Despite the rash of recent injuries affecting the
SanAntonio Spurs, at least one major play, Joffrey Lauvergne, seems ready to suit
up again. Benched for 10 games due to an ankle injury, following the Spurs'
impressive win against the Chicago Bulls, it seems that things are starting to
fall into place for the team.
Despite being rumored to return this past Friday, it seems
the player was just fully recovered and needed more time on the bench. Having
missed nine games at this point, the player is pining to get back into the game
and show the fans what they've been missing. Prior to his injury, Lauvergne was
averaging six points and 5.3 rebounds during his 15.7 minutes of play time,
making him a serious competitor for sure. Although there is no official date
for when he will return, the head coach, Gregg Popovich, asserts he should be
back any day now.
Given that there are several members of the Spurs with far
more serious injuries, everyone is hoping Lauvergne is ready to get back to the
game sooner rather than later. Indeed, despite an impressive game or two
without their full team present, it is doubtful that the Spurs can continue to
pull off such impressive games without their full line-up.
Even though they are holding their own, fans are excited
to see how the team will be affected by Lauvergne's return.
Matt Costello Has
Impressive 10 Minutes in Spurs Debut
Matt Costello is officially in the NBA. Off to an
amazing start, the former Bay City Western/Michigan State University player
made his debut on the San Antonio Spurs this past Sunday against the Chicago
Bulls. Signing a two-way contract allowing him to be both in the NBA club as
well as an NBA G-League affiliate, the 6-foot-9, 240-pound forward made his
debut on the Spurs after just four games.
Although Costello is clearly a worthy player, it was the
absence of three regular starters that left room for his debut. Playing for
just over 10 ½ minutes (10:34), Costello scored on his only field goal attempt,
earning himself two points. In addition, he also made a total of five rebounds,
two blocks and three fouls, all during this 10-minute time span.
An all-time leading scorer and rebounder from his days at
Bay City Western,
Costello earned the Mr. Basketball Award in 2012 and was
recognized as the top high school player in Michigan. He also went four seasons
with Michigan State, helping them to reach the Final Four while also setting a
record for most blocked shots in the program.
Spurs Beat Bulls Brutally
It looks like the season is off to an amazing start for
the San Antonio Spurs. Scoring an impressive 133-94 victory over the Bulls, the
Spurs have proven they have already stretched far beyond their growing pains as
a team. Moreover, many of the star players were actually missing during this
game as Danny Green, Manu Ginobili, Kawhi Leonard, Tony Parker, Joffrey
Lauvergne and Derrick White are all missing due to injuries and other
complications.
With Bryn Forbes, Kyle Anderson, and Brandon Paul being
tasked with taking on larger roles, the team churned out an impressive victory
despite some serious shortcomings. If nothing else, many assert this as a sign
of big things to come for this team.
Led by Pau Gasol, who scored 21 points and had 10
rebounds, the Spurs' Dejounte Murray scored 17 points while David Bertans
scored 16 points in just 18 minutes of game time. After losing rookie Lauri
Markkanen to a sprained ankle injury, Chicago was at a disadvantage.
Nevertheless, the Spurs were at a much bigger disadvantage, which makes this
win especially impressive. Rudy Gay and Brandon Paul also each scored 15
points, thus sealing the fate of the Bulls.
Beginning the game with a 30-8 lead, there were few who
doubted the Spurs would seal this victory. With the Bulls shooting at a mere 35
percent, this was certainly not a notable game for the opposing team.
Dejounte Murray: An Update
Though he was the talk of the team just a few weeks
back, many have begun to question what exactly is going on with Dejounte
Murray. Beginning the season with an amazing 4-0 start as point guard, it was
clear that Murray had something to prove. Although he showed promise by
powering through to the basket, his real power lies in his huge size and
defensive skill set. However, as of November 10th, Murray played just nine
minutes, a season low, against the Milwaukee Bucks. What's going on?
Well, despite the fact that he had been having an
impressive season and did earn double-digit points in three of them, he didn't
seem to stop them from slipping into a small losing streak. Following the third
game of this streak, Murray was removed as a starter of the team.
However,
since making this move, the team is officially 3-2, which includes a two-game
winning streak. Averaging 11.5 points and 3.5 rebounds on 50 percent shooting
against the Charlotte Hornets and Phoenix Suns, many assert that with Murray's
age and potential, he will likely bounce back in no time.