Game Thread Spurs (17-7) vs Thunder (24-1) (Sat 12/13/25) [8:00PM CDT]

PanameSpur said:
Disagree here. Finals aren't made to be played but won.

Winning vs Okc was highly important but today winning vs NY is the most important game of their career (Barnes & Kornet aside), especially Wemby who finished 2nd too many times already (2x) in his short career.
Click to expand...
Counterpoint : the nba cup is inherently meaningless, as evidenced by prior winners and just its overall framework. This game against the Knicks isn’t important unless the team decides it is. Which they may or may not. If they lay an egg against a team they have no real relationship with, it’s not really anything.
 
Shmurs said:
Counterpoint : the nba cup is inherently meaningless, as evidenced by prior winners and just its overall framework. This game against the Knicks isn’t important unless the team decides it is. Which they may or may not. If they lay an egg against a team they have no real relationship with, it’s not really anything.
Click to expand...

They 100% will take as seriously as any regular season game. Both finalists are hyped as hell and there is no way they'll field a B squad or go through the motions like they would in an early November game.
 
Totally unrelated and off topic, but I think I'm going to play 5 vs Willie with a mental picture of Taylor Rooks in my mind tonight.
 
Shmurs said:
Counterpoint : the nba cup is inherently meaningless, as evidenced by prior winners and just its overall framework. This game against the Knicks isn’t important unless the team decides it is. Which they may or may not. If they lay an egg against a team they have no real relationship with, it’s not really anything.
Click to expand...
Giving these kids a taste of playoff intensity is absolutely worthwhile!
Did you watch the game last night? That was indoctrination by fire and they needed it!

Now if the NYK's come out like blah, then yeah, it's worthless, but if they come out with fire in their eyes and the Spurs have to face them like lions and tigers...

They need that as much as they can on the way to the Ultimate Prize.
 
spurraider21 said:
this was reviewed for a flagrant :st-lol:

when-the-push-off-doesnt-create-enough-separation-just-fall-v0-m43i4nkd247g1.jpeg
Click to expand...
Yeah fuckin what was he gonna do when he landed like that OTHER than fall down? The league should fine him for flopping and fire the refs who called that shit a foul.
 
This game reminded me of game 1 of the '13 Finals, when the Spurs looked unsure of themselves until Duncan subbed in during the 2nd quarter, flipped the game on its head and the entire game seemed to carry themselves a foot taller after that.

The crazy thing is, the Spurs left more meat on the bone than the Thunder did. It's not like they had an outlier game from 3 or turnover wise. It was actually the opposite.


OK Computer said:
Next season we need a Barnes alternative. You could see last night that Mitch wanted to sub him out because he was cold, but he couldn’t since there was no better alternative.
Click to expand...

Even this season. The fact that they're this reliant on a 33 year old SF (he's just too slow to defend it) as their only stretch PF and now apparently small ball C, is unsettling.
 
Shmurs said:
Counterpoint : the nba cup is inherently meaningless, as evidenced by prior winners and just its overall framework. This game against the Knicks isn’t important unless the team decides it is. Which they may or may not. If they lay an egg against a team they have no real relationship with, it’s not really anything.
Click to expand...
Counterpoint : idgaf about the title itself, it's about reaching a goal, even smaller than the NBA title and winning as a group.

Technically, you're right, a loss wouldn't count for the ranking nor would be dramatic, but winning is a habit, the same way you want to win any game you play, they should be hungry and I want to see them treat it like a PO game, not a RS one.

Big part of this roster has been tanking and not won much these last seasons, KJ Devin Vic or even Fox need that win. Mitch as well.
 
Corso said:
The way this team plays and how they are emotionally constructed bodes for success.
I'm certainly more euphoric than usual and maybe I need to put some Memphis Blues in my Ray Ban Meta, but it's nice to feel like the tean we're rooting for can walk in anywhere and beat anyone.
Click to expand...
Same, this team has grit and will never quit. I got to give it to Mitch (whom I shat undeservedly a lot on), a team is always at the image of their coach.
 
DTW said:
This game reminded me of game 1 of the '13 Finals, when the Spurs looked unsure of themselves until Duncan subbed in during the 2nd quarter, flipped the game on its head and the entire game seemed to carry themselves a foot taller after that.

The crazy thing is, the Spurs left more meat on the bone than the Thunder did. It's not like they had an outlier game from 3 or turnover wise. It was actually the opposite.




Even this season. The fact that they're this reliant on a 33 year old SF (he's just too slow to defend it) as their only stretch PF and now apparently small ball C, is unsettling.
Click to expand...
Meat on the bone -- good take/phrase.

Spurs just had Wemby back, and on short minutes. The team hasn't gelled in a number of categories yet. Harper is just getting used to the league. This was definitely a put-on-notice game and something for OKC to really think about. They'll come hard later this month.
 
PanameSpur said:
Counterpoint : idgaf about the title itself, it's about reaching a goal, even smaller than the NBA title and winning as a group.

Technically, you're right, a loss wouldn't count for the ranking nor would be dramatic, but winning is a habit, the same way you want to win any game you play, they should be hungry and I want to see them treat it like a PO game, not a RS one.

Big part of this roster has been tanking and not won much these last seasons, KJ Devin Vic or even Fox need that win. Mitch as well.
Click to expand...
I agree with this. If it's OKC, Boston, Denver, or any team that's won recently, then, yeah, the Cup doesn't really matter. But this could.be a huge confidence boost to a team that has grown accustomed to losing.
 
TimmyBuckets said:
Nah SGA is a class act. Listen to the postgame. He doesn't have a bad attitude with anyone. He plays like CP3 and Harden when it comes to getting fouls, but that's just his game. Doesn't mean he's a clown like Harden.
Click to expand...
to me OKC feels soft. I think our players have the mental edge. They seem much more aggressive.
 
Shmurs said:
Counterpoint : the nba cup is inherently meaningless, as evidenced by prior winners and just its overall framework. This game against the Knicks isn’t important unless the team decides it is. Which they may or may not. If they lay an egg against a team they have no real relationship with, it’s not really anything.
Click to expand...
yeah half a million dollars don't mean anything
 
TimmyBuckets said:
Beat Nuggets, Lakers, Houston, OKC. Spurs just have to get over the juggernaut hurdles that are Suns and GSW lol.
Click to expand...
GSW they just need to not double and don't get baited by butler and curry to get them to the free throw line.

What I wanted to see from the spurs last night, don't gamble with the cookie jar and keep hands up on defense. Made a big difference this game and in the Lakers game not gifting them easy pts at the charity stripe.

Let their star player work for his 30+ but make everyone else work harder for theirs.
 
The players and teams obviously care about the Cup... bizarre to me that anyone would suggest otherwise.

I do think the NBA can add a little more spice to the pot however.

If they wanted to match it up to the stakes of European Futbol, the could have the winner of the Cup getting automatic placement to the play-in.... but every team that has played in an NBA Cup Final to date (a total of 4 teams) has been a playoff team that season anyway... so I don't think that it is necessary.

I think another idea could be that if winning team gets automatic Play-In Berth *or* if the team is a play-off team anyway, then they get some kind of enhancement to their FRP (maybe a 5 pick bump, or to the 15th pick, which ever is lower)
 
scott said:
The players and teams obviously care about the Cup... bizarre to me that anyone would suggest otherwise.

I do think the NBA can add a little more spice to the pot however.

If they wanted to match it up to the stakes of European Futbol, the could have the winner of the Cup getting automatic placement to the play-in.... but every team that has played in an NBA Cup Final to date (a total of 4 teams) has been a playoff team that season anyway... so I don't think that it is necessary.

I think another idea could be that if winning team gets automatic Play-In Berth *or* if the team is a play-off team anyway, then they get some kind of enhancement to their FRP (maybe a 5 pick bump, or to the 15th pick, which ever is lower)
Click to expand...
I don't know how much players care about pick position, otherwise I would agree.
 
OK Computer said:
https://twitter.com/x/status/2000071926673494048
Click to expand...

I think (hope) this playbook won’t work anymore with Fox and the emergence of castle. Spurs were trying hard to force feed wemby earlier on because they can send doubles to him and not worry about others quickly taking advantage of that. Now fox and castle can create quick offence with single teams which means that spurs have other options when the post feeds don’t work. We can even use wemby as a decoy, quick swing the ball to the weak side and attack immediately.

The Ballsbreakers said:
You don't Vic can guard Towns?
Click to expand...
Vic can absolutely do it but I don’t want him to. I want Vic to stay closer to the paint on defence.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

LeBowen
Game Thread Spurs (15-7) @ Pelicans (3-21) (Mon 12/8/25) [7:00PM CDT]
27 28 29
Replies
709
Views
7K
scott
scott
BatManu20
Game Thread Spurs (8-2) vs Warriors (6-6) (Wed 11/12/25) [7:00PM CDT]
35 36 37
Replies
916
Views
11K
Strategic
Strategic
scott
GAME GRADES: Spurs vs Pacers (10/17/25)
Replies
14
Views
553
Em-City
Em-City
scott
Analysis GRADES: 11/28/25 SPURS 139 @ NUGGETS 136
Replies
19
Views
411
heyheymymy
heyheymymy
scott
Analysis GRADES: Spurs @ Pelicans 10/24/2025
Replies
19
Views
551
Area 51.247
A
Back
Top