Analysis GRADES: 3/12/2026 Spurs 131 v Nuggets 136

[scott]

Community Notes (I'm going to let @spurraider21 do most of the talking on this one)

• @spurraider21
  • I've basically never given Mitch grades this year, and I think people generally overstate rotation/adjustment concerns. But he completely threw this game, and gets a 1 for the following reasons.
    • Carter Bryant was playing well, full of energy, and making effective decisions offensively. In a game without Wemby where we went small more than usual, he only got NINE minutes? If ever we wanted to have a smaller guy bang with Joker, we could have had more Carter and less Keldon or Barnes
    • Plumlee was solid in his 2nd quarter minutes. Boxed out, competed on defense. In a game where Kornet just didnt have much going, having him as an alternate big to throw at Jokic for a few minutes made sense. Playing him to begin the 4th quarter during non-Jokic minutes? Its not like he's punishing smalls on offense, and then he was totally useless on defense trying to chase Spencer Jones around the perimeter. Just an awful decision to play him then. That would have been a fine time to have no bigs out.
    • Then when Joker came back in during the 4th, I didn't mind having some small ball minutes, its necessary with Wemby out. Korndog isnt going to match Jokic in minutes. But we stuck with it WAY too long when it wasn't working. Keldon was extremely ineffective in the 4th and we kept sticking with him. THAT would have been a reasonable time for a few Plumlee minutes. Or if you insisnt on going small, where is Carter Bryant as somebody who can get up and potentially challenge shots at the rim?
    • And then late in the 4th when Denver had the lead, I really didnt like that as a time to roll with the Fox/Harper/Castle 3-guard lineup. We rarely use that lineup at all, and trotting it out then at a time when spacing was needed was baffling. Pick your 2 hottest guards, give them a big, and 2 shooters (between HB, Champagnie, Vassell).
• @heyheymymy - Denver made a good second half push. Hats off to Spencer Jones.
• @LeBowen - Mitch wasted a great game from I'd say everyone but Keldon and Barnes with his overthinking and playing Plumlee against their small lineup. Gave up a 11-0 run in 1:37 with Jones killing us. Still a positive performance overall.
• @scott - I've been bitching and moaning about 3rd string C all season not as insurance for Wemby... but rather for insurance for Luke. Korndog looks completely worn down. Would have been nice to have someone who could help load manage him this season

 

[Rafa]

Missed the first half so didn't feel right giving full grades, but as I said in the GT and others have pointed out, Luke really seems to have fallen off a cliff lately. Wonder if a nice rest in the next two game trip would be in order and let the Plumdog fly.
DNP-InternalReflection

 

[spurraider21]

yeah i didnt have it in me to comment on individual grades so i just ranted about Mitch

overall it was still a wildly encouraging game given that we could hang with a club like denver without wemby. a lot of guys stepped up and played great. its just frustrating when you give away a game that you frankly shouldnt have had any business winning, and yet found yourself in a position to win. and its not like we were just hanging around within striking range all game, we had them on the ropes for a majority of the game.

 

[rjv]

wasn't too down about the loss but i agree with some of the coaching decisions by Mitch. hope to see Wemby back on the court tomorrow though.

 

[spurs10]

I agree with Carter needing more minutes. I also regret not speaking about Castle more in my grades. People were complaining about his D and the man got an impressive triple double. He wasn't getting much help from Johnson and, as said. Carter couldn't help because he was on the bench.

 

[heyheymymy]

Almost suspicious that was a toss for standings manipulation