Game Thread Spurs (15-7) @ Pelicans (3-21) (Mon 12/8/25) [7:00PM CDT]

[BacktoBasics]

A few thoughts :
- Vassell is a volume scorer, he is useless without enough shot attempts. Either give him 15 shots attempts (with 2 or 3 very early in the game) or trade him
- Castle defending on Queen was great. Why wait so late to try it? and not use it at the end?
- Mitch is being outmatched on halftime adjustement every single time... It's concerning at this point
- Castle being so clearly the primary PG with Fox on the floor should not be automatic

Vassell should simply get in where he fits in. Capitalize on what the game gives him. I think he’s done a good job in that regard. I’d rather him exercise restraint if the game isn’t giving offensive opportunities than to force his way into the offense.

I agree with the rest of your points.

 

[Raven_]

Vassell defense was terrible last night. Glad the spurs strung up a W. I knew they were going to blow the lead against this pelicans team. Harrison Barnes deserves the game ball keeping the spurs from total collapse in the 3rd quarter.

he was good on offense (going against a fat blair, not that hard), but he was the one who made the 3rd quarter collapse happen.. I guess it technically was bitch doing it, but he was the player getting skullfucked on every possession. And i don't blame him either tbh, what is he supposed to do, playing center like wtf...

 

[Rocalcio]

I feel like Queen is going to Zach Randolph us for his entire career… probably because everyone here keeps clowning on Dumars for trading that pick for him. Karma gonna come back to get us one day

The whole world was mocking Dumars on this, not only Spurs fans.

 

[Ice009]

Queen’s complete disinterest in playing defense is so funny. It might be worse than harden’s peak

I was thinking maybe Queen can work into being a mediocre/below average defender, but if he's not interested in even trying, then yeah, not likely to ever happen.

Yeah, the 21-year-old with the dad bod has been getting more consistent minutes under Borrego than he did under Green. Whether that’s because Zion’s been sidelined or due to a change in coaching philosophy isn’t for me to say. Since they let Green go, the Pels have been competitive in a lot of games until the 4th, and Queen has dropped 30 points twice. He is slow and cant defend for shit,

I didn't realize he's about to be 21. How come he was a freshman at that age? That seems kind of old for a freshman, isn't it? Is that due to the month he was born? If you were born in Dec. compared to January, does that change the year you go to school?

No. He's bad and he'll stay bad. He can improve like everyone can, but he doesn't have the length or speed to be anything but an undersized center.

I'm trying to think back and remember what kind of defense Jokic played in his 1st or 2nd year? Was a young Jokic still a better defender than Queen in the Joker's first NBA season?

 

[Mugen]

The whole world was mocking Dumars on this, not only Spurs fans.

Deservedly so.

They could have just picked Queen 7th last draft and have an opporunity to pair him with Peterson, Boozer, or Dybantsa this upcoming draft instead of Fears tbh.

To not even put a top 2-3 protection on that pick is absolute insanity.

 

[LeBowen]

Deservedly so.

They could have just picked Queen 7th last draft and have an opporunity to pair him with Peterson, Boozer, or Dybantsa this upcoming draft instead of Fears tbh.

To not even put a top 2-3 protection on that pick is absolute insanity.

Don't forget that he gave the Pacers back their '26 pick in exchange for #23 in '25 draft. And Mojave King, whoever that might be.
He couldn't have known Haliburton will tear his Achilles 5 days later, but he effectively traded two almost guaranteed top5 picks in '26 and Asa Newell for Queen.

Not to mention that while Fears looks like a solid player, he's too small and our guards bullied him like he's not even there.

 

[Ice009]

That's crazy giving back that Indiana pick. Even though he didn't know Haliburton would get hurt. If he had of just kept it, he would have felt like he won the lottery (not that anyone would want to see/cheer Haliburton getting hurt).

 

[Rocalcio]

Here, is an "answer" you can choose which one you like. Or not.

When the Spurs were up by 25, Castle was having a great game. They finished the half ahead by 20, and he was still playing well. In the third quarter, though, his performance dipped, and he had a bad stretch. He didn’t finish the fourth, so maybe you’d say he should be traded—is that what you want to hear?
or
He returned, scored some points, drove to the basket with ease, but also made a few careless turnovers, much like the rest of the team. The Spurs pulled off the win. The squad is still young and in the middle of a franchise rebuild. Castle, Fox, Wemby, and Harper still haven’t had much time on the court together. Our rookie head coach is still figuring out the roster and rotations due to injuries. The Spurs got the victory, and Castle seems to have fully recovered from his hip flexor injury.

It really depends on what you think of Castle in the first place, doesn’t it?

I hope you can actually get to watch the game to reenforce, or not, the opinions you want.

Deservedly so.

They could have just picked Queen 7th last draft and have an opporunity to pair him with Peterson, Boozer, or Dybantsa this upcoming draft instead of Fears tbh.

To not even put a top 2-3 protection on that pick is absolute insanity.

I’m not saying that wasn’t deserved, just that everyone in the league was mocking him

 

[eric365]

That's crazy giving back that Indiana pick. Even though he didn't know Haliburton would get hurt. If he had of just kept it, he would have felt like he won the lottery (not that anyone would want to see/cheer Haliburton getting hurt).

Indiana would have traded for a decent PG if their pick was still for the pellicans

No team tank for another team

 

[scott]

Indiana would have traded for a decent PG if their pick was still for the pellicans

No team tank for another team

No team tanks for another team... but NO (as in New Orleans) team does take for another team