Jeff Garcia here, the host of the daily Locked On Spurs podcast, with your daily Locked On Spurs newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Spurs and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
Jeremy Sochan’s Role in San Antonio Spurs Lineup: Starter or Bench?
Troy Wayrynen - USA TODAY
Sohan’s Return: A New Dynamic for the San Antonio Spurs
With Jeremy Sohan back from injury, the San Antonio Spurs face an intriguing challenge: integrating him into a lineup that has been performing exceptionally well in his absence. As a Spurs writer, I find this situation both exciting and complex. Sohan’s return brings a fresh dynamic to the team, but it also raises questions about his role and impact on the current rotation.
Sohan’s Role in the Spurs’ Lineup
Sohan’s defensive prowess and increased scoring ability this season make him a valuable asset. However, the Spurs have been thriving without him, boasting one of the best starting units in the NBA. This raises the question: should Sohan start, come off the bench, or take on the role of a sixth man? The current starting lineup, featuring players like Victor Wembanyama and Devin Vassell, has been clicking, and disrupting that chemistry could be risky.
Sohan’s return also prompts a closer look at his fit with key players like Wembanyama and Vassell. While his defensive skills are undeniable, there are concerns about how his presence might affect the team’s offensive flow. The eye test suggests that the ball moves more fluidly when Sohan is not on the court, despite his individual stats showing improvement.
Analyzing the Numbers
The numbers paint an interesting picture. The Spurs’ top-performing lineup does not include Sohan, and he only appears in the fourth-best unit. This suggests that while Sohan is a talented player, his integration into the starting lineup might not be as seamless as some fans hope. The challenge lies in finding a role for Sohan that maximizes his strengths without disrupting the team’s overall performance.
One potential solution is to have Sohan come off the bench, similar to how Manu Ginóbili was utilized in the past. This approach would allow Sohan to contribute significant minutes while maintaining the balance of the starting lineup. It’s crucial for the coaching staff to determine how Sohan can best support Wembanyama and the rest of the team.
The decision on Sohan’s role is not just about his individual performance but also about how he complements the team’s overall strategy. The Spurs need to ensure that their lineup remains cohesive and effective, especially with the addition of a player like Sohan, who has the potential to be a key contributor.
For more insights and a deeper dive into Sohan’s role and the Spurs’ strategy, tune into the Locked On Spurs podcast for this and much more.
Other Topics in Today’s Locked On Spurs Podcast:
- The impact of Tre Jones’ injury on the Spurs’ lineup
- Analyzing the Spurs’ defensive strategies with and without Sohan
- Fan reactions and comments on the Spurs’ current performance
- A look at upcoming games and what to expect from the Spurs
Dec 1, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick calls a play against the Utah Jazz during the first half at the Delta Center. | Christopher Creveling/Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images
If JJ Redick had approached the season signalling a measure of outward self-awareness that he, a former player with no head coaching experience and cohost of a podcast with LeBron James, was now head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, things might be different. If Redick had acknowledged that very obvious, and unique to our contemporary basketball moment of athlete-driven media elephant in the room, things might be different. If Redick had at any point, when asked about his new role in scrums wherein he knows the clips and audio of his answers will be immediately and robustly aggregated, balanced out his self-aggrandizing basketball sicko-hood, or answers where he likened head coaching to nothing short of personal destiny, with something like, It’s a learning curve, really anything a hair more measured, things might be different.
Things would not look different. The Lakers made no real structural changes to their roster in the offseason, so the team playing bad basketball now is the same team that was playing bad basketball last season under Darvin Ham (Redick is one game off the 13-9 pace set by Ham last season), but things might be interpreted, or reasoned with, differently. That kind of grace, for a struggling franchise with major conflicting timelines and high-stakes notions like legacy on the line, goes a long way.
There is such a fine line in coaching between collaborative and domineering, confident and arrogant, and many first-time head NBA coaches have learned the hard way what it is to lose a team, and lose them quickly. Nate Bjorkgren went into the Pacers organization not just hot but by many accounts scorching, and was expeditiously fired at the end of his lone year in Indiana. Jason Kidd may have traded in his string of short-lived head coaching appointments (Nets, Bucks — and surprise! — Lakers) for his current and seemingly steady job with the Mavs, but there is no doubt a type afforded the leniency of multiple failures in the NBA, and it tends to be white, male and abidingly faultless.
To Redick’s credit, he has vocally shouldered the blame of the Lakers recent, bad losses. When the team fell to the Timberwolves 109-80 to start the month, Redick noted their lacklustre effort was “looking more and more like it’s not an aberration”, correcting himself from a late-November blown effort against the Nuggets he said was. This week’s impressive loss to the Heat resulted in a two minute explanation from Redick that skimmed the existential and was anchored in the heavy weight of realization.
What’s difficult from here — beyond how the Lakers improve when their offensive energy is sporadic at best and their approach to defence has been to literally stand back and watch — is how to move forward into the long season still ahead, with the base level of competency and pride necessary for a cohesive team to function.
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Mike Shearer (@bballispoetry) has written about the NBA full-time since 2021 at various and sundry places. For more from Mike, check out his Substack bestseller, Basketball Poetry, where he uses unnecessary metaphors and the occasional haiku to discuss the NBA’s happenings with an analytical lens.
Home and Away
Fans Join the San Antonio Spurs for Ugly Sweater Night at Frost Bank Center against the Portland Trail Blazers. Embrace the festive spirit with special promotions and activities. (Pounding the Rock)
Preview The Spurs vs. Kings game preview dives into key matchups and strategies for the upcoming clash. Discover insights on player performances and game expectations. (Pounding the Rock)
Replay The Spurs suffered a 124-139 defeat to the Bulls, overwhelmed by their offensive firepower. Key moments and player statistics are highlighted. (Pounding the Rock)
Biz The NBA will return to China in 2025; The first time since team executive Daryl Morey’s 2019 tweet signalled support for Hong Kong independence. (ESPN)
Feel Good Four Raptors rookies make history by playing in two games in one day. (SportsNet)
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Sunday, Dec. 8 | 6:00PM | Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX | Get Tickets
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Friday, Dec. 13 | 7:00PM | Moda Center, Portland, OR | Get Tickets
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Ayo Dosunmu’s Big Fantasy Basketball Night
Dec 5, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu (11) looks to pass the ball while defended by San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) and forward Harrison Barnes (40) during the first half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter/Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
The Dallas Mavericks dominated the Washington Wizards, with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving leading the charge. Doncic’s 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, alongside Irving’s 25 points, highlighted their commanding performance. Despite a lackluster showing from P.J. Washington, Quentin Grimes and Spencer Dinwiddie delivered solid contributions. The Wizards’ decision to start Marvin Bagley over Jonas Valančiūnas was puzzling, given Bagley’s inconsistent play. Bilal Coulibaly’s struggles continue, and Jordan Poole’s shooting woes persist, though his minutes remain encouraging.
In another matchup, the Cleveland Cavaliers secured a significant win over the Denver Nuggets. Nikola Jokic’s 27 points, 20 rebounds, and 11 assists underscored his dominance, despite heavy minutes. Michael Porter Jr.'s defensive contributions were notable, with four steals and two blocks. On the Cavaliers’ side, Caris LeVert’s 21 points and Donovan Mitchell’s 28 points, six assists, and six triples were key to their victory.
The Oklahoma City Thunder overwhelmed the Toronto Raptors, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the charge with 30 points, five assists, and two steals. Cason Wallace’s defensive prowess was on display, contributing two steals and four blocks. The Raptors struggled without Jakob Poeltl, highlighting their lack of depth at the center position.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Spurs podcasts.
San Antonio Spurs-Knicks Christmas Day preview with Locked On Knicks
The San Antonio Spurs are making waves in the NBA, thanks to rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama. With impressive stats and a game-changing presence, Wembanyama is redefining the Spurs’ strategy. Meanwhile, the New York Knicks, led by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, are gearing up for a thrilling Christmas Day showdown.
Spurs’ Trade Rumors: Is De’Aaron Fox San Antonio bound?
As rumors swirl about De’Aaron Fox potentially joining the San Antonio Spurs, fans are excitedly buzzing. This episode dives into the possibility of a Fox move, analyzing its impact on the Spurs’ strategy and rebuilding timeline.
Mitch Johnson’s future with San Antonio Spurs: Head Coach in waiting?
The San Antonio Spurs are at a crossroads, with Mitch Johnson emerging as a potential future head coach. As the team navigates coaching changes and Greg Popovich’s health concerns, the spotlight is on rookie sensation Stephon Castle and his impressive Rookie of the Year award bid.
