The Spot Up Pod

In this episode, Paul Garcia discusses the San Antonio Spurs' preseason performance, focusing on the potential starting lineup, key players who have emerged, and the team's emphasis on defense during training camp. He analyzes the contributions of players like Julian Champagnie, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and Blake Wesley, while also highlighting the importance of defensive strategies as the team prepares for the upcoming season.Click Ahead00:00 Who will be in the starting lineup on opening night?01:55 Which players need rotation minutes?08:46 Who has stuck out among training camp invite players?10:45 Two Overall Trends Get full access to The Spot Up Shot at thespotupshot.substack.com/subscribe

In this conversation, Paul Garcia discusses the San Antonio Spurs' preseason basketball, focusing on key players returning to the lineup, particularly Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul. He analyzes what rookie Stephon Castle had to say after practice Tuesday, highlighting Castle adapting to the NBA and his on-ball defense. Additionally, Garcia reacts to Riley Minix sharing his experiences as a rookie, learning from veterans, and working on a quicker release of his 3-point shot.Click Ahead00:00 Wemby, Chris Paul to make Preseason Debut02:11 Stephon Castle06:19 Riley Minix Get full access to The Spot Up Shot at thespotupshot.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Paul Garcia reviews the San Antonio Spurs' first preseason game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, discussing key player performances, and Stephon Castle’s first rookie game. He emphasizes the importance of not overvaluing preseason game statistics while highlighting individual player contributions.Click Ahead00:00 Preseason Game Overview02:28 Julian Champagnie05:38 Harrison Barnes06:13 Jeremy Sochan07:24 Stephon Castle10:31 Malaki Branham11:22 Blake Wesley12:31 Mamu14:15 Riley Minix Get full access to The Spot Up Shot at thespotupshot.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Paul Garcia discusses the latest updates on the San Antonio Spurs as they prepare for their first preseason game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Key topics include injury reports, insights from Coach Pop regarding the starting lineup, and a focus on rookie Stephon Castle and his role within the team. Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes also discussed Castle, as well as other topics in training camp. Finally, Keldon Johnson talked about what he worked on this offseason.Click Ahead00:00 Preseason Game Updates and Player Injuries02:19 Fifteen players available vs Thunder04:30 Coach Pop on Starting Lineup05:21 Coach Pop & Players on Stephon Castle08:15 Coach Pop on Keldon Johnson's Role09:24 Keldon Johnson on what he worked on this offseason10:41 Harrison Barnes on Wemby's 1-footed three point shot Get full access to The Spot Up Shot at thespotupshot.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Paul Garcia discusses the latest developments from the San Antonio Spurs' training camp, including insights from players, and the impact of new additions like Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes. Players such as Victor Wembanyama, Jeremy Sochan, rookie Stephon Castle, and Malaki Branham are highlighted, showcasing their growth and contributions to the team, as they prepare for the upcoming season.Click Ahead00:00 Training Camp Insights01:15 Lineups03:14 Wemby08:11 Chris Paul10:47 Harrison Barnes12:34 Devin Vassell on his injury13:34 Jeremy Sochan15:37 Stephon Castle17:09 Malaki Branham Get full access to The Spot Up Shot at thespotupshot.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Paul Garcia discusses the latest injury updates for the San Antonio Spurs, focusing on Devin Vassell's absence and the implications for the team's lineup. He explores potential replacements for Vassell, including Keldon Johnson, Stephon Castle, Julian Champagnie, and Malaki Branham, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, Garcia comments on recent roster moves, including the signing and subsequent waiving of Jameer Nelson Jr., and the possibility of signing Nathan Mensah to bolster the team's depth.Click Ahead00:00 Injury updates and their impact on the Spurs00:29 Devin Vassell Injury Explained02:13 Zach Collins' Injury02:53 Charles Bassey's Injury04:12 Should Keldon Johnson start?06:12 Should Stephon Castle start?08:30 Should Julian Champagnie start?09:43 Should Malaki Branham start?11:19 Backup center injury replacement players12:56 Jameer Nelson Jr. signed and waived Get full access to The Spot Up Shot at thespotupshot.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Paul Garcia discusses the upcoming decisions the San Antonio Spurs must make regarding team options for Malaki Branham and Blake Wesley. He analyzes the implications of exercising or declining the options and the potential impact on the roster. The conversation then shifts to answering Twitter questions from fans, covering topics such as the point guard rotation, Jeremy Sochan's role, and the competition for minutes among young players. The episode concludes with a look ahead to training camp and the regular season.Click Ahead00:00 Team Options for Spurs Players08:02 Twitter Questions Round Two08:29 Question 1: Point guard rotation and minutes distribution?11:10 Question 2: Jeremy Sochan’s role?13:45 Question 3: Will Malaki Branham and Blake Wesley find roles this season?17:43 Question 4: Will Sidy Cissoko be part of the rotation this season? Get full access to The Spot Up Shot at thespotupshot.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, let’s go through the recent news of the San Antonio Spurs waiving Jamaree Bouyea and the implications for the team's roster. Let’s also explore potential candidates for the open two-way contract and I answered fan questions regarding player roles and expectations for the upcoming season. Finally, the conversation highlights the competitive landscape of the Western Conference and the Spurs' challenges for the season ahead.Click Ahead00:00 Spurs Waive Jamaree Bouyea01:59 Options for open two-way roster spot04:33 Fan questions from Twitter05:40 Question 1: Will Keldon Johnson start again?08:48 Question 2: Will Blake Wesley make the roster?12:07 Question 3: Second unit lineup projections?14:01 Question 4: Season expectations for the team Get full access to The Spot Up Shot at thespotupshot.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of the Spot Up Pod, let’s revisit three pieces I wrote during the off-season, focusing on Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes. From analyzing their stats and go-to shots from last season, to providing additional observations. For Barnes, I highlighted his low fouling rate and post-up ability. For Paul, I discussed his steals and deflections numbers. Finally, I also examined their go-to shots, including Paul's mid-range jumper and Barnes' corner threes.Click Ahead* Paul and Barnes’ offense and defensive stats 1:20* Paul’s 3 go-to shots 12:10* Barnes’ 3 go-to shots 16:40The Articles References in this Episode* Diving into Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes’ stats from last season* Film Study: Chris Paul’s 3 Go-to Shots* Film Study: Harrison Barnes’ 3 Go-to Shots Get full access to The Spot Up Shot at thespotupshot.substack.com/subscribe

Back on July 12, I wrote about an early San Antonio Spurs rotation outlook. Since then, my prediction hasn’t changed as much on who will be in the San Antonio Spurs’ core rotation. In this episode, I’ll be addressing a number of early lineup questions.Here are the topics for this episode:* Players most likely to start and be part of the 9-man core rotation (0:40)* My early prediction for the 10-man rotation (4:18)* Stephon Castle in the starting lineup (7:10)* Keldon Johnson in the starting lineup (8:35)* The backup minutes between Julian Champagnie, Malaki Branham, and Blake Wesley (10:25)* What about Charles Bassey and Sandro Mamukelashvili? (13:20) Get full access to The Spot Up Shot at thespotupshot.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of the Spot Up Pod, we’ll explore which players are on the San Antonio Spurs’ roster, and the three players who are trying to earn a permanent roster spot.The big questions in this episode:* Who are the 21 players on the roster, and what types of contracts do they have? (0:30)* What if one of the three training camp invites has an impressive preseason? Who might the Spurs look at waiving to open a roster spot for that player? (7:30)* Why hasn’t Nathan Mensah been signed to a training camp contract? (11:15) Get full access to The Spot Up Shot at thespotupshot.substack.com/subscribe