Game Debrief: What Went Right And What Went Wrong?

Box score suggests you can chalk the loss up to turnovers, missed free throws and missed threes, but I don’t how anyone could watch that game and think they’re aren’t larger issues.

We were at a pretty clear athleticism disadvantage against a team I don’t even consider particularly athletic. Ayton and Rui are our best athletes out there and you don’t feel them the way you feel someone like Kuminga. They don’t play with much force. Austin is a very good player, but he’s fighting an uphill battle against better athletes just about every night. And Vando just isn’t very good. He had a wide 8 foot-ish flip shot but passed it up to take an extra dribble, because he’s not confident in his ability to make that shot, and got the ball stuffed right back in his face. He’s a 10th man on a good team.

 

There are several larger issues it's a matter of what can they shake off after night 1 (sloppy play, improved shooting), what can they improve on in the short term (chemistry and effort), and what's a case of they are who they are.

A lot of nights we have the more skilled top end talent, skill can trump athleticism but you have to be on your s***. Peak Spurs level. If you're not up to that, yeah it's not going to to well against any playoff caliber team.

That said, Wiggins helps...a lot. Shame Riley has gotten so senile with his asking prices and expects every great player to go there when giving up 4th string players in a trade.