Ok so here are my final thoughts:
I overreacted
Let me start by saying that I clearly wasn't watching the game in front of me because the play wasn't nearly as bad as I made it out to be on second viewing. In fact this was our best fourth quarter since Orlando.
- I do still think the under-usage of Davis is a concern. I stand by that one. He was ignored again for a large portion of the quarter. The claim of his turnovers seems to be a little baffling. He had one charge off a poorly executed timeout play that led to turnover after Evans forced it to him in the closing seconds of the shot clock. Then he had a bobbled catch from Jrue in the closing seconds that was made up by clutch D and a score on the next play. Before the closing minutes he was largely ignored and had no real plays drawn up for him. Only two turnovers from Davis though.
- Outside of the Davis usage and the inbound play that led to the Davis charge I think Monty called a great quarter. And to be fair that inbound play was more of an execution issue.
- Evans is clearly a liability on defense but that shouldn't be a surprise. Gordon also had some critical lapses which is a worrying trend as well.
- I think Monty was absolutely right to let Jrue handle running the offense in the fourth. He had the hot hand most of the game and it minimized Evans early season tendencies to ball hog and play hero ball.
- Most of our struggles came from a few badly executed plays and missing open looks.
- Jrue was masterful outside of one or two bad possessions. Hit some more of his shots and 1-2 less bad attempts and he would be exactly what I want out of him.
Here are my play by play notes:
Spurs Pelicans 4th quarter.
Spurs: Evans near steal, good D, Manu finishes beating Jimmer to the rim. Late help D by Davis but good play by Manu.
Pelicans: Evans dribbles up, pass to Jimmer, Jimmer hits a contested fadeaway.
11:17:
Spurs: Parker dribbles up. Evans loses Kawhi on screen. Kawhi gets andopen 3 and thankfully misses.
Pelicans: Rivers dribbles up, Ajinca sets screen and Rivers penetrates and jumps and tries to pass but turns it over. Bad play by Rivers
10:47
Spurs: Manu tries to fast break. Overhrows Leonard. Turnover.
Pelicans: Evans dribbles up, uses Ajinca screen. Carries, turnover.
10:32
Spurs: Parker dribbles, Ajinca takes outside position on Duncan, Parker passes to Diaw, Diaw hits a cutting Duncan for an easy layup.
Pelicans: Jrue dribbles up Ryno slips screen to the arc and gets a pass from Jrue. Ryno tries to penetrate and loses control and turns it over.
10:02
Spurs: Manu collects Ryno turnover, Jrue blankets him, Manu tries for the layup, lays it short, Ryno gathers rebound
Pelicans:Evans takes ball up. Dribbles out the clock and takes a fadeaway mid ranger but luckily hits it. Bad possession though. No ball movement. Iso ball and contested shot.
9:43
Spurs: Parker carries it up. Series of screens and passes and ultimately catch rivers on a reach. Gordon re-enters game for Rivers. Ball goes to Duncan, handed off to Parker. True plays good defense but Parker slips it in for a lay up.
Pelicans: Evans carries it up. Uses screen, attacks rim, misses layup. Leads to a Spurs fast break.
8:44
Spurs: Manu out on the break, dribbles inside the arc, behind the back dribble, throws Gordon off, Manu steps back and Gordon bites and jumps. Manu jumps into him and gets the call. Hits both FT’s
Pelicans: Jrue carries up the ball. Set play. Screens get Ryan Anderson open at the arc, nails a three.
8:22
Spurs: Parker carries it up. Good ball movement eventually catches Evans leaving his man to help with Diaw, allowing Kawhi to cut to the basket, get the ball and Jrue leaves Parker to help. Jrue blocks Kawhi and forces a loose ball foul
Pelicans: Jrue dribbles up, uses high davis screen, penetrates and takes a shot outside the paint. Misses it. Leonard rebound.
7:50
Spurs: PArker in transition, Evans plays good D and Parker has to throw it out. throws it to Davis.
Pelicans: Davis dribbles it up, passes it to Evans. Ryno sets screen. Slips to arc and gets an open look but misses from the pass by Evans.
7:29
Spurs: Duncan backs down Ryno for the easy score.
Pelicans: Jrue takes it up. Pass to Ryno, then AD. AD hands off to Jrue off a screen. True penetrates, pass to Evans, pass to AD for easy lay up. First real offensive play for AD in the quarter.
6:44
Spurs: Parker gives to Leonard. Leonard loses Evans on a screen, drives to the hop and has to be fouled. Horrible D by Evans. Absolutely horrible.
Pelicans: Jrue caries up. Asik sets high screen. Finds Evans cutting for an easy lay in.
6:27
Spurs: Incredible ball movement. Evans again gets caught in a screen after he is supposed to switch to Manu which allows Manu an easy uncontested shot. Spurs hit.
Pelicans: Jrue carries it up. Uses screen but hold on Diaw. Davis inbounds to Asik. Evans eventually attacks and misses the layup. Ask gets board. Fresh shot clock. True draws defenders hits Asik who bounces the layup off the rim.
5:18
Spurs: Manu attacks, Gordons strips the ball.
Pelicans: Evans Dunks it.
5:12
Spurs: Duncan attacks, Davis blocks.
Pelicans: Jrue takes it out on fast break. Pass to eVans who walks, turnover.
4:49:
Spurs: Timeout. Leonard hits midrange off pass.
Pelicans: Jrue takes it up. Gordon uses screen to get open at arc. misses three.
4:05
Spurs: Great ball movement, Joseph gets loose on scree for an easy lay uo
Pelicans TO
Pelicans: Evans dribbles up. Horribly drawn up play out of a break. Evans hesitates dn dribbles out toward the bottom of the shot clock. Time runs low, ball is forced to Davis who commits a charge. Turnover.
3:44
Spurs: Great ball movement that leads to a Diaw score.
Pelicans: Jrue dribbles up, pass to Gordon, Davis cuts to hoop gets assisted from Gordon and lays it in.
3:04
Spurs: Good movement, Joseph fakes Jrue, Evans closes in to help, contests, misses but now Kawhi is free to get the easy put back.
Pelicans: Jrue dribbles up. Clear out. Davis sets screen, Jrue attacks draws two defenders. kicks to Gordon who hits a clutch floater.
2:26
Spurs: Broken defensive play, Pelicans can’t stay in position, Diaw attacks, Ryno doesnt drop down to help, easy lay up.
Pelicans: Jrue dribbles up, gets high double team, drops to Ryno who is quickly covered. Back to Jrue who forces it inside. Gets smothered for jump ball. Bad decision on Jrue’s part. Lucky break for Jrue but loses jump.
1:30
Spurs: Great all around D, especially by Jrue, Pelicans force a shot clock violation
Pelicans: Inbound pass to Jrue. Jrue to Evans up top. Davis gets an elbow. Foul on Joseph. Jrue gets inbound, doubled. Has Davis and Evans. Goes to Evans who misses a wide three.
.46:
Spurs: Joseph dribbles up, Evans once again is caught on a screen and allows Kawhi to get wide open. Kawhi hits. Missed shot on O followed by poor defense by Evans.
Pelicans: Jrue dribbles up. Passed down low to Davis who misses the pass and turns it over.
.22
Spurs: Timeout, inbound to Leonard, Davis plays we’ll, kicks out to Green. Gordon over commits and get the three point foul.
Pelicans: In bound to Davis. Davis blows past defender for the clutch finger roll.
.6
Spurs: Evans commits to Parker who attacks after inbound, Passes out to Leonard, Jrue blocks. Evans just stands in the middle doing nothing leaving Leonard free to get the rebound and thankfully misses the second chance attempt.