Game Thread Spurs (27-12) @ Thunder (33-7) (Tue 1/13/26) [7:00PM CST]

[Exstatic]

You had some very good observations after our loss Sunday. One of which was how Fox is being used. I kept asking myself 'where is Fox?' Is his backseat to Castle, and even Harper, as the pg by design? Why have him if he isn't our point guard? On another note, tonight we should play with no pressure on ourselves, just let it rip.

OK, one more time for the folks the back who didn’t hear:

FOX IS PLAYING OFF THE BALL EARLY, BECAUSE OF ALL OUR CREATORS, HES THE BEST OFF THE BALL.

If he’s penetrating and Castle is sitting,out on the perimeter, you’re completely collapsing your defense.

 

[spurraider21]

OK, one more time for the folks the back who didn’t hear:

FOX IS PLAYING OFF THE BALL EARLY, BECAUSE OF ALL OUR CREATORS, HES THE BEST OFF THE BALL.

If he’s penetrating and Castle is sitting,out on the perimeter, you’re completely collapsing your defense.

if we traded for and then extended Fox to be an off-ball player, those were poor decisions

 

[Exstatic]

if we traded for and then extended Fox to be an off-ball player, those were poor decisions

It’s a growth move, until our young guys find their shots, and he’s still running the show late in games. Don’t know why panties are all in a wad over this.

If you’re insisting that your high dollar guard always run the plays, we could have just traded for Trae.

 

[ace3g]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2011163842181542090

 

[Spurs Homer]

Fuck the thunder...

No excuses - just beat them again.

 

[Arguendo]

It's based on a combination of point differential and strength of schedule.

As far as this game, it'll probably be the Thunder blowout win that was expected in the last two meetings.

I assumed it was that, but Denver has the #2 remaining SOS and a worse diff that us. Don't know what model they're using.

 

[Arguendo]

A lot of the problem is personnel as well. Our 3 headed guard lineup has been mightily struggling since opposing teams started packing the paint. I actually thought Fox shooting a career high from 3 fixes a lot of these issues, but he has regressed to around his career averages, so the lack of shooting is really so glaring right now.

True, but it also coincides with Barnes shooting like 33% over the past 20ish games, Champ shooting 32% over the past 6, DV going down, and Vic being out/limited.
Barnes was supposed to be THE consistent shooter here, Dev has been very consistent this yr (37.4 and 37.4 in Nov and Dec, 39, 37, 37 the past 3 yrs), Champ is always highly variable.
Barnes's slump and Dev being out has allowed them to pack the paint imo.

 

[Arguendo]

Come back Devin

This, Devin is very important as a outlet for them. Any word on his return?

 

[Charlie Sheen]

Garcia needs to be in the rotation

 

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

This, Devin is very important as a outlet for them. Any word on his return?

Yeah, I never thought I'd say the Spurs miss Devin in the lineup, but, the Spurs miss Devin in the lineup.

 

[Ice009]

OK, one more time for the folks the back who didn’t hear:

FOX IS PLAYING OFF THE BALL EARLY, BECAUSE OF ALL OUR CREATORS, HES THE BEST OFF THE BALL.

If he’s penetrating and Castle is sitting,out on the perimeter, you’re completely collapsing your defense.

No denying why they're doing that, but the point is, it's not helping Fox get into a rhythm/play his best playing like that IMO. It's not his fault that Steph and Dylan can't make a shot.

 

[Arguendo]

if we traded for and then extended Fox to be an off-ball player, those were poor decisions

We traded for Fox at good value to be our point guard, then Castle showed he has more on ball potential/value much faster than anticipated hope, then we were gifted the #2 and Harper.
You think they should've let Fox walk or you are just extraordinarily unhappy we have the 3rd best record in the NBA during an injury plagued season?

Fox shot 37% in 24 games in Nov/Dec. 15% in 6 games where Vic and DV have been hurt, and Barnes/Champ have shot 33%. Think back 3 wks when everyone in the NBA was awestruck by our guards ability to get to the rim with a healthy Vic/DV and functioning Barnes/Champ. This is a convergence of injuries/slumps, we'll be fine if Barnes gets back to a 39% shooter and DV gets healthy.

 

[Arguendo]

No denying why they're doing that, but the point is, it's not helping Fox get into a rhythm/play his best playing like that IMO. It's not his fault that Steph and Dylan can't make a shot.

Seemed to be working just fine when he was putting up 23/6/3.5 on 47/37 across his first 24 games. Maybe Vic, DV, Barnes, and Champ have something to do with this?

 

[Ice009]

Seemed to be working just fine when he was putting up 23/6/3.5 on 47/37 across his first 24 games. Maybe Vic, DV, Barnes, and Champ have something to do with this?

He played his best when Victor was out and was one of the main factors that carried the team to the record they had in that stretch. He was the focal point during a lot of those games. Steph was out for some of those games too.
He was also maybe the Spurs' best player last game in OKC.

All I'm saying is, people need to not crap on Fox if he has a bad game when he's being played like this. He's not at his best playing off the ball. He's being a good team player, and then people are ragging on him for these performances the past bunch of games.

 

[scott]

if we traded for and then extended Fox to be an off-ball player, those were poor decisions

I'm a huge Fox fan, but I absolutely agree with this.

Right now it is definitely fair to question the Fox acquisition (which I lump together with his contract, because you only acquire him if you are prepared to give him the extension we did) because of the way we are deploying him when we are at full strength. If we were going to do that, you could make the case we'd have been better off getting Desmond Bane instead (as an example).

 

[spurraider21]

I'm a huge Fox fan, but I absolutely agree with this.

Right now it is definitely fair to question the Fox acquisition (which I lump together with his contract, because you only acquire him if you are prepared to give him the extension we did) because of the way we are deploying him when we are at full strength. If we were going to do that, you could make the case we'd have been better off getting Desmond Bane instead (as an example).

that was also the excuse for last season aside from the pinky... it was that him playing alongside CP3 was suboptimal

 

[BatManu20]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2011186769400676590

 

[BatManu20]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2011193280747221325

 

[CGD]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2011125842085363798

Cool post Michael Wright. Let me post a video of something unrelated to the point I’m trying make.

 

[LeBowen]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2011193280747221325

 

[scott]

that was also the excuse for last season aside from the pinky... it was that him playing alongside CP3 was suboptimal

And I think that's correct.

If we were presented the idea of acquiring De'Aaron Fox, but specifically to be an off-ball guard... I would have been far less interested.

 

[tim_duncan_fan]

There is still Victor, of course, but we lose what mystique we have if we lose tonight's game and it isn't overly competitive.

 

[Rafa]

And I think that's correct.

If we were presented the idea of acquiring De'Aaron Fox, but specifically to be an off-ball guard... I would have been far less interested.

I'd be more inclined to accept this if Castle wasn't such a turnover machine. For example, if Harper ever gets back on track, I don't mind him being more on ball and Fox being off ball. But Castle has been so dreadful it's painful to watch the team continue to run through him when you have a semi all-star PG right next to him on the floor.

I also do wonder if we put the ball more in Fox's hands if he wouldn't start performing better as well. Point I guess is that with how things are looking recently, it's annoying we aren't trying something different.

 

[tearsofmorningdew]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2011128404033372639

Jesus f’in Christ I hate this team so much.

 

[Exstatic]

And I think that's correct.

If we were presented the idea of acquiring De'Aaron Fox, but specifically to be an off-ball guard... I would have been far less interested.

No one said that,and no one wants that. He starts the game there, and moves in and out of on ball and off ball roles. That was the selling point over, say, Trae.