Game Thread Spurs (26-11) @ Celtics (23-13) (Sat 1/10/26) [7PM CST]

[Limguoguolo]

It's almost unbelievable to win a game like this with such three-point accuracy when the other team made impossible shots from far away.

I hope this signals the end of the Splash Brothers era in basketball. Boston bases its game solely on three-point shooting (while complaining about not getting enough free throws). They were champions with this style of play, but I hope this stereotypical game is now definitively over.

Make way for the French Vanilla era. Tall ball is the future of basketball. The high-percentage midrange shot is back in favor. Victor played perfectly by focusing his efforts in the money time in this area.

The Celtics wanted to put a specific small defender on him. Historically, Victor has always had trouble getting past these players and getting into the paint with such supports at his hips... Never mind, as we say in French, “il ne faut pas chercher middy à quatorze heures” (don't look for middy at two o'clock): keep it simple and shoot from mid-range where the hands of the little guys won't obstruct your field of vision.

It's up to Castle and Harper to understand that in playoff mode, they need to keep driving to the paint to draw fouls or pass it out to a shooter. If Barnes and Champagnie miss, that's their job, you have to deal with it, it's still high-quality three-pointers.

Now, if possible, the Spurs could put together a trade to acquire Risacher for Sochan and CB. Atlanta needs hustle players, which Risacher is not. And they don't want him anymore. He's a decent defender and an excellent three-point shooter. (They could also bring in Yabusele or involve Olynyk more.)

 

[LeBowen]

i don't mean to be an ahole, but the french vanilla 2 minutes were not a good defensive stretch, they left plenty open and kornet was running on fumes all the time.. whenever we go with that the lane is always wide open.. maybe it's more like a shock lineup to throw the opposing team off, but not a serious option imo

Wemby checked in with 2:50 left in the game.
This is their only basket made in from that point until the end of the game:

White had a similar drive when he got a weak foul called on Kornet and they had that wide open Brown 3pt, but that was a miscommunication, Fox fucked up and left him wide open.

And the double big lineup isn't even about defense, but the dominance on offensive glass and in the paint.
On the very first offensive possession of double big lineup Kornet had a putback dunk that brought us back to -1.

It's not a 48 minutes per game solution, but if we can get PF/C that can shoot like Okongwu, it would be a nightmare to deal with for the opponents.

 

[spursparker9]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2010215712615223736

one of the top team in term of class

Guess Vic did not see what happened to Isisah Thomas after the 2017 playoffs run

 

[LeBowen]

one of the top team in term of class

Guess Vic did not see what happened to Isisah Thomas after the 2017 playoffs run

Tbf, that was Ainge doing his thing.

 

[RC_Drunkford]

Wemby checked in with 2:50 left in the game.
This is their only basket made in from that point until the end of the game:
View attachment 378
White had a similar drive when he got a weak foul called on Kornet and they had that wide open Brown 3pt, but that was a miscommunication, Fox fucked up and left him wide open.

And the double big lineup isn't even about defense, but the dominance on offensive glass and in the paint.
On the very first offensive possession of double big lineup Kornet had a putback dunk that brought us back to -1.

It's not a 48 minutes per game solution, but if we can get PF/C that can shoot like Okongwu, it would be a nightmare to deal with for the opponents.

that's exactly why Okongwu is the player I'd love to pair with Wemby. They are both interchangeable at PF/C. Would be French Vanilla on steroids with no spacing issues and fixes our 3rd string center problem at the same time.

 

[Ocotillo]

Also is sweet to beat the Lakers and Celtics consecutively when both are competitive teams.

 

[BatManu20]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2010201847420629284

 

[Hyrup]

 

[LeBowen]

That Castle and Harper ORTG...

 

[spursistan]

That Castle and Harper ORTG...

The court has shrunk further with Vassell out but i also think teams now have an abundance of film and scouting reports on both of them. When you are 27-11 & second seed, you start to get taken seriously and teams gameplan for you dissecting every weakness and flaw.

 

[Corso]

Ive also been wondering the last few games why mitch has not gone with -french vanilla- and finally tonite he did…

Maybe due to wemby being injured? But its good he finally went back to it tonite…you

FIFY

 

[BatManu20]

 

[Correct Crusader]

put it in the louvre

 

[Quentin_Compson]

put it in the louvre

Nah, it will only get stolen ...

 

[Sugus]

It also really looks like everyone on the team could use an All Star Break to sleep on things and regroup. They've looked "out of it" for several games now.

I think it's no coincidence that all the top Cup teams are playing flat vs lesser, but better rested teams. It's a real issue with the in-season Cup that the league should, but won't, address or plan around. Maybe the top-4 Cup teams get a week of scheduled rest, with a bit more front-loaded schedule?

 

[Sugus]

Absolutely Unguardable. Great shots.

This is your game Vic, hope he realizes soon enough. The MVPs of the league can force it when it matters, consistently. Last night's ending was a good showing of just that.

 

[NASpurs]

I would cream my pants if Wemby started to model his game more after LMA than anyone else. It would definitely lengthen his career as well.

 

[ace3g]

 

[DaSlicer]

It's almost unbelievable to win a game like this with such three-point accuracy when the other team made impossible shots from far away.

I hope this signals the end of the Splash Brothers era in basketball. Boston bases its game solely on three-point shooting (while complaining about not getting enough free throws). They were champions with this style of play, but I hope this stereotypical game is now definitively over.

Make way for the French Vanilla era. Tall ball is the future of basketball. The high-percentage midrange shot is back in favor. Victor played perfectly by focusing his efforts in the money time in this area.

The Celtics wanted to put a specific small defender on him. Historically, Victor has always had trouble getting past these players and getting into the paint with such supports at his hips... Never mind, as we say in French, “il ne faut pas chercher middy à quatorze heures” (don't look for middy at two o'clock): keep it simple and shoot from mid-range where the hands of the little guys won't obstruct your field of vision.

It's up to Castle and Harper to understand that in playoff mode, they need to keep driving to the paint to draw fouls or pass it out to a shooter. If Barnes and Champagnie miss, that's their job, you have to deal with it, it's still high-quality three-pointers.

Now, if possible, the Spurs could put together a trade to acquire Risacher for Sochan and CB. Atlanta needs hustle players, which Risacher is not. And they don't want him anymore. He's a decent defender and an excellent three-point shooter. (They could also bring in Yabusele or involve Olynyk more.)

That's one thing I'm going to keep an eye on is that if the Spurs can consistently win games being a poor 3 point shooting team. If they are able to pull it off then maybe they have found a defensive and offensive strategy that will eventually end this era of 3 point chucking.

 

[LeBowen]

I would cream my pants if Wemby started to model his game more after LMA than anyone else. It would definitely lengthen his career as well.

As long as he doesn't model his passing out of double teams after LMA.

 

[Spurs Homer]

these will always be travels to me, but I guess it's a gather step and then 1-2. Should definitely be his go-to moves.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2010197545096818939

https://twitter.com/x/status/2010198544112848924

Same travel as 20 years of curry taking 4-5-6 steps to launch 3’s tbh…

 

[Hyrup]

That Castle and Harper ORTG...

And those are not unusual single-game ratings for those two of late. They're in a horrible funk to say the least.

 

[Dex]

The good news is we are still winning games even with multiple guys playing below average (Barnes, Castle, Harper) and the team collectively is shooting like shit from three.

These are all things that could stand to improve. Not saying we are going to be a great three point shooting team, but they can definitely do better than they have been.

 

[BatManu20]

 

[CGD]

Womp womp.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2010222843859218713

https://twitter.com/x/status/2010208382188433412

This is what happened when your offense has been built on finesse and the long ball for years. Once you have to go inside by the other team’s design, you realize the league is hella physical.