boom goes the Ugly...Turnovers doom Spurs in 106-99 loss to Nuggets

by Wayne Vore (ATS) on Dec 6, 2009 11:48 AM CST in Game Previews & Recaps Comment 19 comments

Pop gave me a pregame to do list for his team against the Nuggets when asked what a Spurs fan should keep an eye on to see if the Spurs are doing what they need to do to win.

They are the highest scoring team in the league and they shoot more free throws than anybody in the league. It's a defensive transition game number one. If were not getting back in transition, they are going to be running the ball down our throat for layups and having a parade to the free throw line. That's number one. For us against them, number two, is boards. They are monsters on the offensive boards so we have to keep them off those. If we are doing good on the defensive transition and hitting the boards pretty well, then it is anybody's game.

I guess Pop wasn't counting on having to go fundamental. Dribbling and passing should have been on the list.

Lots of pictures from JanieAnnie. She was on fire tonight.

The team just didn't take care of the basketball last night. 20 turnovers is just ridiculous. That would be OK if it was the preseason AND it was guys you were about to cut from the team. Oh yeah, we also had 16 assists. That's a lousy ratio and points out two things: 1) Fan in the first couple rows had as good a chance of catching a pass as anybody on the Spurs. 2) We missed a LOT of open shots.

We were doomed by two stretches of basketball. The other in the second quarter where Matt Bonner couldn't hit wide open 3's. In an eight possession stretch, he got 4 stand-around-and-wait-to-shoot-wide-open chances. He made only one (he had another one late in the quarter) and the Spurs went scoreless on each possession and had two turnovers in that stretch as well. The Spurs entered that stretch with a 9-point lead and it would have given them a lot of momentum and a good cushion.

The other was the end of the third quarter. In this stretch, we turned the ball over 6 times in the last 9 possessions. We scored 5 points over the last 6:00 of the quarter.

As for Pop's pregame points of emphasis. We nailed those. Until the 4th quarter, at least. We only gave up 11 fast break points for the game. Which is really amazing when you consider that we had so many turnovers. What's even more amazing is that we had only given up 3 fast break points heading into the 4th quarter by which point we had committed 16 turnovers. As for the keeping them off the offensive glass, we'd given them 5 offensive rebounds through the first three quarters. Then they got 6 in the last quarter.

It's like our team starting breaking down at the end of the third quarter and couldn't stop the bleeding. Once the turnovers started, the other points of focus broke down as well.

Now for a photo essay from SA, ese

"Hey ref, all these people in the stands are wearing white and they look like teammates. Can we make them change?"

"Now where did that one land? You guys OK up there? Did you spill your beer?"

No wonder Tony threw it over his head. Manu was hiding and ducking.

"I'm catching this one Tony. I don't care HOW crappy you throw the pass. Shit, man. Bats are easier to catch than some of your passes."

"Hah, good luck. This was a good one."

"Look. You know and I know he's going to throw it up there. You're just going to have to figure out a way to make the play. That's what makes great players great players. Now quit giving me excuses and go make plays."

"I know ref. These guys are batshit crazy. I mean, I know crazy right? And I'm telling you, these guys are crazy."

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Great job, Wayne. When I kept score for the Westlake basketball team, we had an imaginary team mate named Larry that the guys would throw the ball to sometimes. I guess Larry now plays for the Spurs! I hope he doesn’t go with them to Utah! Can’t believe we’re going BACK to Salt Lake City so soon – just there a month ago.

by janieannie on Dec 6, 2009 12:00 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

good job!

by jalberto on Dec 6, 2009 4:06 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

The Guards were horrible in this game – way too many TOs – Spurs actually had a chance to destroy these guys but kept shooting themselves in the foot with sloppy playing – 6 turnovers by the PG! Defense was actually good and kept us in the game – Nugs actually shot almost the same % than the Spurs – besides TOs the
KEY TO THE GAME
NUGS 4-9 3pointers
SPURS 7-21

Live by the 3, Die by the 3, Die by the 3, Die the 3

"Mr. Gilmore deserves to be in the Basketball Hall of Fame damnit. Highest field goal percentage EVER"

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/gilmoar01.html

by Artis Gilmore on Dec 6, 2009 4:12 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

if Bonner had made only a few of those attempts, the ratio of assists to turnovers would have been much better. It is not normal to make that many turnovers but putting the blame for the loss on TP and TD ( those most guilty of turnovers for the last two games) mean overlooking the glaring deficiencies of the rest of the team. You can’t shoot under 30% and help your team (RJ, Manu, Bonner…). And don’t tell me that they weren’t in good positions to take their shots.

by biolb on Dec 6, 2009 9:19 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

RJ looked good the first half and disappered offesnively in the 2nd – though he played good defense it goes back to what I have been saying all along, the guy is a first rate scorer, not a 3rd or 4th option, he is not going to come alive until that is established – Manu was off, way off and Bonner missed his offensive assignment – but most of the blame as I said is not shouldered by Tim, the Guards threw the game away, literally – TP, Manu and George made some very sloppy plays down the stretch.

"Mr. Gilmore deserves to be in the Basketball Hall of Fame damnit. Highest field goal percentage EVER"

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/gilmoar01.html

by Artis Gilmore on Dec 7, 2009 8:29 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Amen. Don’t even begin to lay the blame at Timmeh’s feet. Someone else needs to step up besides Tony & Tim. Make a shot Bonner! Take a shot Rage!

If less is more, imagine how much more more would be.

by JonnyJam on Dec 7, 2009 5:57 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

You know, if Pop fixes up the TO’s, we might just win a few games.

We are just continuously killing ourselves. We’re outplaying most teams, but then we give them too many chances and reduce our chances at the same time by turning the ball over. Sometimes this truly is an issue of “lack of chemistry”, but that excuse is getting a bit old now. These guys need to get on the same page and start playing smarter basketball.

On a plus side, Tim Duncan is still playing absolutely amazing and I think Tony finally came out of his “slump” last night. He started playing like the old TP, penetrating and tearing teams apart with either And1’s, circus shots, or simply free throws.

by Daniel_B on Dec 6, 2009 6:40 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Where we are

The Spurs are currently in the second tier of NBA teams. We could have beat two of the top 4 or 5 with a bit better play here and there. Those teams are in mid to late season form and likely can’t get much better. I think by after all star break we’ll be in the elite as well. No need to panic … yet.

by agutierrez on Dec 6, 2009 8:00 PM CST reply actions 0 recs