A starter in 65 of his 68 games last season, Spurs guard Tre Jones has come off the bench for the first two contests of 2023/24. He was one of the team’s most productive players on Wednesday vs. Dallas, piling up 16 points, six assists, and five rebounds in 25 minutes, but he sat in crunch time as Gregg Popovich turned to Jeremy Sochan with the scored tied at 118 and just over two minutes remaining. The Spurs ultimately lost the game.
“I just want to do everything I can to help my team win,” Jones said, per Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required). “Obviously, being on the floor I feel like I can help my team win, but we had to do different lineups and whatnot to match up with them on the defensive end.
“They just hit some tough shots at the end, very tough shots. That’s just how it goes sometimes. Got to stay ready. There will always be different lineups down the stretch. We don’t know who is going to be in there. We are all ready and we all believe in one another.”
Jones’ readiness paid off on Friday as he got the nod late in the fourth quarter and in overtime over Sochan and helped deliver the first victory of San Antonio’s season. Although he only scored six points, the point guard dished out eight assists and was a team-high plus-14 in his 33 minutes.
Here’s more on the Spurs:
- While Jones played at the point in Friday’s crunch-time minutes, the Spurs want Sochan to continue getting comfortable at the position, as Popovich said after the opener on Wednesday. “We’re just trying to educate him and it is a new position for him,” Popovich said, according to Orsborn. “He’s learning something. Every practice, every game he’s going to learn. But I love his energy, his defensive energy. He’s learning how to control a group out there, so it’ll take a little bit of time for him and (his teammates) to jell together, but I was really pleased with him overall.” Sochan did check back into Friday’s game with 21 seconds left in overtime and hit two big free throws to help seal the victory.
- After not getting the ball to Victor Wembanyama during the final few possessions of Wednesday’s loss, the big man’s teammates rectified that approach on Friday, showing in the rookie’s second NBA game that they trust him with the ball when the game is on the line — and he delivered, tying the game with a big basket in the final minutes, writes Mike Finger of The San Antonio Express-News. “Learning from the mistake,” Keldon Johnson said after the win.
- Kelly Iko of The Athletic spoke to a scout about what he has seen from Wembanyama in his first two NBA games. “Offensively, his skill is ahead of his physicality. And I think as his physicality over time catches up, you’ll start to see him impacting the game defensively as well as rebounding-wise,” the scout said. “Those two things right now stand out. He still needs time to catch up, but offensively, I don’t really worry. He can get any shot he wants. He has a certain fluidity and a feel that’s just rare for his size.”
- Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai, who initially opposed the idea of the Spurs leaving Front Bank Center for a new downtown arena, has become more open to that possibility, writes Molly Smith of The San Antonio Express-News. The Spurs’ lease at their current arena doesn’t expire in 2032, but the franchise has expressed interest in building an arena in the city’s urban core. Sakai says he has had “preliminary discussions” with team and city officials.
Spurs look like a great team because Rockets Big youn 3 don’t play defense
Lol what? Sengun is their best player by far and has been a positive defender both season?
Rockets have some good pieces…
Brooks and Udoka are over rated… FVV will win them a couple of games but they’re relying on young guys not making mistakes…
Right, and I think this rebuilding Rockets squad is in the right path thus far. They have a good core of young, budding stars in Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Jalen Green, Jabari Smith, Tari Eason, and Cam Whitmore. They will have a couple unselfish and experienced role players in Landale and Tate to help rotate in and out, and who will ultimately help make some winning plays throughout the season.
Plus, now, they’ve helped supplement their younger core with a couple of younger vets that are gamers at their core and who want to be leaders in Dillon Brooks and Fred VanVleet. These are high energy players who will lead by example making all the hustle plays and by playing on both ends of the floor night in and night out.
Not to mention, the Rockets have also added some key veterans that can help promote good team chemistry and a winning atmosphere in Victor Oladipo, Reggie Bullock and Jeff Green.
These vets will help their younger core grow, and these guys can show them how to be professionals on and off the court to help make it through the grind of a long NBA season. Udoka is a great coach, but sometimes the best coaches use their veterans to help extend their message on the court and on the bench at all times.
I think they’ve made some solid moves towards taking the next steps in this team’s development. Udoka is an excellent coach and communicator who is going to demand the most from his younger players, and he will not just accept max effort only on one end of the court.
I like the direction they’re heading, and if they can get some growth from each of their young studs, this team could be a perennial pest in the playoffs.
Spurs are going to be a tough out once Pop gets these kids playing for each other… Too much me ball until Tre Jones is out there… Then some classic Spurs ball movement starts… By seasons end this Spurs team could be a piece away from being special…
Pop needs to find as much time for Jones to share the floor with VW as possible…
The Spurs, right now, have a couple of square pegs they’re trying to fit into round holes, but they’re certainly trending in the right direction.
This season is all about developing, showing individual and team growth on a nightly basis, and figuring out their needs moving forward tonbest utilize the strengths of their core group of players.
I definitely think they could use another play-making, pass first PG with good court vision, like a Tre Jones, but one who’s a little more assertive. I think Jones can be a great leader of a second unit on a winning team, and there’s certainly a place for him moving forward, but he has to become more assertive with the ball I’m his hands and make quicker decisions if he’s ever going to take his game to the next level.
Sochan has an immense amount of talent, but I just don’t see him as a true lead guard at this point in his career, and I’m not entirely sure if he’ll ever be able to get there. He can be a playmaker for his teammates, but Pop should let it come more naturally for Sochan. Allow him to make plays for others as he’s attacking the basket, and allow him to make plays without the ball in his hands first. I think that would be the best way for him to grow his game, and then as the game slows down, as he learns to make better decisions, and as he starts to see the entire court better, then maybe try using him in a point forward role at times.
I think having Sochan run the offense can eventually be successful at times and during points in the game, but it should be to give their opponents a different look, certainly shouldn’t be their main set.
Tre is definitely the straw that stirs the drink type PG… Almost to a fault… He can be the starting PG on a contender, but would have to be the 4th option…
Sochan has talent and could also be a similar level player… I see them more as a SG who has some passing vision… Will probably be best used as a secondary play maker…
They could compliment each other greatly in line ups, although defensively they are a bit small which is why they get split up so often…
But it does just feel like they need a taller and more agressive PG to go alongside the other 4 starters…